Squashing a Flounder

Reading the local St. Petersburg Times this morning I saw a photo of a guy with a big fish net pulling little frozen fish out of the local waters.  Its too cold for the little guys and they're just freezing.  The turtles and manatees are really cold too.  At least its getting a bit warmer now. 

That being said, brings me to what I had in the freezer yesterday - frozen fish.  Orange Roughy to be clear.  (you can use basically any type of fish here like snapper, talapia grouper or sole.  Keep in mind the sole will cook much faster since its such a tender fish) I had lots of winter squash (zucchini) too so it got me thinking about how to marry these two strangers without a court order.  For those who are kitchen challenged:  Thaw the Fish First Before Trying This Dish at home. 

First I had to see what was on hand.  There were kalamata (pitted) olives in the fridge (I love those things), parmesan cheese (always on hand) canned tomatoes (a staple for the pantry), a big shallot and garlic.  Hummm, not a lot but I think it will be the dowry I need to make a lasting union between freezer and fridge.

I took a round pyrex oven proof dish, heated the oven to 425 degrees (220 celesius) then started slicing the zucchini into really thin slices about 1/8 inch thick (3mm).  It takes patience with a sharp knife but if your a gadget freak like me and have a mandoline it may be easier.  I have both but opted for the knife cuz I like to play and even run with sissors!

NOTE:

I love my knives and I sharpen them myself on a sharpening stone with specialized food-safe sharpening oil (or mineral oil in a pinch).  Do Not use olive oil or anyother type of oil that is not specifically for sharpening as it can go rancid and settle into your stone ruining taste and maybe make you sick in the bargin.

After slicing 2 zucchini's I coated them with olive oil (not sharpening stone oil - heh) then I put my de-frosted fishies - the package came with 3 nice size pieces - in a fish bowl on a plate and layered the zucchini on them to look a little like fish scales (eww, like that's appetizing), sprinkled them with salt and pepper and covered and refridgerated them while I was trying to figure out what should come next.

I started up some brown rice in the rice cooker and let it do its little 40 minute puff job.  Don't forget to RINSE the rice first.  You want to rinse until the water runs clear.  I put the rice in a wire strainer and under the tap I move it all around with my hand until I think its all clear.  This will make better tasting rice or rice without rice dust!

Then in a medium skillet I added 2 Tbls (I don't measure stuff so you don't either if you don't want to) of olive oil and tossed in the sliced shallot (it was a big puppy - figure 2 Tbls), cooked that for a minute or so then added about 2 good size cloves of minced garlic, saute'd them till I started smelling the garlic then added 1 can (8 oz) of crushed/stewed tomatoes.  If you only have canned whole tomatoes then cut them up small size (or squeeze the heck out of them and take out some kitchen rage as you tear them to bits!) or use a couple 3-4 roma tomatoes if you have fresh and like some peeps MUST use fresh.  Big whoop.

Some people like to sweeten the acidic tomato taste with sugar but I wouldn't add more than 1 tsp.  We're not making a friggin' cake here.  I like tart and tangy so I cut up about 8 kalamata olives into quarters and tossed those in.  Let it cook on medium for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. 

If you have an attractive baking dish (obviously I didn't) you can add the sauce to the dish then top it with the fish you put in the fridge earlier.  Bake until the fish flakes easily, about 20 minutes depending on how well your oven works. If you live in a real hot climate then leave it on top of the hood of your car and see if that works.  I serve directly from the dish since I like the way it looks all put together. It also stays warmer that way while you're waiting for the non-cooks to get up off their lazy lard butts and get to the table before you turn this meal into a Flying Fish.  Sprinkle it with a little parmesan cheese if you're so inclined and a dash of tarragon or maybe a dill sprig for color.  Red food color will make it look like you had a kitchen accident.  Hee hee (not recommended)  Here's what it looked like when it was properly Married!

I had so much zucchini that I rimmed the platter with the remainder.  Believe me there was nothing left!  Served with the brown rice was all that was needed.  Oh yeah.  And some wine.  I wouldn't use white wine since you have those olives and garlic and shallots and they're as strong as moving men going up three flights of stairs with a piano.  You can drink water if you want.  I don't care.  Do whatever you like but make it a nice red like a Shiraz.  And pour me a glass too!

Winter Comfort Food - Pot Roast

When the weather gets as cold as it has been I long to cook me some old fashioned comfort foods.  This week it was Pot Roast.  The chuck steaks went on sale (when did the price of chuck meat get so high?!!) so that was all the encouragement I needed.

I grabbed the staple ingredients that I had on hand (tomato sauce, ketchup, broth, flour, some herbs (cumin, thyme, bay leaf, Worcestershire Sauce) and veggies like carrots, onion, celery, garlic and red potatoes and got to work.  I decided to use my crock pot instead of cooking it on the stove which takes up room if I want to cook other stuff, and didn't want to put it in the oven to save energy (although heating up the house sounded good I didn't want the electric bill to rise). 

