the color yellow: a dave jr. update

May 23, 2012 //
0

it’s has been just over a month since planting dave jr. and because i am a newbie to growing tomatoes, i have relied on the interwebs to teach me a thing or two about making him be big, strong and bear beautiful flavorful fruit. there is conflicting advice about whether or not to prune flowers and/or branches at all. one article i read said that it would teach him to continue to grow more flowers, and not bear fruit too soon when he wasn’t strong enough to hold them up. seemed like good advice. i chose to pluck the flower buds until just recently.

most suggested to remove the ‘suckers’ which start to grow in the v between the main stem and other branches. of course, since i didn’t come upon this information until a couple weeks in, the base of dave jr. has become quite full. right around the time i stopped plucking flowers, some yellow leaves started to appear, which concerned me.

i worried i was watering him too much, but after reading more, it could be because i haven’t been watering him enough, there aren’t enough nutrients in his soil, or perhaps he even has a virus. so today i added crumbled up egg shells (for calcium), and some fertilizer (nitrogen) to the top and cultivated it in, gave him a good watering, filled up his reservoir, and trimmed the yellow branches and leaves.

dave sr. didn’t know what kind of tomato dave jr. would produce. the good news is that almost every main branch has flowers on it or at least little tiny buds on them, so hopefully that means lots of fruit this summer, whatever kind that might be.

the anticipation is killing me.

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Categories farming, gardening

the (happy) trails

May 17, 2012 //
1

i got together with a friend today to go hiking. we decided to go up to the griffith observatory.

we ended up parking on fern dell right across from the trails, a cute little cafe that serves pie, and other good stuff.

i’m not going to lie, pie was on my brain the whole way up and down our hike. by the time we made it back down, they only had one slice left…apple.

this was fitting, since it was their apple pie that began my obsession with pie a few years back, and even got me to enter the first annual kcrw good food pie contest. we also got delicious stumptown coffee, oh and a vanilla lavender shortbread cookie to go, and by ‘to go’ i mean to go in our bellies.

the pie was even better than before, mostly because when i had my first slice here they kept the skins on the apple (which is not my preference), but the crust was perfection per usual, and no skins this time.

it was a lovely way to end a really nice hike, and though it negated any calories burned, it made me very, very happy.

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Categories pie, review

dreaming of tomatoes: a dave jr. update

April 29, 2012 //
0

i know it’s only day 10, out of i don’t know how many, but i haven’t killed him…yet. yay for me!

i had to clip one flower off the first week, and was worried the rain we got a few days ago would drown him, but he’s doing really well. actually, i think he may have grown an inch since taking this photo yesterday. seriously.

he looks healthy and green and strong. i’m going to bed in hopes to dream of blts, gazpacho, and hot tomato jam.

is this what it’s like to have a child? probably not in the least huh?

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Categories farming, gardening

the tomato plant experiment

April 18, 2012 //
2

i realize i haven’t posted in quite some time. honestly, i have been working and busy, which is good, but leaves little time to blog. well, last week i was working on a tv show and talking with one of my co-workers about my love of tomatoes, and how i’d love to eventually jar them for the off season. much to my surprise, the next time i worked with him he brought me a tomato plant.

this is very exciting! i planted him today, and placed him in my parking spot on the roof of my garage where i live in downtown los angeles.

i will continue to post on his progress, and hopefully down the line be able to post my first recipe with tomatoes from the plant. i am thinking about names for the plant, and open to suggestions. tom seems too obvious. dave jr. has a ring to it, since it was a dave that gave me the plant. mostly just hoping i don’t kill him.

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Categories farming, gardening

guisados

February 23, 2012 //
3

there are some places that you just need to try for yourself, and for those who don’t live in los angeles, or don’t have plans to come for a visit, i am very sad for you, because guisados is one of those places. my friend the farmers market fairy has been telling me about this place for a while now, and even called it ‘life changing.’ i recently recommended it to a friend in town looking for good mexican food. he was doing a little research for his new business mexicue in nyc, and it was already on his list of places to check out. i have been throwing this place’s name around without ever trying it myself mind you…until today.

the menu is fairly prolific, so i just chose a selection of three different tacos: hongos, pescado, and mole pollo. the tortillas were thicker than what i am used to, so i was full halfway through my second taco, but i trudged on, not unhappily by any means.

i also wanted to try the habanero salsa, which my fairy friend said to beware of, but it was wonderful, yet so potent only a tad cleared my senses.

my friend raf decided on the sampler of six mini tacos, and went with the first six on the chalkboard, which we were told are the most popular.

the owner armando, personally delivered our plates, and was incredibly friendly. i had heard from my out-of-town friend that his brother eddie makes the homemade masa next door at his market. so on the way out i thanked armando, and asked about the masa. he said he would show me. i thought, ‘are you (expletive) kidding me?’ he quickly washed his hands, and brought us next door.

first the corn is steeped.

after being rinsed to take an outside thin layer off the kernel, it’s ground up into what is basically a corn mealy paste. fat is added to make what is put in tamales.

