tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69925402024-03-23T13:43:49.990-04:00Love me, love my caribouwhere knitting is like rocket surgeryheatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.comBlogger1348125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-72472051786781049112009-06-10T17:13:00.001-04:002009-06-10T17:13:39.360-04:00Heh...So I started another blog. Where I talk about food.<br /><br /><a href="http://wonderetcetera.wordpress.com/">The Kitchen is a Mess</a>.<br /><br />Or maybe I talk about other stuff. Or maybe I forget I blog at all, like I did here... We'll see, I guess.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-8808424131118601522009-05-11T08:46:00.003-04:002009-05-11T10:03:29.093-04:00English Muffins for breakfast<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/3394904127/" title="Buttered English Muffins by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/3394904127_22b07c64dd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Buttered English Muffins" /></a><br /></div><div>I love English muffins. Love them love them love them. Without gluten in my kitchen, I have a heck of a time trying to figure out what to eat for breakfast that's not garbage, 97% sugar, and not leftovers from the night before (which I will eat for lunch, more often than not. Who wants to eat the same food for three consecutive meals? Yes, a real first world problem, I realize).</div><div><br /></div><div>I was looking for a good breakfast food and came across three consecutive mentions of English muffins on the internet, one of which was gluten free. So I decided to find a starting point and tweak from there. I made the <a href="http://www.betterbatter.org/?p=72">Better Batter recipe</a>, using a Better Batter cheat recipe and found out the hard way that I need to make a sweeping generalization: There is too much stinking xanthan gum in most gluten-free recipes which is what makes them gummy, heavy, without air pockets, and generally yuck.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I made a second round, tweaking the flours (you can substitute 3 1/2-4 cups of your favorite flour mix), the xanthan gum and realizing that I only had 4 English muffin rings for a recipe that makes about a dozen English muffins. They were light, non-gummy, toasted really nicely (well, would have toasted better if I had, um, a toaster. But the broiler worked fairly well) and took a lovely pat of butter making my eyes roll around in my head when I ate it (the butter and the muffin).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Gluten-free English Muffins, heather-style</span></div><div><br /></div><div>2 1/4 tsp (or 1 packet) dry yeast</div><div>1 T sugar</div><div>1 cup milk (dairy or non, or water if you wish), warmed to about 110 degrees</div><div>1 cup warm buttermilk (or 1 cup milk/milk substitute, plus 1 T vinegar)</div><div><br /></div><div>5 T shortening (I use Spectrum, non-hydrogenated palm shortening)</div><div>1 1/3 cups rice flour or sorghum flour</div><div>1 cup, plus 2T millet or amaranth flour</div><div>1 cup tapioca starch</div><div>2/3 cup potato starch</div><div>(or substitute 4 cups of your favorite flour blend)</div><div>1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum</div><div>2 tsp salt</div><div>1 tsp baking soda</div><div><br /></div><div>Add the yeast and sugar to the warm milks, and set aside to proof for 5-7 minutes until frothing and bubbly. While the yeast is proofing, blend the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a sifter or a whisk. Cut the shortening into the mixed dry ingredients with a pastry blender, two knives, or rub it in with your hands until well-blended. When the yeast is well-proofed, add it into the flour mix, and mix for 2-3 minutes, until fully incorporated.</div><div><br /></div><div>Spray and flour the inside of your English muffin rings ($5 for 4 at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.surlatable.com/">Sur la Table</a></span>) or empty tuna cans with the top and the bottom removed, washed, labels removed. PLace them on a baking sheet on a piece of parchment paper, lightly sprinkled with flour. Evenly fill the rings about 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter. Without the extra xanthan gum, the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/3394895895/">batter is sticky</a> instead of dough-like. Welcome to the world of gluten-free batter. If you don't have rings, or if you only have a few, you can either free form themm, or form them in the rings, and remove them, but they will spread and become more <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/3395709158/">crumpet-shaped</a>. Let the English muffins rise for 45 minutes in a warm place (I usually set the oven at about 100-115 degrees and let them rise in there).</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:-webkit-monospace;font-size:13px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/3395710780/" title="Risen English Muffins by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3395710780_befb274662.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Risen English Muffins" /></a></span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>When they've risen and are a bit puffy on top, bake them in a 350 degree oven for 18-25 minutes. Or until light golden brown, whichever. Set the muffins on a rack to cool. Remove the muffins from the rings. You may need to run around the inside of the ring with a thin knife, to release them. Split the english muffins with a fork to take advantage of those patented nooks and crannies. Freeze everything you won't eat now, to thaw and toast later. Spread with butter or jam or both or honey or, you get the idea.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mmmm...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-83864237401094840982009-02-21T20:16:00.003-05:002009-05-04T08:20:22.897-04:00Gluten free brown sugar coffee cakeIt's <span style="font-size:85%;">recipe</span> time again! If I were a good blogger, I'd also have photos. But I'm not. So it goes. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:13;"><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><strong>Gluten-free brown sugar coffee cake</strong><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour (or 3/4 cups brown rice flour, 3/4 cups millet flour) </span><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 cup tapioca starch</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1/2 cup sweet rice flour</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1/2 tsp xanthan gum</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 1/2 tsp baking soda</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">2 tsp baking powder</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1/2 heaping tsp salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">Sift the above ingredients</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">3/4 cup butter</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 cup sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">3 eggs</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 1/2 cups sour cream<span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds, alternating with the sour cream.