October, 2008

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In Season: Apples

Monday, October 13th, 2008

There are two types of people: those for whom season dictates food choices, and the rest of us.

Until recently it didn’t occur to me to think too much about seasonality when grocery shopping, choosing a recipe out of a cookbook or ordering at a restaurant. Sure, if a particular item was bountiful I might be drawn to it, but it was more afterthought than forethought.

Reading books about food has helped make local seasonality a prime consideration in my food choices. After foregoing the supermarket’s expensive Australian apples all summer, I am very glad for a dozen apple varieties to be in their prime in New York currently. Today I went apple picking at Weeds Orchard (great name). 89 cents per pound, crisp and juicy, and a perfect complement to brisk October air.

Now if only I can do without asparagus for six more months….

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Ingredients | 2 Responses »
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Economy Candy: Dried cantaloupe and cats

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who enjoy wandering the aisles of food shops, and those who don’t see the point.

Much like wandering through a bookstore or reading recipe websites, I like to duck into food shops when I’m visiting a new place or just wandering here in New York. I like seeing new products and getting inspiration.

Since my fiance is often with me, and since he’s the type that doesn’t see the point, we’ve come up with a deal: for every food shop he joins me in, I will stop on the sidewalk outside of the next realty company we pass to read all the listings of condos for sale.

My latest food shop was Economy Candy on the Lower East Side. It is a small shop with each nook and cranny filled with chocolates, hard candies, nuts, dried fruits, and even the owners’ cats on the prowl. Better than seeing a rat I guess. I guess?

I purchased dried cantaloupe because I had never seen it or tried it before. It’s quite sweet and delicious. And I’m not really a cantaloupe person.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Ingredients, Products | 2 Responses »
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Handle-less Mugs: You can still hold them

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

There are two types of people: those whose hands are very often cold and those who are lucky.

Poor circulation, genes, whatever the reason- when your hands are cold, and have been since 5pm or last Saturday or 1993, it’s nice to hold something warm.

I love mugs without handles because I can wrap my fingers around them for maximum benefit.

These were handmade by my friend Ingrid. She insisted I use them, not just set them on my shelf. So I do use them, and I just love them. I even put them in our (mini-)dishwasher.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Dinnerware | 2 Responses »
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Extra Ginger Brew: Good stuff

Friday, October 10th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who prefer ginger ale and those who prefer ginger brew.

I grew up with a summertime social circle at my lake cabin. One of the activity ringleaders, Dave, is constantly trying to rally enough people together for a tennis tournament or volleyball game. A few summers he caught on that a better way to get everyone together is to have a “taste-off” of a certain type of food.

Ginger ales/brews were the subject of one such “taste-off,” and my outstanding favorite was Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew which boasts “25g of fresh ginger” per bottle. Usually I am severely unimpressed by product health/ingredient claims, but this in fact catches my attention. Anyone who measures in grams and cooks fresh ginger can attest to 25g being a considerable amount.

Perusing the Reed’s website now I am intrigued by the Cherry Ginger Brew and Spiced Apple Brew. I will have to look out for them.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Products | 2 Responses »
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Olives: Delicious, fatty, hopefully on the menu

Friday, October 10th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who eat olives and those who do not.

It is hard for me to be friends with people who do not like them. It is very exasperating. I can understand that they are salty. I cannot understand that they should be limited due to fat content. Olive fat has to be one of the best things we can eat. I eat a lot of olives.

These olives are from Otto. An indication of a good Italian or Mediterranean restaurant is olive quality and selection. These were good. Everything else at Otto is good, too.

One of my dining companions for this meal does not like olives. I can’t remember her excuse reasoning. I do remember that it was very exasperating. However, I did get a slightly larger share myself.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Cupboard Staples, Ingredients, Uncategorized | 1 Response »
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Halloween Season: Love it or hate it

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who love Halloween and those who don’t.

I love Halloween. I love seeing kids dress up, I love seeing families mill around outside after dark, and I love how it makes people come out of their shells. Halloween is an excuse for people to meet each other, laugh with strangers and make a “to do” about not much.

I am an “out of my shell” person by nature. Extroverted, chatty, animated, easy going: all of the above. For as long as you’ll listen, I’ll tell you pretty much anything, even if I just met you. For me, Halloween is a day that everyone else acts a little more like me.

I once heard that a good indicator of your character is if you would want to be good friends with yourself.

So I guess my answer would be yes, and it wouldn’t even have to be Halloween.

Though I like costumes.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »
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Not Blogging All Over Myself: 2

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

I met Jess when we both spent a summer in Vietnam three years ago.  She is now a Peace Corp Volunteer in Cameroon and keeps an astonishingly humorous chronicle of her life there.

You may have to read around the archives a bit to get oriented, but it’s worth it.  I’ve been known to have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Response »
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Happy Hour: Cider by the pint

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

There are two types of people: beer lovers and beer non-lovers.

To the exasperation of nearly everyone I know, I am not a beer lover. For many years I thought that I would develop a taste for it, just as I did with coffee, wine, blue cheese, and many liquors. But alas… after years of trying, it’s still not my thing.

In London I discovered that I’m not totally incapable of enjoying a frosty pint with friends on the bank of the Thames after an afternoon spent shopping at Borough Market. Cider. Cider! Refreshing and tasty.  Many pubs offer various types that were fun to sample.

To most beer lovers, cider is overly sweet and… pathetic, maybe? But for me, it works.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Happy Hour | 1 Response »
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Painless Tech Lesson: Google Reader

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who use Google Reader and those who do not.

Using Google Reader changes your life. Really. Once you start you will never–never–go back to your old method of reading blogs.

After you’re logged into your Google account and are on the Reader page, you “Add Subscription” for the URL of each blog you read.

Example: “Add Subscription” –> www.smorgasbite.com.

You wait a few seconds. My latest posts will appear in bold. You read them. If you want to get to my actual site to vote in the polls, search the archives, or read just generally admire my site, click the title of the post (or the double echelons inside of the grey circle).

There are a thousand additional features, each more amazing, handy and time-saving than the last, but this is all for now. Just get started.

See, wasn’t that painless?

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Blogging/Websites/Technology | 1 Response »
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Recipe: Parmesan Garlic Flax Crackers

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who make their own crackers and those who do not.

Based on purely anecdotal evidence, I am the only person in the former category, aside from the creator of this recipe. It is the recipe I have been asked for more than any other. It is a recipe that it is delicious and healthy. It is even gluten free. And Atkins-friendly. And makes you popular. It may save the world. So let’s get to it:

Parmesan Flax Crackers

Adapted from Laura Dolson

1 cup ground flax seed (either golden or brown, which determines cracker color)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water (truthfully, I never measure; I just add water until a paste forms)

1. Heat oven to 400 F.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Spoon onto sheet pan which is covered with a silicone mat or greased parchment paper. Cover the mixture with a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Even out the mixture to about 1/8 inch (I use my hands, but a rolling pin or wine bottle would work too. The important thing is not to let it be too thin around the edges or that part will overcook before the center firms up.)
4. Take off top parchment paper and, using a butter knife, cut where you want the cracker edges to be. You can make long skinny sticks, big triangles, little squares- whatever.

5. Bake until the center is no longer soft, about 15-18 minutes (or for me, sometimes it’s longer). If it starts to get more than a little brown around the edges, remove from oven. Let cool completely – it will continue to crisp up. Sometimes I will remove the individual crackers that are done and continue baking the rest for a few more minutes.

poll by twiigs.com

Posted in Appetizers, Recipes, Techniques | 11 Responses »
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