Since there are only two of us here I bought a fairly small piece of meat, about 2 or 2 1/2 pounds (no bone).  I put about a 1/3 cup flour in a zip lock baggie, added some kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and then added the meat and shook it up to coat the meat.  I heated up a cast iron skillet, added some canola oil (about 3-4 tbsp) and browned the meat on both sides and edges.  I made a little mix of cumin and thyme, about 1/2 tsp each and sprinkled that over the meat then put it in the crock pot after I coated the pot with Pam non-stick spray.  That makes the clean up easier by far.

I coarsely chopped the veggies and tossed those in then mixed up about 1/4 cup ketchup with some chicken stock (didn't have beef stock) and poured that over the meat, added the can of tomato sauce pictured above, about 1-2 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce a bit more salt and pepper, the bay leaf and about 4-5 cloves of minced garlic (I love garlic).  Over all, I added about 2 cups of chicken stock to almost cover the meat.  I then plugged in my crock pot, set the timer on High for 5 hours and relaxed!

That's my way of cooking sometimes.  I love it when the cooking is done by "leave alone".  It gives me time to do a crossword, a puzzle, read, give myself a bubble bath.... you get the picture.  Comfort foods mean Comfort All Around!

We each had dinner of it one night then I had the remainder for lunch today.  Not a bad cost cutter either!

Yum!

Topped Out on Ramen

2010 started out pretty miserable so I'm thinking things can only get better from here.  I caught some kind of bug New Years Eve day and it settled in my chest and struck me down like a cheap pair of heels.  I was sick with a fever which I hadn't had in maybe 7 or 8 years and all the coughing, some sneezing and some nose blowing.  I thought it was a cold/flu but I'm not sure. 

True to Kitchen Bitch form I applied a package of Pictsweet baby lima beans for the fever two nights in a row.  I'm thinking I've struck on some kind of magical new health cure because the fever only lasted two nights.  Maybe frozen corn would have had it linger longer?  Frozen peas most likely would have raised the fever by 2 degrees.  I'm not sure and still have plenty of experimentation to do at the next opportunity.  Which hopefully won't be for another 7 or 8 years.  

When I was finally able to rise from the deathbed and crawl to the kitchen all I could manage was to make my favorite Top Ramen soup, throw in some frozen broccoli (saving that package for toothaches), and some pre-cooked chicken.  I managed to survive the next few days with ol' Topper Beef Flavor and 'scroung' foods. 

I felt exiled for 5 days in some remote cold hovel....  trying not to infect the cat or my roomie,

but I think I faired better than Hillary Clinton when Obama made her Secretary of the State just to get her out of the US. 

I did eventually improve and am ready once again to bitch in the kitchen!

A Juicy Porterhouse Steak!

For my non-Christmas/Holiday dinner this year I was craving a porterhouse steak.  I found a good one that was calling out my name, "yo Kitchen Bitch, I'm a real heart stopper" so naturally I fell for that line.  I knew it was way too much for just me but I had a plan for what I couldn't finish.

When I'm in a meat eating mode basically that's all I really want to eat.  When I eat steaks I do like tomato wedges sprinkled with minced garlic, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and a few sticks of green onions that I rub in salt as I'm eating.  I'm a salt freak with no high-blood pressure problems so I just go for it.  I plug my steak with garlic slices and douse with more salt and pepper then I grilled it.  Here's the before and after...

 

When I ate all I could I wrapped up the remainder and saved it for the next day.  After a huge steak I'm not too hungry the next day and a little soup does me good.  I go for my favorite quickie soup that I call Oasis Soup after the Inn I stayed at in San Francisco while attending the Culinary Academy.  All I had to cook on was an electric burner and a small pot or pan.  My tiny refrigerator didn't hold much so I would take whatever vegetables I had on hand and chop them up to add to my canned chicken stock.  Usually I would put sliced carrots, broccoli, a brussel sprout or two, maybe a few sliced mushrooms and cook them in the stock/broth then add Ramen noodles, minced garlic and sliced green onions.  If I had leftover chicken I'd throw that in too.  I used the leftover steak from my Christmas dinner as the protein in this soup.  Its so easy, flavorful and inexpensive.  I'm sure a lot of people have cooked this soup when getting themselves through school.  Here's what the steak looked like the next day.  Yum.

I really enjoy this soup!

Stealth Christmas

I'm attending a Christmas Party where everyone dresses up tonight.  I was going to go as a bunch of mistletoe but with cold season and all I opted for the next best outfit to "blend". 

I hope to snag a few presents when no one is looking.  It'll go with the outfit.  I hope I don't get to "lit up"!  It'll be tough driving home.  It may be tough driving to the party like this.  Too many dogs around here.

I'm wishing everyone I like and love a very Merry Christmas.  If I don't like you I hope you spend too much on useless gifts that everyone returns.  Oh yeah, and I hope you get a lot of re-gifts too! 

I hope Santa gives America about 13 Trillion dollars to cover the debt.  Do you even know how much a Trillion is?  Believe me, its way more than we really have.  Talk about just printing money.  The government is also pooping it.  (maybe you'll get a pooper scooper for Christmas)

Here's a current photo of my last holiday dollar.  I snapped the photo as it was flying out of my wallet.  Poor thing.  It's so scared....    