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div></span><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">Topping:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1/3 cup sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">1 1/2 tsp cinnamon</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"></span>Put 1/2 of the batter into a greased 13x9 inch pan. cover with 1/2 the topping. Gently spread the remaining batter over these two layers, cover with remaining topping. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.</span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>NOTE: Updated 05.4.09 to adjust xanthan gum level</strong></div></span></span><div></div>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-37134867393071171232009-01-13T10:01:00.004-05:002009-01-13T10:07:29.034-05:00New Plan!!My new plan is this: post a chicken enchilada casserole recipe every month.<br /><br />It's not really a new plan. It's apparently what I've decided to do. My friend Droolie gave me her recipe and I liberated it from gluten. Aunt Droolie's nephew used to have a hard time pronouncing Chicken Enchilada Casserole and called it Chicken Encarada Rascapole, so who am I to argue?<br /><br />Also? Full disclosure, I haven't made this yet, so let me know how you like it. :)<br /><br />Chicken Encarada Rascapole – Gluten-free<br /><br />4-6 Chicken Breasts<br />1 large chopped onion<br />12 corn tortillas<br />Salt and pepper to taste<br />1-2 cups GF Chicken stock<br />2 cloves crushed garlic<br />½ cup minced fire-roasted chilies (mild or spicy to taste) (or 1 Small can minced green chilies)<br />1 T cumin<br />1 tsp dried oregano<br />3 T corn flour<br />1 T canola oil<br />1 Cup grated Jack cheese<br />1 Cup grated cheddar cheese<br />1 Can Evaporated Milk<br />¾ can of Ro-Tel, drained<br /><br />Put chicken, chicken stock (enough to cover chicken), large chopped onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano in a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. When chicken is finished cooking, remove the meat from the crock pot and set aside to cool. When cooled, shred chicken with two forks.<br /><br />In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil, and whisk in the corn flour. Cook for a few minutes, then slowly whisk in the evaporated milk. Stir frequently until the mixture starts to thicken. Slowly incorporate the broth mixture from the crock pot, and add the Ro-Tel tomatoes. Heat through, continuing to stir with a spoon. Taste for salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix, setting aside ¼ to coat tortillas.<br /><br />Lightly oil 13”x9” baking pan. Dip the tortillas in the reserved sauce and line the baking dish in a single layer. Add chicken in a layer, and top with a layer of mixed cheeses. Repeat until everything is used. Top with a final layer of tortillas and cheese. Refrigerate overnight (optional, because really? Who wants to take 2 days to make this?).<br /><br />Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees (if refreigerated) or for 25 minutes at 350 degrees (if not refrigerated)heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-50414803876516844742008-12-17T19:18:00.004-05:002008-12-17T22:23:54.411-05:00Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada CasseroleI got peer-pressured, yo. On Twitter/Facebook, <a href="http://twitter.com/swandive00/status/1063774322">I mentioned</a> I was making a chicken enchilada casserole. The public demanded (okay, like 3 people) a recipe.<div><br /></div><div>I'm not great with recipes because I throw stuff in without much regard to measuring - it's a bit more intuitive. Taste and add. Here's the best I can do.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Despite the use of the crock pot and the word casserole, it's not particularly one-pot. At least not if you make the tortillas when you get home.)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Enchilada Sauce Ingredients</span> (based on Karina's <a href="http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/07/sour-cream-chicken-enchiladas.html">easy enchilada sauc</a>e):</div><div>1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast and/or thighs<br /></div><div>1 28-oz plus one 14.5-oz can of tomato sauce (or puree, or crushed tomatoes)</div><div>4 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div>1/2 large onion (or 1 small)</div><div>1 Tablespoon cumin</div><div>1 Tablespoon coriander</div><div>A few shakes of cayenne pepper to taste</div><div>4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar</div><div>1/4 cup flour (Rice flour or tapioca flour will work fine if you're gluten-free. I like corn flour to impart the corn flavor from the tortillas)</div><div>salt</div><div>pepper</div><div>crushed red peppers (optional)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Plus:</span></div><div>16 corn tortillas (if you're insane like me and want to make 16 tortillas from scratch when you get home after being at work for 11 hours, use 2 cups maseca, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/4 cups of water)</div><div>shredded cheese (I like jack and cheddar)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Gettin' Down to Bidness:</span></div><div>Mix sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7? hours (maybe more? I don't know - I left it for 11 hours on low because that's how long I'm gone for work). Remove chicken from sauce, and shred it using two forks. Remove about 1.5 cups of the tomato sauce from the crock pot and set aside. Mix the shredded chicken back into the remaining tomato sauce.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lightly oil a 13x9-inch baking dish, put 1-2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish. Lay 4 corn tortillas, dipped in the enchilada sauce, cover with 1/3 of the shredded chicken and 1/4 of the shredded cheese. Repeat these three layers 2 more times. Top with remaining 4 corn tortillas dipped in enchilada sauce. Pour any remaining sauce over the top layer of tortillas and cover with the remainder of the cheese. Stick in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until it is melty and heated evenly through. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cut up into pieces (I use a pizza cutter) and serve hot. Makes about 8 servings. Take pictures to make your blog post less boring (optional). Get someone else to wash all the stinkin' dishes you dirtied making this.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">The Post-Mortem:</span></div><div>That's pretty gross to talk about a post-mortem on something you just ate, but it's late and I'm tired. Anyhow, it was pretty good - basically I have grown weary of ground turkey/beef and wanted to do something else. The chicken was lighter than the turkey but it sucked up tons of extra sauce after being shredded and mixed back in. If you wanted to do a turkey or ground beef enchilada sauce, mix the liquid ingredients of the sauce in a medium sauce pan, following Karina's recipe. Add the flour after sauteeing onions and garlic. Use only the 28 oz can of tomatoes - you don't need quite as much liquid for the ground turkey. Mix about 1 cup of enchilada sauce into your browned ground turkey, and use the rest to pour over each layer as you assemble. Eat, clean up and go to bed full.