Back from Germany

I rounded out the year with a unexpected business trip to Germany. Although I am a pork and potatoes girl, I had a harder time with the food than expected.

Better Than Gold

A really good recipe can serve you for the rest of your life bringing joy to so many people. I have a sturdy corn bread recipe and chocolate pudding recipe.

A really good story- you can share it with as many people as you want and it can take a life of it's own.

I know they are better than gold because I wish my grandmother had passed on to me some of her recipes and stories instead of lumps of gold.

Richmond Community Music Day

Clees and I had an arts date at the Richmond Civic Auditorium. I had a wonderful time seeing the young musicians play their hearts out, but even better than a Dvorak symphony was having it sandwich an West African Dance Ensemble. The contrast was as delicious as a baked Alaska.

I was worried the West African polyrhythm might mess up the orchestra but when the West African dancers shook their booty, the cellists seemed quite horrified their strings might get smashed. The wild dancers and the prim orchestra member were a performing species apart.

Pizza Party

Clees finally got his pizza stone, and I am the primary beneficiary!

Back from Egypt

I had so many complex feelings from my trip to Egypt. One thing I have determined is that I need to cultivate my eastern mind.

Fry them Figs in Butter

One good thing to come out of the financial crisis, Clees and I've created more deliciousness at home. Yesterday I baked blueberry buttermilk cornbread- crumbly and moist- it was breakfast served with maple syrup and some sausage, dessert served with boysenberry jam. For dinner we deep fried some squash blossoms filled with ricotta, and huge piles of spaghetti with achovy tomato sauce. Normally I like an anchovy gremolata with garlic, lemon zest, capers, but we had a few tomatos from Brook.

When Hudgebend Is Always Right...

On a sunny day, there's nothing better than packing up the truck for Battery Townsley. Beach hiking is hungry work so I started to pack a big tubful of lemon anchovy capellini with two fat sausages. Chris came up behind me and said matter of factly- "Nobody's going to eat all that." When you've been married long enough you just nod and say "One never knows."

Of course after trudging up various hills, one happily chows down on sausage and noodle. Clees ate more than half the tub and sheepishly left the last few bites for me.

As we were starting up on the trail head, I said "Be careful of poison oak." Husband just said "Nah, it's way too dry for poison oak to grow here." As soon as he finished that sentence, huge huge clumps of poison oak were threatening to brush his unprotected knees. Poor guy- what can you do when you are so right all the time.

Prancing around in Jordan

I had dawdled so much at el Deir that I forgot I had to meet the rest of my tour group at the end of town. My own legs too worn, I hopped on a poor mule called Michael Jackson who nearly had a heart attack to take me to the entrance of the Siq.

On my flight back from Tel Aviv connecting via Atlanta, I was trying to get settled in my aisle seat. An elderly gentleman walking down the aisle held out his hand to me saying in a slow drawl, "I like your hat." As I shook his hand, my eyes were at his waist level- I spotted his belt buckle inscribed with a giant JC. JC I thought. JC? Then I saw the secret service men trailing behind him. Jimmy Carter was on my plane. I was pleasantly flushed and starstruck for days- as you know I am a humongous huuuge fan of JC- my favorite living president. It was worth going to Haifa just for this treat.

Pleasurable Summer Reads

Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler

Moira Hodgson's "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" is chockful of delicious bits.
The composer Virgil Thomson made his coffee by straining the grounds in a sock for 75 years.

Zooing it up in San Diego

Sof and I met up to help Suse move into her new digs which was across the street from her old apartment. Afterwards, we packed ourselves in Sparky for the world-class San Diego Zoo which did not disappoint. The pathways lined with mature tropical trees make walking it's vast grounds more of an adventure than the usual scene of being shuffled between misbehaving kids and tired parents.

What always surprises me is when other animals- especially males behave in a tender and romantic way. Clyde the orangutan was so gentle and loving to his lady- we were much touched.

Gone Safari

After slaving 10 days in a medium security facility, I was let out for one day in South Africa. My stint at the Port Elizabeth terminal was one of the most enjoyable go-lives despite the grueling schedule. They even cooked us a barbeque right outside the offices.

A Uniquely South African Slow Meal

A meal in South Africa is a more leisurely affair than an Italian is willing to endure. Dinner takes around 3 hours if you are fortunate to go somewhere with an efficient kitchen. Your waiter will refuse to let you order the main course until you've had several round of drinks. Only then they might take orders for appetizers. Try to force your way into ordering mains along with the starters and they will just shake their heads.

So when you have to work until 8 and wake up at 5 in the morning to go to terminal, it only makes sense to have a meal in. But first I had to replace my faulty phone in the room- too quiet to hear a thing and without a volume adjuster. After thirty minutes, I happily dial 17 but the woman insists on taking the order in my room. After half an hour, she comes and plunks her elbows down on my bed to take my order. And to make sure my meal is in length of the South African style, she brings my dessert in after in a third trip. I enjoyed it.

Pudding Week

In preparation for partying the inauguration tomorrow, I have dutifully stirred two batches of chocolate pudding- one with cow milk and another with hazelnut milk. I will be making Obamanana pudding for Brook's party tomorrow. Just yesterday I broke through the pudding barrier- all this time I had a block in my mind about double boilers and hours of laborious stirring. Actually the magic is corn starch- I previously believed corn starch was a non-food to be strenuously avoided in life in the category of nitrites and MSG. Not so my friend. Not so.

My easy recipe from the Moosewood is just stirring 1/3 cocoa, 1/3 sugar/ 3 TB cornstarch and 2 cups milk for 10 minutes over medium heat. I found another recipe for butterscotch tapioca pudding which I am saving to treat myself for Wednesday.