The Bitch is Back!

I just woke up from my long year's nap ready to begin more blogging.  I needed to unwind and detox from all the work and learning I did at the Ca. Culinary Academy.  It is now December 2009 and I'm feeling oh so refreshed!

I must admit that my cooking has improved and I've remembered a number of things they taught us, still.  So all in all the Mazillion Dollhairs paid through student loans were worth their weight in paper.  Be nice if I could pay it back but I'm working on that.  Or maybe I'm waiting until Sallie Mae goes the route of Freddie Mac.  I do know I'll be Chased by Chase even in my next life, all the while I'll be accruing interest.  I'll have to be born Bernie Madoff if I'm ever going to pay that off.

I've been cooking with and practicing on my only true love - Food.  In other words nothing has changed in my whole life.  I do admit I've gotten much better at on-the-spot sauces to cover on-the-sale meat products.  I've also learned several new things to do with zucchini besides boil it to death like my grandmother did.  I'll be adding photos and such later on with recipes and instructions on what YOU can do with zucchini! 

But for now, I just wanted to re-open my blog and begin anew.  I'll leave you with the favorite phrase of the Kitchen Bitch:  Here's to Food, Fork You! 

End of the Road

Well, I finished my purpose for this blog. I started it the day I decided to go to the Culinary Academy, I tracked my progress for the 15 months, and now I'm done. Finished. It's over. Very Cool.

Looking back, the 15 months went slow, it was a new unpaved road. There were uphills, rocks in the road and some time for parking and enjoying the views. Over all, it was a task completed, learned and savored. I've met some very wonderful chefs like Chef Amy, Chef Vanita, Chef Patrick, wild and wacky Chef Al. All unforgetable in their own ways. I learned a lot from them and a lot about wines from Chef Roy and Steve. By and large it was a memorable and valuable experience.

I have accomplished my goal, now I head into the world to see what I can do with that accomplishment and knowledge.

I suppose I will start another blog since this one was to chronicle my path to my dream. I want to publish this blog in its entirety and have it on my coffee table or someplace to look at and recall the memories, the good times, the fellow friends, and the beauty of San Francisco. I will miss the city but I travel to find my opportunities.

Peace and prosperity.

Mission Accomplished! (just about)

Life brings one special messages from time to time. You just have to make yourself aware of those little subtle clues. This sign was one of them that literally screamed at me from the side of the road. I couldn't believe I saw it at the exact time that I have 1 Week To Go at my internship with the San Francisco Chronicle!

Naturally, I stopped to take a photo. One more week!! What joy I feel to have accomplished a very difficult endeavor during a very complicated and rough year.

Maybe tomorrow I'll run across a sign of someone patting their own back. That'd be me right about now. I'm proud of me-self. By Friday I will be hovering somewhere between Cloud 8 and 9.

Its been a recipe for success overall. This is one ordeal I still can't believe I made it through.

Now the world is my oyster, as they say. I say do you want that Oysters Rockerfeller, deep-fried in a Po-boy sammich or raw with horseradish and hot sauce? Yeah. Life is good enough to eat.

More Photos from Pescadero

It was such a beautiful day. A perfect day really. A Debra Day actually! I still laugh about how silly cousin Guy and I were on the way home playing with the shadows in the backseat like "kids". Hey, don't laugh, 'Papa John' told a friend of his that he and the 'wife' were taking the kids out for a drive!! Guy and I nearly choked with laughter. So we had to live up to his expectations by acting like a couple of elementary children in the backseat giggling and self-entertaining ourselves since we weren't sure when we'd get home. We kept asking, "are we there yet?" ha

Here is a photo of the day we enjoyed. Truly beautiful.

We walked all over Pigeon Point, took photos and listened to the constant wash of the waves on the rocks while taking in the salt air. There's nothing like the expansive Pacific to soothe your inner world. I loved the next photo. A bit of green, earth, and water with evidence of people unseen.

Here's another that I loved with the play of the shadows on the pebble walk way.

We also visited a REALLY old cemetary in Pescadero that had quite a few old-timers from the 1800's. One curious tombstone was the one pictured here, I don't know if you can read the bottom inscription but it says "Gone But Not For Cotton". I can't believe they actually put that on someone's gravestone. The eternal joke or jokester? Gives one pause for thought. They better not do that on my stuff when I'm gone! They can just sprinkle my ashes over a vineyard and call that a Good Year when the wine comes out!

The End. [hee hee] My little play on words...(oh, how I entertain myself) [Guy should be here now. I'm feeling immature again. hahaha]

Eating in Pescadero, CA - Duartes

The family took an outing on Saturday to see where Papa John grew up in Pescadero. The weather was perfect and the stop at Duartes for lunch was scrumptious!

The Espinoza's were a prolific family back in the day and lived in about as many homes as there were children, but these homes were located in some mighty fine countryside. Rolling hills full of green acres, trees, and waterways. What an ideal place to grow up. It was a farming community and the Espinoza family ate off the land and sea, whatever they caught or hunted. Papa John said he and his brother would grab Abalone from the sea rocks at low tide. Just the big ones. They'd pass up the ones that were 6-8 inches across and go for the bigger ones! What a life.