<br /></div>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-84587078559636032922008-11-01T22:35:00.004-04:002008-11-01T23:01:37.770-04:00It was fall but it felt like winter, been gone a couple months, felt like a yearIt was August. I posted a list of food I have eaten. I closed my eyes and now it's November? It's time to start getting ready for Thanksgiving and being thankful when somehow I missed September and October and blinked and missed the riotous oranges and reds and yellows of the trees in the city and outside.<div><br /></div><div>It got cold. I can see my breath in the morning and have a harder time justifying leaving the house for work in a wet ponytail. Well, clothes and a wet ponytail. It's time to start putting logs on the fireplace and sipping cider in front of the crackling flames. Forgetting the utter lack of a fireplace down here and my general aversion to hot cider after the first 4 sips.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every fallwinter I make a mulled cranberry cider. I throw unmeasured amounts of heady wintry spices, lemon juice and sugar into a pot and simmer it until it's thick and syrupy and my college roommates and friends told me I made the house smell like Christmas. But it doesn't quite smell like Christmas, because the smell of snow is missing from the mix.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even though I've never had a white Christmas. California is prone to 80 degree Christmases and last year, my first Christmas On My Own, was too mild. There may have been a snowy Christmas in Chicago when I got a Play-Doh Dr. Drill and Fill and my grandmother taught me to make snow angels.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's coming out too stream of consciousnessy, but I don't want it to. That's not why I sat down to poke this blog awake. I started a <a href="http://swandive00.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>, but I'm still trying to get the shoes to mold to my feet. These shoes fit already.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have the gooey feelings of excitedsad that happen during this time of year. The ones I get during the scenic shots of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Spitfire Grill </span>but more. I've got my toes on a precipice and I'm leaning forward into the wind. There's exhilaration and a little bit of fear but I keep muttering platitudes to myself .</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Jump and the net will appear</span>.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Leap of faith.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>I want to write a song but I don't know how it goes. But it's there. There are many of them there. I just can't hear them though. So I knit and watch reruns of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">House</span> and swim along the current of Twitter and Facebook updates.</div><div><br /></div><div>But my guitar has been sneaking out more.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know this is annoying to read; it's fairly annoying to write. But there are many words that are blocking the exit and if I get them out it may be just the ticket.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">That's just the ticket,</span> he said accentuating the words with a swing of his arm. He adjusted his newsboy cap and walked off jauntily.</div><div><br /></div>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-1418798254136383412008-08-20T09:33:00.006-04:002008-08-20T11:05:12.804-04:00Omnivore's Fifty-eightI stole this from Jill Elise's <a href="http://www.heythattastesgood.com/2008/08/omnivores-fifty-seven.html">page</a>!<br /><br /><br />The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:<br /><br /><br /><strong>1. Venison</strong><br /><br />2. Nettle tea<br /><br /><strong>3. Huevos rancheros</strong><br /><br /><strong>4. Steak tartare</strong><br /><br />5. Crocodile<br /><br /><strike>6. Black pudding</strike><br /><br /><strong>7. Cheese fondue</strong><br /><br /><strong>8. Carp</strong><br /><br /><strong>9. Borscht</strong><br /><br /><strong>10. Baba ghanoush</strong><br /><br /><strong>11. Calamari<br /></strong><br />12. Pho<br /><br /><strong>13. PB&J sandwich<br /></strong><br /><strong>14. Aloo gobi</strong><br /><br />15. Hot dog from a street cart<br /><br /><strong>16. Epoisses</strong><br /><br />17. Black truffle<br /><br /><strong>18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes</strong><br /><br /><strong>19. Steamed pork buns<br /></strong><br /><strong><strike>20. Pistachio ice cream</strike> </strong>(allergic, so I am unlikely to ever eat it again<br /><br /><strong>21. Heirloom tomatoes</strong><br /><br /><strong>22. Fresh wild berries<br /></strong><br /><strong>23. Foie gras</strong><br /><br /><strong>24. Rice and beans</strong><br /><br /><strong>25. Brawn, or head cheese<br /></strong><br />26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper<br /><br /><strong>27. Dulce de leche<br /></strong><br />28. Oysters<br /><br /><strong><strike>29. Baklava</strike> </strong>(stupid walnuts)<br /><br />30. Bagna cauda (wouldn't surprise me if I had, but can't remember)<br /><br /><strike>31. Wasabi peas</strike> Allergies. Again.<br /><br /><strong>32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl</strong><br /><br /><strong>33. Salted lassi</strong><br /><br /><strong>34. Sauerkraut</strong><br /><br /><strong>35. Root beer float</strong><br /><br />36. <strong>Cognac</strong> with a <strike>fat cigar</strike><br /><br /><strong>37. Clotted cream tea</strong><br /><br />38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O<br /><br /><strong>39. Gumbo</strong><br /><br /><strong>40. Oxtail</strong><br /><br />41. Curried <strong>goat</strong><br /><br /><strike>42. Whole insects</strike><br /><br />43. Phaal<br /><br /><strong>44. Goat’s milk</strong><br /><br /><strike>45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more</strike> No need.<br /><br />46. Fugu<br /><br /><strong>47. Chicken tikka masala</strong><br /><br /><strong>48. Eel<br /></strong><br /><strong>49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut<br /></strong><br /><strike>50. Sea urchin</strike> It's a visual thing. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.<br /><br /><strong>51. Prickly pear<br /></strong><br />52. Umeboshi<br /><br />53. Abalone<br /><br /><strong>54. Paneer</strong><br /><br /><strong>55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal</strong><br /><br /><strong>56. Spaetzle<br /></strong><br /><strike>57. Dirty gin martini</strike> Not a fan of olives<br /><br />58. Beer above 8% ABV<br /><br />59. Poutine<br /><br /><strong>60. Carob chips</strong><br /><br /><strong>61. S’mores</strong><br /><br />62. Sweetbreads<br /><br /><strong>63. Kaolin</strong> (the mineral? If so, then it appears to be an anti-caking agent, so I guess so?)<br /><br />64. Currywurst<br /><br />65. Durian<br /><br />66. Frogs’ legs<br /><br />67. <strong>Beignets, churros,</strong> elephant ears or <strong>funnel cake</strong><br /><br /><strike>68. Haggis</strike> Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!