We ate lunch at the old well-known 'Duartes' and had a terrific lunch. I saw the place online at this website and thought the green chili soup sounded heavenly. It was. I mean Outstanding! So creamy, buttery and snappy with the taste of the green chili's. Oh my. The bread was also killer. It came from a local baker down the street from which I bought a hot loaf of Garlic Artichoke bread and an X-tra Sourdough loaf that was also freshly made (still warm) and this was at 3pm in the afternoon! Incredibly good. I put it in the trunk of the car for the ride home and we were smelling the fresh baked goodness all the way. It was intoxicating.

We followed the old stagecoach roads through the hills with occasional views of the Pacific Ocean in between hills. The smell in the air was so aromatic with the windows down. The day was warm enough to heat up all the shrubs and moist dirt and a deep dark earth smell filled the car and our olifactory senses.

It was a day to remember, and I will. It was a real family outing, me and my cousin in the back seat and Papa John and Mum in the front. We laughed, talked, and Papa J shared a huge part of his past with us the whole day. We went from the city to the hills to the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Good food, good drive, perfect family day. Priceless.

S.O.S.

This has been one heck of a busy week at the Chronicle! I've been fried, tied, hamstrung and skewered. And today, my dear work buddy Cindy was not there. Oh, Cynd, you left me to the wolves!! Here's a photo of Cindy working away in the kitchen last week.

It was Photo Shoot day and I had 3 dishes to prep for the photographer. But then there was the 'family meal' day that was set for 1:30. I got in at 9:30 and never stopped until 3pm. Brutal!

My feet and back feel like I was directing traffic all day - on top of me! I took the stairs so much up and down to the cellar, the photo room and the kitchen which are all on different floors, that I finally got fed up and started taking the elevator. Its just a difficult elevator that you have to manually control so you can't carry much. I broke two plates trying to get the elevator going. Don't tell Cindy. They were cute ones too. Oops.

I styled every plate that got shot today which equates to a $check$ for me when it runs. Yea me. I think it runs on the 21st. Look for my name in small print. Really small print under each photo.

Tomorrow may be a better day since I found out tonight that I won't need to enter and log any wines for next week. Big relief.

The Fancy Food Show is this Sunday at the Moscone Center and I'm planning to go. I'll take photos and let you know what's new! I'm excited.

Tangerines are ebbing (sad face here)

My favorite time of the year is between November and January when tangerines are in season. Did you know that it got its name simply on a shipping route? True. Naturally known as Mandarines, years ago when trade routes were setup there was a special rought going through Tangiers, Morrocco. To differentiate to buyers that they were not the chinese varieties they called them tangerines.

I made a Tangerine (mandarine, clementine, satsuma; whatever!) cheesecake today. One of my very favorites. I didn't take photos of the ingredients or the process or even the darn finished product but I'll be making another this week in the Chronicle's test kitchen. Maybe I'll remember to that. If not, here is the recipe.

Tangerine Cheesecake


Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup melted butter

Prehead the oven to 350º. Spray a 9 inch springform cheesecake pan with non-stick spray, mix the butter with the cracker crumbs till well blended and spread evenly around the pan and edges. Cook crust in the oven for 7-10 minutes, remove from oven and let cool.

Filling:
12 oz creme cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese (8 oz)
½ cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup tangerine juice
1 envelope whipped topping mix and 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla [or 1 1/4 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla.] If using whipping cream add appx 1/4 cup more sugar to the cheese mixture.


2 tangerines peeled, seeded and chopped
1 fresh tangerine, sectioned for garnish

Blend together crème cheese and ricotta cheese. Add sugar.

In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over tangerine juice and let soften 1 minute. Heat, stirring constantly 3 minutes.

Prepare whipped topping as per package direction. Add gelatin mixture to cheese mixture. Blend until smooth. Fold whipped topping into cheese mixture. Stir in chopped tangerine pieces. Spoon into crust. Chill 4/6 hours. Garnish with Tangerine sections.

Love that cake, it's so light and airy.

By the way, have you ever seen Siamese Grapes? Here's one I found recently. Obscene really. My cousin Paul ate it. Grape is a grape but it was weird, this one.

I'll Miss My Fog

This morning while walking to the Chronicle I was stopped by the beauty of the morning fog being quickly burned off by the sun. I took two photos and you can see how quickly it was burning. I took both photos one after the other. Oh, I'm so going to miss my fog.

Lark Creek Steak, San Francisco

This has been a busy and rough week for me at the Chron. I've been slaving in the cellar over all the wines to unbox and log-in, I've been researching tons of information to print in the next few editions and I cooked (the bright side) today most of the morning. Tomorrow its back to the dungeon to tackle the wines again for the next upcoming tastings.

As a treat for my hard (and volunteer) given effort I decided to dine here tonight to give myself a little pat on the back for making all this happen. I ate alone and had the best service from a waiter who was over-the-top great. A waiter can make or break your evening in places like this when you're dining alone. He was James, a vivacious and genuinely friendly fellow but not overbearing like some can be. He knew everything he was talking about, especially the wines and pairings. He did everything right that I can think of that a good waiter should do when trying to assist the kitchen and serve the customer at the same time. He gently pushed the Sirloin Tartare, which you need to when its on the menu and there is a small crowd. Its not like it'll be good for too long. I guess that's why they have a nice truffled burger on the menu too. Use up that tartare.

He was really at his best when I was on my cell and my main dish was coming. He didn't want to interrupt so he just brought 2 little swallows of red wine in each glass for me to try that would go with my meal before I even ordered any wine. I thought that was the most thoughtful effort I'd ever experienced in a restaurant. Never did anyone try to be so helpful and non interruptive. When I got off the call, we discussed the wines and ordered one. My hats off to that man for his class and style.

I wanted to have a good meal in my home town before I leave the city at the end of the month and I did. I even had better service than I ever had anywhere and I'm glad it was here in San Francisco.

If you're ever around Westfield Mall at 5th and Market, stop into Lark Creek Steak, I know you'll enjoy the steaks that cut like butta and the double fried steak fries but more importantly the great service. It was well worth it.

Wine Tasting Day

Part of my job at the Chronicle is prepping for the wine tastings each week. Its a big job. I have to open all the boxes that get delivered for a particular tasting and log the wines into a tasting sheet online by vintage, vineyard, appellation, price and importer. This week was German Rieslings.

64 little marching Germans to be precise. I had to bring them up from the cellar today via the old style elevator that you have to roll up the wooden gate, roll it back down then push the big fat button Up. Get to the designated floor then open the gate, blah, blah. The bottels must be numbered, corked and poured for 3 tasters. The only good thing was that by the 4th flight when they hit into the Spatlese's I decided to take a taste myself. I've forgotten how good those German Rieslings are since I usually drink only the more hearty reds. There was a bottle of a fabulous Robert Weil Auslese that is almost $100 a bottle. That one was really good! Really. There was a distinct difference from the other Auslese's I tasted. In the end, we got to bring home what was not deemed important to hold onto. I brought two Auslese's home.

Its a lot of heavy lifting and careful glass work. I have to carry a tray of 10 glasses filled with a sample of each wine to the tasting room. I keep praying that I won't trip and fall with my bounty of expensive wines. Its nerve wracking. Its also a lot of back and forth work. Then I have to set up all the glassware. 60 glasses keep circulating until all the tasting is finished. Which means I'm rinsing them out, repouring and redistributing. The glasses are marked with the initials of each taster and numbered 1 - 10. Each "flight" of wine is 10 glasses. There were 6 flights today plus a few odd 4 over that. Its a lot of work and not for the weak and meek.

Its sheer torture to see all these great wines and not be drunk by 2pm!

January 1, 2009

Happy New Year to You! Have you made your New Years Resolutions yet? Have you broken any yet?

2008 ended with a hugh bang. Literally.

The neighbor next door to Casa Espinoza blew off his thumb while setting off a M100 bomb. No kidding. Sad, not safe, not too bright and very painful. I'm sure he will always remember 2009 and its tragic beginning since he'll only be able to count to 9 on his hands now.

They were having a party and started the evening setting off various smaller versions of the M100 causing the police to cruise the area. It was the only real fireworks we saw besides the stuff on TV. As the night progressed and the libations were surely quaffed their nerve grew and their reflexes diminished. Why-O-why do fella's do this kind of thing? Must be some guy thing trying to out-John Wayne -each other. He apparently took the stick of (dynamite) this lethal bomb out to the middle of the street, lit it and then just kinda hung onto it for a digit of time longer than he should have. Tsk, tsk.

On the other hand (oops, sorry for the pun) his year has no where else to go but UP. [and that's not Thumbs Up]. If this didn't happen to you then you and your New Year is off to a Great start! High Five!!

How to Cook Prime Rib

For Christmas dinner the family pulled out the stops and nabbed a nice 7lb Prime Rib roast AND a 4lb roast. I was tasked with getting the job done so we had medium rare, which most of us like and a medium roast for the ones who like their meat cooked more.

First, I make a spice rub for it using garlic, about 5 -8 cloves, and a bit of kosher salt (teaspoon) in a small mortar and crush it into paste. Then I add some fresh rosemary if we have it and crush that, a pinch of crushed red pepper (1/2 tsp) and crush that. Then I add some marjoram and olive oil to make it nice and pasty/spreadable.

I rub this mix all over the roast and pop the roast into a pre-heated 500 degree oven. I give it five minutes then turn it down to 350 degrees and let it cook about 1/2 hour per pound. I do have a good digital thermometer that I test it after the alloted time. The temp I like for medium rare is 130-135. I take it out of the oven and let it sit all by itself for 1/2 hour or so. Then slice and serve. For the medium roast the temp should be about 140-145. Rest, then serve.

Don't open the oven door once you got it in there or you'll just cool things down and screw up your timing. Okay, maybe once to smell its delicious lusciousness!