<br /><br /><strong><strike>69. Fried plantain</strike></strong> Allergic<br /><br /><strike>70. Chitterlings, or andouillette </strike>Clearly my brain sometimes get in the way.<br /><br /><strong>71. Gazpacho<br /></strong><br /><strong>72. Caviar and blini </strong>(but not together)<br /><br />73. Louche absinthe<br /><br />74. Gjetost, or brunost<br /><br /><strike>75. Roadkill</strike> The whole thing about not eating dead animals whose intestines have been perforated would make me decline altogether.<br /><br />76. Baijiu<br /><br /><strong>77. Hostess Fruit Pie</strong> (not sure why this is less gross of a food to have eaten than sea urchin, because it's really a draw in my view...)<br /><br /><strong>78. Snail<br /></strong><br />79. Lapsang souchong<br /><br />80. Bellini (the dude in the towel from Kids in the Hall, right?)<br /><br /><strong>81. Tom yum</strong><br /><br /><strong>82. Eggs Benedict</strong><br /><br /><strong>83. Pocky<br /></strong><br />84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.<br /><br />85. Kobe beef<br /><br />86. Hare<br /><br /><strong>87. Goulash<br /></strong><br /><strong>88. Flowers</strong><br /><br /><strike>89. Horse</strike> My friend Flicka?<br /><br />90. Criollo chocolate<br /><br /><strong>91. Spam</strong><br /><br /><strong>92. Soft shell crab</strong> (although after <a href="http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com/2007/07/chespeake-bay-soft-shell-crab-sandwich.html">reading this </a>I don't know that I ever could again. Caveat, it's disturbingly gross)<br /><br />93. Rose harissa<br /><br /><strong>94. Catfish</strong><br /><br />95. <strike>Mole</strike> <strong>poblano</strong> Allergic and yum!<br /><br /><strong>96. Bagel and lox</strong><br /><br />97. Lobster Thermidor (I'm not striking this out because I'm not put off from it other than it's a heartattack in a shell under a cheesy brown crust)<br /><br /><strong>98. Polenta</strong><br /><br />99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (this is the jaguar poop coffee, no? No, it's not... That's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak">Kopi Luwak/Civet Coffee</a>)<br /><br />100. Snake<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at </span><a href="http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/"><span style="font-size:85%;">www.verygoodtaste.co.uk</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> linking to your results.</span>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-53153668143363613312008-07-24T10:31:00.004-04:002008-07-24T10:37:43.184-04:00Ay! Bake me some pie!I had a little conversation with a co-worker over email today that made me feel oddly self-satisfied in ways that it shouldn't. It also tells me I need to learn how to interact like a total non-dork sometimes. That will be tricky. We'll call that one a "long-term goal."<br /><br /><strong>Co-worker:</strong> I made a peach pie with a half the sugar the other day. It is surprising just how different it was. Not so sweet, and maybe a touch less flavor, but my goodness, it was really refreshing and light. It was one of those mistakes that turned out not what you wanted, but good nevertheless.<br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> I bet if you made it with 2/3 the sugar it would boost the flavor but keep the lightness and refreshingness. I really want to make pie. Pie pie pie pie. With blueberries. Or blackberries. Oooh! Or chicken pots.<br /><br /><strong>Co-Worker: </strong>I so want to make blackberry ice cream I can almost taste it. What are chicken pots?<br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> Duh, they're what you use to make chicken pot pie.<br /><br /><strong>Co-Worker:</strong> You want to make a chicken pot pie in summer?<br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> No, but I wanted to confuse you with references to chicken pots.<br /><br /><strong>Co-Worker:</strong> I'm lost…. You have succeeded.<br /><br /><strong>Me:</strong> I believe my work here is done. I'm going home.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-83372876694816683862008-07-02T15:36:00.002-04:002008-07-02T15:46:07.048-04:00Time FliesI was just reading a post about how someone started blogging in October 2004... I started this here blog in May of 2004 - right after I moved to Denver to go to grad school. However I had a blog on Xanga that I started in...2003, I think that was deleted and lost to the cosmos forever. That's too bad because I had a really funny post about carpooling chickens after the 605 in LA was shut down because there were chickens in the carpool lane. <br /><br />But I didn't celebrate any sort of blog-o-versary because I don't blog all that much. I also just plain forgot. <br /><br />I was also struck by her comment that blogs were rare enough that there was a sense of community between bloggers that found each other through mutual friends (virtual or real life), interests, etc. It's not as much like that anymore. Or maybe it is - I only interact with blogs through my feed reader. What do I know?<br /><br />I HAVE been remembering to do stuff like my job, and make dinner, and watch <em>Enterprise</em> or <em>TNG</em> on SciFi at night. Sometimes I watch USA shows like <em>In Plain Sight, </em>too. Other times, on weekends I'll watch marathons of <em>ANTM</em>. I <a href="http://www.twitter.com/swandive00">twitter</a>, I sometimes knit, I obsessively read the forums on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a>. <br /><br />You see, my life has become a paragon of glamour and excitement. Wouldn't you just love to swap lives with me? Yeah, you know you would.<br /><br />Sucker.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(out of fear of jinxing it, I'll just say that I think I may be going to London for work in October. And maybe hopping on a train to hang out with <a href="http://www.chriscope.co.uk/">Chris</a> and the Child Bride for a day or two before coming home. Or going to <a href="http://www.bravissimo.co.uk/">Bravissimo</a>.)</span>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-48846915811443864272008-06-25T08:28:00.003-04:002008-06-25T09:48:48.386-04:00I steal other people's ideas<strong>1) What was I doing 10 years ago?</strong><br /><br />June 1998, I was in France for the summer. It was the end of my first month there, so I was probably in Paris or in Amsterdam. The World Cup in France was in full-swing, making travel by train challenging without reservations.<br /><br /><strong>2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?</strong><br /><br />Reserve a room for the conference in November<br />Get new SmarTrip card (mine is broken for unknown reasons?)<br />Get cilantro for dinner<br />Finish making charts from the spreadsheet<br />Work on knitting the Hemlock Ring<br /><br /><strong>3) Snacks I enjoy:</strong><br /><br />Not much of a snack eater - I usually crave desserts though. Every stinkin' night. But I don't get to eat dessert every night. This is probably a good thing.