I cooked both roasts in the same pan on a rack. Put them in at the same time and took them out at the same time. Since the one is smaller it cooks faster than the big one. If we had more people who liked medium roast I would have had to put the big one in first then follow with the small one. Oh, you get the picture!

The Prime Rib roast was a very nice slice of heaven!! Yum. I want a do-over!!

Back to the Kitchen Bitch!

Christmas time came and went and now its time to squeeze in more kitchen time at the Chronicle. I'll be working this next week on some new recipe testing and more writing. Fun! Here's a photo of the Chron Kitchen where I spend my days.

There are two stoves, one electric and the other gas. Naturally, I play on the gas stove. I love the overhanging pots and pans. They're so easy to find and no bending over. The natural light is great coming from that window. It really brightens up the kitchen so I can actually see when I'm cutting off my fingernails with a cleaver.

We also have two refrigerators, one for the staff and the other for the testing. The big long counter top is a must. I love that it is so long. There's plenty of room for 3-4 cooks to squeeze in, which sometimes happens. We also have a dishwasher just for the glassware (wine glasses) and the other normal one.

Its a fun playroom. I'm looking forward to working there tomorrow. I am really learning so much from working with the Chronicle Food and Wine Department staff. They are a great, intelligent bunch of hard workers.

Gratitude is a wonderful attitude.

Holiday Cheer!

I've been trying to remember to photograph all the little things to blog but darned if I get caught up in the moment and forget until it passes! Poo!! Anyway, Here are some photos of me getting into the holidays with family and San Francisco.

I like the one of the Musicians playing just the way it looks. Kinda blury and out of focus. I like it like that. Seems more magical to me. And I can't believe how elegant and beautiful the Forever 21 store looks. I went inside just to see the ceilings and chandeliers. Georgous!

There HAS to be a photo of the Powell/Hyde Street Cable Car in the SF Photo blog!! Its a must. Here it is at its 'turnaround'. So many holiday tourists riding it, that's a happy thing.

I go "home" on the weekends to visit with the Fam Damily and have some good meals and laughs. I was so happy to see the beautifully decorated tree and the whole house looked so festive and inviting. I'm looking forward to seeing it full with tables groaning from the delicacies and savory treats. Yum-Oh. Cousin Guy and Mum decorated perfectly!

I can see the Star that Deb Melmon made for Guy on the tree right in the center! How wonderful.

Cousin Paul flew in from Arizona Saturday and I got to make dinner for my 2 cousins Saturday night. I was so excited to try a whole new 'style' and break away from the usual so I settled on a Thai Theme. Mum and Papa John went to friends for a holiday standard of breaking open champagne and cracking up some fresh crab. While they had their crab feast I was peeling back shrimp and cooking up Yum Love.

I made this salad, an Asian Pear and mixed greens with Sesame Dressing and a grated carrot topping. I opted for the mixed greens instead of watercress. I wanted to use half baby spinach and half arugula but I couldn't find arugula. The sesame dressing was different for me and tasty and next time I'll add chopped roasted peanuts (good idea Guy!) for some crunch on top.

Then I cooked up some rice, chopped some cilantro and green onions and served this Thai Soup with Shrimp, Pork and Chicken, Lemon and Jalapenos. We dished the rice in the bowls, topped with cilantro and green onions then topped it off with the soup. We passed extra Chili Garlic Paste around and it was Stunningly Good! Hits the Taste Buds right where they tickle. Hot, spicy, tart and savory. Umami overload.

When I remembered about taking the photos the food was GONE! Waa. So I took the next best shot of it all gone but the recipients quite happy!

Then we rested our stuffed selves for a while playing UNO. What a laugh and a half. We had so much fun! Just what was needed to add more cheer to the holidays. Afterwards, I made dessert. OMG. This one was so easy and so good. I mean EASY. I love me my Epicurious site for finding the best things.

How easy was buying 3 glazed doughnuts, vanilla bean ice cream and making a spiced caramel sauce with banana's. You really need to try this recipe!

The sweetness of this dessert was a perfect ending to the spicy heat of the dinner soup. The soup served well with a bottle of Savignon Blanc Fume. Perfect match. I wouldn't serve it with the salad as there is far too much fat in the dressing and the wine sours next to it. It was an interesting note for my cousins to see how wine reacts with foods differently.

Oh what a night. And what a great weekend.
I hope you all enjoyed yours too.

Busology - A Commuters Guide

I'm becoming quite the bus rider to and from work these days. Its been a learning experience and one that I'm getting better (?) at daily.

There are some things I've noted however that would make riding the bus easier. I should jot them down here for those of you who commute on the bus (or soon will have to since it IS cheaper!).

#1. There is no one to complain to if things are not going your way. Understand that before you ever step on a bus. Just don't do it. You might as well just get off at the next stop and throw yourself in front of the next bus. No one cares okay.

#2. Wear earplugs if you don't want to hear the cell phone ranters, the random talkers to no one in particular, the miserable singers, and the certifiable mumblers. Also wear them if the repetitious announcements get on your last nerve turning you into one of the #2 people.

#3. Realize that some folks like to eat raw garlic or drink heavily, and think bathing is for woosies. Chew on a mint.

#4. Know that the one person boarding the bus that you don't want to come near you - will. They will sit next to you if you are sitting or stand right next to you like they were your closest family member. It's just Busology.

We have a lot of boxes that come into the Chronicle every day, mostly boxes with wine inside. I open them, break them down and recycle them. (another part of my job) I put the wines away after entering them into the computer or store them for wine tastings in the fridge. I really like the size of the boxes. They are perfect for boxing up the books I have been accumulating from school and cooking books. So I take them home. One or two every day.

I must look like I've been holiday shopping. People like that. Makes me seem real nice and thoughtful. I've also taken to carrying them like they weigh a bit. This bottom-feeding method keeps earning me a seat on the commuter bus. Not something I usually get in the mornings. But then I have more energy in the morning and can hang on better.

The bus announcements keep reminding everyone that the front seats are for the elderly and the handicapped. If a geezer gets on board someone has to give up their seat. I have now become less diligent about touching up my hair and now let some of the gray show. I'm getting pleased with my seat-nabbing gray hair.

Speaking of Hair. I saw a headline today that was too funny. Some guy pulled a judicial wig off another man in a public hearing and the headline said "Man who snatched wig will have toupee". The reporter must be new to the job. Maybe he used to work for Leno.

Today was also Wine Tasting Day. That means I had to set up for 4 tasters who were tasting 75 wines. We do 10 "flights" each time so that means I have 80 glasses set up with the initials of each taster and numbered 1 - 10 for each person stuck on with masking tape that tends to fall off after a couple of rinses. It keeps me busy. I put a tray of 10 wine glasses in front of each individual. I wait till they're almost done tasting then I pour another 40 glasses on trays of 10 each and switch them out. I take the empties and give them the next round. I rinse them all out and drain them, then I prep to repour at the right time. I try not to break too many glasses. It gets annoying to do the tape again.

I also have to go down to the cellar to retrieve the wines out of the fridge (in this case they were white wines) from chilling and bring them upstairs where the tasting occurs. Its a lot of lifting, carrying, bending and standing around. And you all thought I had a glamour job! HA

On the bright side, tomorrow is Family Meal day and photo shoot day so we'll do a lot of cooking and eating and styling (for which I get a few $). I'll be making some sandwiches with pork tenderloin, cole slaw and a relish to go on a bread bun. If it turns out good I'll share the recipe!

Cold

It's cold. For me. My Chicago friends, Cher and Joe are suffering with single digit temps but they were born in that stuff. I was born here in San Fran but it was July not December. I think that has some merit here in this little diatrabe. Maybe if I was born in December I would be having a better time of this.

Actually, its not really so bad. I love all the bundles of clothes. I like having the heat on at night and I like the blankets heavy on me. I sleep better that way.

I never thought I could get cold after living in Los Angeles for these past too many years. That place sucks for cold weather, rain, chills. I was too warm there.

It took me 20 minutes to get dressed to leave the office today. By the time I was done I looked like a blackened spiced Pillsbury Dough person. I've never had to wear thermals under my real clothes. I don't think I even wore them when I used to ski. I had knit gloves, a nice warm scarf to go around my cable knit turtleneck sweater, double pair of socks, a knit cap and my big fluffy winter proof jacket with a hood. And this is just for San Francisco! I'd perish in Chicago. I'd go down faster than Blagojechiviche or whatever.

I better head into a hot shower now then crawl under the blankey's and read a good scary novel. Now that's Christmas!

That Man, Rod Sonofavich

Okay, this is Chicago's week to be in the barrel. The Pickle barrel (it's always related to food here). I feel for ya, it's a hellava pickle. It's also really hard not to make comments on. Like Garlic Ice Cream. You can't just hear that and NOT comment something! So I will cook up a few comments on Mr. Done-of-a-vich.

1. Axed Rod and Potti Mouth Patti are currently next year's Halloween costume designers of the year. I can feel it. Think cute cement shoes, mouthwash and monopoly money sewn into the pockets. OMG.

2. I hear his hair dresser is on his hit list. I'm sorry, is that a hat? No, it IS his hair.

3. He's got real problems b/c he was born on December 10th. Way too close to Christmas to get presents twice. He's been angry ever since birth.

4. He's currenly going through his mid-lie crisis. (yep, spelt right)

5. He's in deep denial. Although most wish he was deep in da Nile.

and finally, here is Gov. Rod's interpretation of what living within his dimensions deduce to.

I be tall, dark and handsome and not dimension smart!

Not the Season to Save Money

Cold cash, credit and money-saver coupons are a bit of a memory as the holidays approach...

Darn, why do the Holidays always come at a bad time of the year. This is about as good as it gets for my Holiday Shopping. I just blogged my first present!

Now-a-days, everyone's looking for ways to hang on. (I saw a guy on the bus today having a Real Hard time hanging on. There should be a 3 drink minimum at lunch these days) Seems like smart folks all have some kind of Hedge Fund. I thought it was a good idea so I got me one of them. Trouble is, I got to feed the little guy. I hope it'll grow.