<br /><br /><strong>4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire (in no particular order):</strong><br /><br />Pay off Pants' and my student loan debt; buy a house outside of DC with at least 10 acres to grow new world grains and veggies and raise chickens and goats; buy my mom and sister house(s); get vacation houses in Santa Fe, Malta, and Ireland; give hefty donations to Sisters of Charity, Amnesty, ASPCA, World Vision, Heifer International, and about 20K other charities; buy a Subaru. (What? I like Subarus)<br /><br /><strong>5) Places I have lived:</strong><br /><br />Denver, CO<br />Streamwood, IL<br />Redlands, CA<br />Boston, MA<br />Rancho Cucamonga, CA<br />Pau, France<br />New Orleans, LA<br />Athens, GA<br />Rockland, ME<br />South Thomaston, ME<br />Washington, DC<br /><br /><strong>6) Jobs I have had (I feel like I'm forgetting some, as long as the list is):</strong><br /><ul><li>Barrrrrrrrrrista</li><li>Caretaker for disabled adults</li><li>Music Therapist</li><li>Exec Assistant</li><li>Receptionist</li><li>Telemarketer for Monsanto (yeah, it was a temp job and I lasted about 3 phone calls before I quit for many reasons)</li><li>Researcher</li><li>Physician Liaison</li></ul>Thanks Jess, Jess, and 8 million others for the non-specific tags. It got me to post something that's not a picture!heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-28100332730057287942008-06-05T17:05:00.005-04:002008-06-05T17:11:30.946-04:00All the cool kids are doing it<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2553858835/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2553858835_5868a9d3bb.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2553858835/">All the cool kids are playing</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/swandive00/">swandive00</a>.</span></div><p class="flickr-yourcomment"> (click through to see the details)<br /></p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-4926778026917993812008-05-25T09:44:00.001-04:002008-05-25T09:44:50.903-04:00Table Talk<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2518759397/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/2518759397_b9a429b7f4.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2518759397/">Table Talk</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/swandive00/">swandive00</a>.</span></div> <p class="flickr-yourcomment"> I am having too much fun pretending I know how to Photoshop or that I have a Lomo camera.<br /><br />Mainly I love this picture because I love Patty Griffin, and these are the "Making Pies" pies. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HC7KABegj0">Youtube linky</a>)</p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-52489392579667495332008-05-04T10:58:00.005-04:002008-05-04T11:04:56.514-04:00Dog versus Junior Bacon Cheeseburger<div><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=49235" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=198486390d&photo_id=2464576710"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=49235"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=49235" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=198486390d&photo_id=2464576710" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><br /></div>To keep you amused while I drag Pants to <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.org/">Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival</a>.<br />(warning: contains graphic images of a dog eating food)<br /><br />Also? After 14 months of couch-free living, the new sofa will be delivered hopefully within a week. Woo!heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-6244857276404972362008-04-26T21:24:00.003-04:002008-04-26T22:32:48.279-04:00Three Eyebrows are the New Two Eyebrows<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2444583520/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/2444583520_c26354ac37.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /></div><p class="flickr-yourcomment"> Thanks, waxerlady. I was hoping to have a giant, gaping hole in the middle of my left eyebrow.</p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-81051286709239606832008-04-19T08:54:00.000-04:002008-04-19T08:55:43.099-04:00My head just implodedI don't know what to make of the<a href="http://dickdarlington.blogspot.com/2007/02/neutral-milk-hotel-in-aeroplane-over.html"> second picture</a>.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-74729198107857868512008-04-13T21:05:00.006-04:002008-04-13T22:29:21.822-04:00And we have bread!I was all set to have a weeks, months, years long saga of the quest for gluten-free bread that would have the taste, feel, appearance of wheat, rye or otherwise gluten-y bread. <br /><br />Two weeks ago I started a gluten-free sourdough starter (brown rice and water). <br /><br />One week ago I made a loaf of sourdough from <a href="http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=15522">this recipe.</a><br /><br />You see all the ingredients in that? Yeah, it wound up, uh, gummy.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2392213565/" title="Sourdough Experiment Part 1 - gummy bread, an alternate view by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2392213565_21d76a62b7.jpg" alt="Sourdough Experiment Part 1 - gummy bread, an alternate view" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />(according to the comments, Annie likes gummy bread so I wish she had been here to eat it) It also wound up short with a fallen dome because, I guess one of the drawbacks is that gluten-free bread is, uh, short in stature and doesn't keep a nice domed top.<br /><br />This week I decided I'd try a Bette Hagman honey sourdough recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Gourmet-Cooks-Fast-Healthy/dp/0805065253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208136785&sr=8-1">this book</a>. For among other reasons, it's one of the only recipes I've found that doesn't use ricotta cheese (I don't understand ricotta's role in it either...), and is entirely lactose free. <br /><br />Me, not being much of a baker, decided I could make it better, too. Ha! The arrogance of naïveté. So, I omitted the egg replacer, the gelatin, and subbed 1/3 cup of water for the 1 and 2/3 cup water, and after mixing everything for 3 minutes, I added 2/3 of a cup of room temperature club soda. <br /><br />I plopped it in a greased pan, let it rise for an hour. <br /><br />(I may have forgotten to mention the last loaf didn't rise at all and that there was a decided lack of air bubbles in it and it was just gross. but the crust was okay!)<br /><br />Then I baked it for 60 minutes at 350 degrees, and LO! There was bread.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2412238246/" title="Gluten Free Sourdough Experiment #2 006 by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/2412238246_33d890cd9a.jpg" alt="Gluten Free Sourdough Experiment #2 006" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />It was the height of the pan, and it didn't fall down. It was airy, the crust was, well, crusty, like sourdough should be.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2411414967/" title="Gluten Free Sourdough Experiment #2 008 by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2411414967_4b95b0f59f.jpg" alt="Gluten Free Sourdough Experiment #2 008" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Now, it's not perfect. I'm hoping that the starter will get more sour the more I use it because, frankly it wasn't sour at all. Next time I'll try either drastically scaling back or omitting the honey because it's a bit more sweet than I can handle. I'm oddly encouraged by this, and hope that in future endeavours, scaling back the wet ingredients will improve ALL of the scratch baking... because every last one has been gummy. (If you're curious, I used a gluten-free flour mix that was 3 parts brown rice, 3 parts sorghum, 2 parts potato starch, 1 part tapioca starch)<br /><br />I'm just looking forward to cinnamon toast for breakfast tomorrow morning.<br /><br />You know, if I had a toaster...<br /><br />(ps - i went to a bridal shower yesterday and they had personalized M&Ms! I also figured out how to work the macro on my new camera, so woo!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2412266240/" title="Jackie's Bridal Shower 002 by swandive00, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2136/2412266240_6974c91217.jpg" alt="Jackie's Bridal Shower 002" height="375" width="500" /></a>)heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-641741983692577342008-04-10T15:47:00.001-04:002008-04-10T15:47:09.757-04:00Ernie with a blue bandana<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2391056990/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2017/2391056990_a2649ba05e.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2391056990/">Ernie with a blue bandana</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/swandive00/">swandive00</a>.</span></div> <p class="flickr-yourcomment"> My little guy, the geriatric, is starting to show his age...<br /><br />He's getting cataracts... :( <br /><br />As long as he isn't running into walls, I guess.</p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-50180681631409309782008-04-06T12:15:00.003-04:002008-04-06T12:28:51.719-04:00Look! Deers!Yesterday? It was an amazing day. I got a fancy new haircut (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2391057800/">woo</a>!), had lunch with a friend, bought a new pair of <a href="http://doddsshoe.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product3334.html">work shoes</a>. Just before leaving the mall, Pants wanders up and oohs and ahhs over my hair (he's a good boyfriend), and hands me a <a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-Camera/25597/COOLPIX%20L18.html">Nikon Coolpix L18</a>. <br /><br />You know, since my crappy camera I'd had for 2 years <a href="http://swandive00.blogspot.com/2007/12/skin-ship.html">died</a> in December. Time to reiterate the "he's a good boyfriend" parenthetical note.<br /><br />Before I forget, something many people do not know but that is TOTALLY TRUE: <a href="http://www.nordstrom.com">Nordstrom</a> will <a href="http://about.nordstrom.com/help/our-policies/pricing-policy.asp">price match</a> if another retailer carries the same item for less. And has free shipping. And the best return policy and customer service ever.<br /><br />Anyhow, we've started walking around 2 miles a day, every day. Last night, I'm waffling about whether or not to bring the camera. Decide no, because although <a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=crestwood+dc&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8">Crestwood</a> is beautiful, and abuts Rock Creek Park on 3 sides, there's nothing I feel like photographing in particular.<br /><br />We had been walking for 15 minutes when I saw a gorgeous flowering tree in front of a gorgeous house in the dusk lighting, and I thought, dude, I wish I had my camera...<br /><br />About 10 minutes later, we're walking and discussing how we had seen a deer on the park slope about 8-9 months ago. We round the corner, and there's a deer standing in the middle of the road.<br /><br />There's another deer peeking out between two houses.<br /><br />The first one makes a break for another backyard, is followed by another deer hiding behind a car. The one between the houses takes off and meets his friends. Then a fourth deer emerges and crosses the road.<br /><br />The only sound is deer hoofs on the pavement. <br /><br />We start walking again and see the 4 deer have leapt a fence and are milling about in a backyard eating berries. In the center of the District of Columbia.<br /><br />I'm never leaving without my camera again.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-73015743237807363372008-03-11T11:10:00.002-04:002008-03-11T11:26:07.227-04:00Unsubstantiated rumors, or, it's Armageddon, people!The District of Columbia is NOT where you want to be right now. It gets a bad rap for the crime and the pomposity of its residents but in the last 24 hours, there were:<br /><ul><li>Highway closures from burning or overturned vehicles</li><li><a href="http://www.nbc4.com/news/15561649/detail.html">Manhole fires </a>resulting in power outages</li><li><a href="http://www.princeofpetworth.com/?p=1920">Rumors of armed robberies </a>at the new <a href="http://dcist.com/2008/03/05/the_target_is_o.php">Target in Columbia Heights</a> (the <a href="http://dcist.com/2008/03/06/as_target_opens.php">Metro muggings </a>were not from the last 24 hours)</li><li>My co-worker's apartment was used as a staging area for U.S. Marshals and MPD to take his fugitive neighbor into custody</li><li>Several people lost water last night</li><li>The people who drive my shuttle said the numerous cop cars (and, a co-worker later reported ambulance was present) at <a href="http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=82">L'Enfant Plaza station </a>were for a reported jumper on the tracks. No service disruptions reported on WMATA website, though.</li><li>The <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2186328/">Eliot Spitzer story </a>doesn't really fit in the timbre of these other occurences but has a DC element to it.</li><li>Also not an unsubstantiated rumor, but a darn good graphic in this story about pedestrian safety.</li></ul>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-37524192482126955492008-03-03T21:57:00.002-05:002008-03-03T21:58:41.106-05:00Nice to know my student loans went toward something useful...<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="350"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bg style="color:#eeeeee;"><br /><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;font-family:Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;" ><br /><strong>You Should Be an Artist</strong><br /></span></td></tr><br /><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"><br /><center><img src="http://www.blogthingsimages.com/whatshouldyoubewhenyougrowupquiz/grow-4.gif" height="100" width="100" /></center><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You are incredibly creative, spontaneous, and unique.<br /><br />No one can guess what you're going to do next, but it's usually something amazing.<br /><br />You can't deal with routine, rules, or structure. You're easily bored.<br /><br />As long as you are able to innovate and break the rules, you are extremely successful.