It looks like he eats pins and needles. Pretty much what I carry in my wallet.

But that doesn't mean we all can't have a nice Christmas, Kawanza, Hannuka, etc. anyway. We'll do it the old fashioned way and give each other clever Fruit Cakes and homemade stuff like already darned socks or soap.

Better yet, lets all bring out the board games and decks of cards and play together. Its really a lot of fun. More fun than opening some retarded gift like fluffly slippers, sunglasses, or a box of sushi bandaids. I found a few games that seemed like fun so I thought of adding them here for you to muse over when you are looking for a fun game night for your holiday fun. How about a hot game of Tic Tac Toast? You win even if you lose because you eat the toast after playing! Oh, what fun.

Okay then, how about a game of Crazy Cat Lady?

Humm.... Seems like this isn't going too well. You can look for yourself on this site. http://www.mcphee.com Good luck with your holiday shopping!

Lamb Stew

I made a tasty lamb stew yesterday at work with lentils and barley, zucchini, tomates, onions and garlic. It was the brainchild of one of the staffers. It was perfect for a nippy winter day. I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have a photo but I found this one on the web to get you started.


Catch yourself a nice spring lamb if you can. If not, jam over to the market and buy some already de-sprung. A pound and a half of loin cut. Cook your lentils and barley (1 cup each) in two different saucepans because they fight and argue if you mix them. Mostly in your intestines but they will disagree unless you separate them. One cooks faster than the other; barley is the de-caffinated (slower to cook) one so give it 20 minutes simmering. I used little orange lentils for the other and they took only 5 minutes to cook. Drain and reserve aside. You don't have to put them in separate bowls anymore because the boiling hot water took all the life out of their argumentativeness.



Why, Orange lentils are so cheery looking don't you agree? (little ugly doll not included in box)



Chop up your lamb (1 1/2 lbs) in bite sized pieces, something that would fit on your spoon with room for the other ingredients, and salt your meat [this is not where the term Salt Peter originated BTW] (I use kosher salt on my sacri-fish-el meats because the Cooking Bible told me so) and set it aside.

Chop up 1 1/2 cups of onions and mince about 4 garlic cloves real tiny. Or not. Basically, its how small you want it right? I like garlic so I would chop them the size of the lentils. What we're looking for here is stuff that is chopped in a consistant size. Why you ask? Because we're anal about little things like that. Let's move on here without too many questions shall we?

Take a big skillet and heat it up. Add about 2-3 Tablespoons of oil and get that nice and hot, not global warming hot,



and add the meat to sear it (you took the globe out first right?). It should sizzle when added. Cook it up till its all cooked and removed it to a bowl while you do the next step.




Saute the onions (chopped small remember) in the fun fond that is left from the sprung lamb, moving and stirring them to pick up all the pieces of what's left on the bottom of the skillet. Then add the garlic and as soon as you can smell the aroma of the heavenly goodness that is garlic shut off the stove run out of the house and give prayerful thanks from the rooftops for garlic. Okay, don't shut the stove off. Keep right on going....you can do it, I just know you can.

Add 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 tablespoons of sherry and 3/4 cup of water to the onions and garlic and bring it to an easy sleezy simmer. It should look way better than this photo below. If not, you've done something regrettably wrong and should get the hell out of a kitchen you moron.


Moving on. Add the meat, lentils, barley and smally chopped zuchini and tomatoes. I used 3 zuchini and 1 large tomato [all still chopped to that insy binsy size] to the whole she-bang. Let it cook 10 minutes and Presto! You have something to eat that didn't cost too much and should feed about 6-8 guests. Serve with a nice Central Coast Syrah or a bottle, box or jug of your favorite crapola. I really don't care.


The point is - a heart meal that I could dish up for you on my blog along with my side dishes of sarcastic humor. Job Done.

Oops. I Ate a Burger King Cheese Burger.

Yep, thas right, I et myself a Burger King burger. With fries too. Its been years since I had one and for some reason it just sounded right.

There I was doing the good thing eating my fresh vegetable soup at Casa Espinoza when my dear cousin Guy bust in the house and dashed about asking if anyone wanted anything from Burger King. He was on a mission to get burgers, and get them NOW.

I so admire people what have a mission. I wanted to be part of his important mission so I volunteered myself for one. And fries. And diet coke please.

It was fun eating normal fast food with the family. Like I was almost normal. Auntie didn't quite believe I was really going to eat it but I did. It was good. And fun.

But, to redeem my School I did make dinner tonight. I stuffed cornish game hens with garlic and spices and roasted them in the oven. I made a nice batch of wild rice and some fresh shitake mushrooms sauteed with butter, garlic and some crushed red pepper then added fresh asparagus to the skillet after the mushrooms gave off their juices and cooked them down with a little basting of giblet broth I had going on the stove from the hens.

We topped it all off with a slice of pumpkin pie from the two I made yesterday at Casa Espinoza's. It was all good. Saturday night fast food, Sunday night a respectable dinner. The holidays are getting in gear, I feelz it.