<br /><br /><br /><br />You do best when you:<br /><br /><br /><br />- Can work by yourself<br /><br />- Can express your personality in your work<br /><br /><br /><br />You would also be a good journalist or actor.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.blogthings.com/whatshouldyoubewhenyougrowupquiz/">What Should You Be When You Grow Up?</a></div><br /><br />filched from <a href="http://virtueofpatience.blogspot.com/">cyn</a>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-32028497157398002492008-02-29T21:58:00.005-05:002008-02-29T22:38:47.611-05:00Stop and smell the bandwagonI think this may very well be my fifth (and final) post for the month of February. It's a long month, I may as well have extra posts.<br /><br />Of course five posts in February is a ballpark estimate. I could go and actually count my posts, but where would the fun in that be? There I go, justifying laziness as whimsy! Try it, it's fun.<br /><br />This month has involved much contemplation on the topic of food. Not as in what should I eat to help me lose that 989123 lbs. I'd like to lose some, but more by way of feeding Pants and I healthily, thoughtfully, and deliciously. I've still been ever so obsessed by thoughts and chapters and meals in Barbara Kingsolver's <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com"><span style="font-style: italic;">Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</span></a>. Reading <a href="http://www.cafemama.com">Sarah</a>'s thoughts and challenges on eating locally, taking the plunge and chucking all the processed food out to make room for the good stuff invigorates me. Even more so, reading <a href="http://www.culinate.com/mix/dinner_guest?author=4860">her posts</a> on the <a href="http://www.culinate.com/mix/dinner_guest">Dinner Guest Blog</a> (especially <a href="http://www.culinate.com/mix/dinner_guest/learning_to_eat_sans_prepared_food">this one</a>) start to light a fire under me.<br /><br />But...<br /><br />And there's always a but. I'm looking at my checking account. I'm thinking of the time I spend waiting for the shuttle, then the Metro, then the Bus and the idea of going to the grocery store seems so horrifying. I see the free range, grass-fed meats and eggs and dairy products. I even found a <a href="http://www.southmountaincreamery.com">dairy that delivers</a> to DC, heard of a bodega selling local foods at 200 Rhode Island NW. My landlord says I can grow potted tomatoes and chiles in the back yard this summer! I think of the rows and rows of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce that I will have canned to last me through the winter.<br /><br />But...<br /><br />That threshold isn't easily crossed. My bargain hunter thinks of the half-gallons of milk that cost $3.50 that are from happy cows who wander around pastures eating grass and contemplating entropy and doesn't want to justify the purchase when I could get a gallon for $3.79. I see the organic chicken who eat worms and beetles and grass and peck at the dirt and wander around but notice that it's $11 for 0.80 lbs when I could get Purdue chicken for $6.00. I open my cabinets and see the lovely, healthy boxes of Pacific Organic broths and soups - organic and gluten-free that have been driven conveniently to Silver Spring, MD from the exotic, far-flung land of Tualatin, OR.<br /><br />The gluten. That's the other issue. I don't have a lick of gluten in my house.<br /><br />[Okay, that's a lie. Ernie's food (made of fish and potatoes since he, like his mama, has food and skin allergies) has salmon as the number one ingredient. However, he has barley as the number two ingredient.]<br /><br />Going gluten-free is better for me. I feel better, I'm happier with my choices at home. i make more foods from scratch and experiment with alternative grain flours. (However, I'm not so gluten-free outside the confines of my humble abode. That's my other issue to conquer) The fact of the matter is <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/catalog/index.php?action=do_search&keywords=&condition=AND&gf=gluten+free&submit=%3E%3E%A0search%A0%3C%3C">Bob's Red Mill</a> is, like so many other wonders, in the Pacific Northwest. <a href="http://www.causeyourespecial.com/">'Cause You're Special</a> is also not all that nearby (Wisconsin). There's also the issue that if I want to bake cookies or bread or birthday cake without gluten, I've got to add xanthan gum to the mix or it will all fall apart. Xanthan gum. You may know it as a thickener in your processed food. That's not part of "natural." So, I can't go to a local grist mill and get some whole wheat, stone-ground flour. I need to get mixtures of rice and starch and exotic things called quinoa and amaranth and millet. <br /><br />It's clearly not going to be all-local, all the time around here. But I'm trying. The urge is there. It's crossing over into my purchases.<br /><br />I picked up some garlic, saw the "Product of China" label and put it back down.<br />I made chicken stock from the leftover carcass of my roast chicken the other night and used it in <a href="http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/02/26/esaus-soup">Esau's soup</a> for dinner tonight. Instead of buying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera">injera </a>from the Ethiopian bodega around the corner, I made it (almost comically dismally) from scratch - I started fermenting the teff and water on Wednesday and by tonight it was wonderfully sour. My coffee is <a href="http://www.peaberrycoffee.com/profilerich.htm">Brazil Organic Fair Trade</a> from <a href="http://www.peaberrycoffee.com/">Peaberry </a>(okay, it was "local-ish" because I was in Denver when I bought it).<br /><br />It's a process, and it just won't be 100%. But for me, for us, it doesn't need to be. We have our vices that we're allowing. For me, the biggest is coffee. And until I can grow coffee beans in Columbia Heights, I will work hard to forgo the Dunkin' Donuts in the grocery aisle and support the small farmers who are paid a fair wage for their labors (and make a damn fine <a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/campaigns/coffee/starbucks/">yergacheffe</a>... business practices aside, Starbucks can do the right thing!) I will use less and less white rice flour and gravitate toward whole grain flours (sorghum, teff, brown rice, buckwheat, millet) and experiment and play. I will work hard to find a <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/csa/">CSA </a>to support local, organic farmers. I will sit down and make a budget that allows me to spend extra on healthy, organic animal products, even if that means - gasp - less yarn. I will clean out my friggin pantry and put some order into it and throw out what doesn't have an expiration date, to make room for the canning I will start this summer.<br /><br />It's hard for me to recognize that it won't be 100% out of my own backyard all of the time, but I will stop and be grateful for what I can do.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-65538730561378200012008-02-27T12:49:00.002-05:002008-02-27T12:59:02.770-05:00Celebrity Morph into ScarJo<table height="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td height="1"><div align="center"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My disdain for ScarJo is pretty well known. It's based on very little, and rather unkind. I think her eyes are too far apart and her voice is like that of a pre-pubescent boy's. However, I know people think she's lovely (or boomin' hot) so I was wildly amused when I came up on myheritage as looking 75% like her (which I reject on principle. If anything, she looks 75% like me) and decided to take the opportunity to turn my face into hers.</p><p></p><p>I am a giant dork.</p><div align="center"><embed src="http://www.myheritagefiles.com/videos/I/28/jkty88_456547fa1a5c748ti30p88" width="340" height="340" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></div><p><a href="http://www.myheritage.com/">MyHeritage</a>: <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/celebrity-morph">Celebrity Morph</a><img style="VISIBILITY: hidden; WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/CIMP/JnB*PTEyMDQxMzQ1NTk2MDkmcD*xMTA1NzEmZD1tb3JwaCZuPWJsb2dnZXI=.jpg" width="0" border="0" /></p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-22412487050685560532008-02-17T23:26:00.001-05:002008-02-17T23:26:32.519-05:00"Hmm... it's missing something..."<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2271461419/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2271461419_707d8a74fa.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/2271461419/">"Hmm... it's missing something..."</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/swandive00/">swandive00</a>.</span></div> <p class="flickr-yourcomment"> "Dude, I know! Maybe a monkey?"</p>heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-54054063873855865872008-02-03T12:39:00.000-05:002008-02-03T13:08:20.322-05:00Moi?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH5MDUWzipmriZy16-ZUhG5ddNK2VaWYIw7HKs7BlioS9lFkI_q1XieeOWh-p2Z4VD5iPCIPqIzIm8mWGLWhkFW3vl4c0Jku-FftXu5RfZ7-CKZcA3hLW1yS-PBLSDAisM4e7/s1600-h/youmakemydayaward.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH5MDUWzipmriZy16-ZUhG5ddNK2VaWYIw7HKs7BlioS9lFkI_q1XieeOWh-p2Z4VD5iPCIPqIzIm8mWGLWhkFW3vl4c0Jku-FftXu5RfZ7-CKZcA3hLW1yS-PBLSDAisM4e7/s200/youmakemydayaward.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162811279199298834" border="0" /></a>Oh, dearie me!<br /><br />The ever lovely <a href="http://www.bryonyramsden.co.uk/wp/">Bryony </a>has told me that I make her day! (Probably amusing only to me and possibly <a href="http://www.dontwakethepretty.blogspot.com/">h a i k u g i r l</a>, is the fact that I forgot to copy Bryony's URL and the first link I put in was for the last URL I copied which was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagina_dentata">this</a>. It came up in a discussion of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.imdb.com/title/tt0780622/">Teeth</a>. This is no reflection on Bryony.)<br /><br />She nominated me because I kick her arse at Scrabulous (although it's dead even in our most recent match), but I have to nominate her right back because she calls me Petal and tells me to KNIT MORE, both of which are beyond awesome in their own right, not to mention the swapping of gluten-free (mis)adventures. I hope her broken nerves calm down soon so she can sew and knit and frolic about the webbernets more. And she TOTALLY makes my day. :) (I am now waiting for chocolate and dog bubbles, missy)<br /><br />Who else makes my day? That has to be the aforementioned h a i k u g i r l, because we talk about boys and local food and cute glasses and the French and knitting and vaginae dentatae.<br /><br />The blogfallow for 9 months but Twittery <a href="http://www.twitter.com/semaphoria">semaphoria</a>, for always being my friend even though we've only seen each other twice since 1994. I love hearing about her family, her job, her travels to Alaska in winter, as well as miss the heck out of her on a daily basis. She also introduced me to the crack that generally is <a href="http://www.orisinal.com/">Orisinal </a>and specifically, <a href="http://www.dontwakethepretty.blogspot.com/">Winterbells</a>.<br /><br />Another person who makes my day is <a href="http://www.chriscope.co.uk/">Chris Cope,</a> who will likely mock me and smack me around for giving him a blog award, not to mention one with flowers. However he's an excellent blogger and commenter and columnist, even though he's frustrated with all of those, as well as university, but he speaks Welsh and is the only reason Pants comes to my blog - on the off chance that Chris has left a comment, so suck it, Cope. I mean, congratulations Cope!<br /><br />Certainly not least is <a href="http://www.cafemama.com">Cafemama</a>. Now she doesn't read my blog but I wait with baited breath for the days that she does a new post as she and I are both at the same level of obsession about local food and <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com">Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</a>... Alas, I have not been as good as she has about starting to eat local (and I'm still trying to figure out how to get gluten-free flours and whatnot locally, or if that will have to be on my exception list... And basically I need to start buying more locally, but there's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture">CSA </a>I'm interested in near Frederick, MD that will also allow me to spend some time learning about farming/gardening so that when I have a home with some land to work, I'll have an inkling of what to do. Still haven't decided how I'll deal with getting dirt on my hands, though...)<br /><br />So, youse guys make my day.<br /><br />And I have to get back to my <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007122salsa_verde_carnitas.php">salsa verde carnitas</a>. And exercise huge restraint, even though Elise posted a <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007128red_velvet_cupcakes_with_cream_cheese_frosting.php">red velvet cupcake</a> recipe.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6992540.post-63224113052848962852008-02-01T13:55:00.000-05:002008-02-01T14:10:23.078-05:00Prevalent ThemesI'm writing a paper for work, and "Prevalent Themes" is one of the headers. So it seemed appropriate to address what has increasingly become a prevalent theme around Chez Caribou.<br /><br />Hi! I forgot to blog for 3 weeks! <br /><br />I finished knitting cabled purple legwarmers, but my camera's still dead, so you don't get to see them yet.<br /><br />I'm working a lot.<br /><br />Knitting not quite enough (although I am swatching for the Eunny's Deep-V Argyle vest right now and about to undertake some gift knitting).<br /><br />Playing the guitar almost never which makes me sad.<br /><br />Becoming increasingly fixated on local eating (due to dietary restrictions, locavore is not in my future) and thoughtful about food choices.<br /><br />In a related vein, becoming very excited about cooking and experimenting and creating foods again.<br /><br />Wishing I had a camera with which to photograph my knitting and food.<br /><br />And snuggling Ernie, and making lagomorph noises in the proximity of Pants.heatherfeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09473153928641991623noreply@blogger.com0