otherwise, without the fat added, they hand flatten it into disks before cooking to make tortillas. now i understand why they are thicker than usual.

on the way out, he showed us they also make bread, and told us to try one of the sweet bread pastries called conchas, or something like that. i was too damn excited to remember what he said, and too stupid to write it down.

i will ask next time, which may very well be tomorrow. this place is a must. an absolute must.

guisados • 2100 east cesar chavez avenue • los angeles, ca • 90033 

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Categories review

made

February 17, 2012 //
1

most of us don’t have to think about where we are going to get our next meal, but living in skid row i see men and women everyday who struggle for just that…food. i love living where i do, if only that it tells me how fortunate i am every single day. i own a loft right next door to the new home of the downtown women’s center (dwc), where women have been going for help and assistance since opening in 1978.

‘the mission of the downtown women’s center is to provide permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and to advocate ending homelessness for women.’

last year the dwc opened up a shop on the street level called made that sells gifts, pastries, food, teas and coffees. 100% of the proceeds go directly to supporting homeless and low-income women at the dwc.

the teas and coffee are from groundwork, a local downtown roaster.

food comes from room forty, ‘a restaurant without walls’ catering company. pastries are from chinatown’s homegirl cafe (helping formerly gang involved women).

the gifts range from unique ceramics, books about gardening and sustainability, and donated items such as purses, to jewelry, candles, soaps, and journals handmade from the women themselves at the dwc.

i spoke with denise, one of the volunteers since last october and fellow blogger, who told me about her favorite gift: the handmade journals. they take old books, use the pages to decoupage picture frames, and fill the bindings with with fresh blank pages.

i stopped in for a coffee and something for lunch, but also left with a blue denim coach purse i picked out for a very discounted price, just one of the many donated items to the center.

they have enough nicer donated items that can be resold they are soon to open an ‘upscale’ version of a goodwill type store in their original location on los angeles street. although made sells delicious food and wonderful coffee/tea drinks to me, what it has done to put food in my neighbor’s bellies seems more significant, and is only the beginning of what else it provides for these women.

made • 438 s. san pedro st. • los angeles, ca • 90013 

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Categories review

brussels sprouts sautéed with garlic, lemon zest + tarragon

February 15, 2012 //
4

this is a stupid simple way to make brussels sprouts for a side dish, and is much quicker than roasting them in the oven.

serves 2

ingredients:

  • brussels sprouts, about 2 cups sliced thin
  • 1 large clove of garlic, sliced thin
  • 1 lemon, zest and a wedge reserved for squeezing over the top
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • s+p
  • olive oil

heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your pan over medium-high until hot.

add the brussels sprouts and garlic to the pan, and sauté until soft and browning a bit, about 3-5 minutes.

add zest and tarragon, and toss to combine. add s+p to taste.

plate and squeeze lemon wedge over the top.

the lemon and tarragon brighten this winter vegetable up without losing it’s heartiness.

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Categories recipes

wild boar + lentil stew with kale + fennel

February 6, 2012 //
1

this could be another episode of ‘cleanin’ out my fridge.’ i found myself with a bunch of winter veggies, and because i will soon be leaving town i needed to use them up. this time i made a stew.

what i had in my fridge:

  • 2 wild boar italian sausage, about 6 oz each, casings removed
  • 3 small carrots
  • 5 stalks celery
  • 3 small fennel bulbs
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 bunch kale
  • a little garlic + shallot mix, minced (less than a tbsp)
  • 4 cups homemade turkey stock (which is likely more concentrated, flavorful and healthier than store bought, so take that into consideration when you add additional water, and seasoning.)

plus a few things from the pantry:

heat about a tbsp of oil to a large pot, and add sausage breaking apart with wooden spoon while cooking.

add carrots, celery, fennel, leeks, kale, garlic and shallot, with additional oil if needed. add a sprinkle of salt. let cook down until a bit soft, about 5-10 minutes. add several cranks from a peppermill.

add lentils and stock, plus 4 cups of water. bring to a boil. add kale and reduce to a simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 20-30 minutes depending on how tender you like your lentils.

s+p to taste. add a good splash of dry sherry, and mix in for a few minutes.

note: honestly before i added the sherry, i felt it needed some sort of acid, tang or just another level, and the sherry did it. i was thinking of even a citrus like lemon juice, or a vinegar, or maybe even brandy, but i think sherry was the right choice.

makes about 8-10 cups.

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Categories recipes

delicious devilish deviled eggs

February 6, 2012 //
0

ingredients:

  • 8 hardboiled eggs, halved lengthwise, yolks removed and set aside
  • 3-4 tbsp mayo
  • 1 tsp sweet relish
  • 1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp horseradish
  • 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • dash of cayenne
  • s+p
  • paprika for dusting on eggs
  • 1 cornichon, sliced thin, for garnish
  • dill or fennel sprigs for garnish

use a fork and mash the yolks in a medium bowl. add mayo, relish, mustard, horseradish, vinegar, cayenne, salt + pepper and whisk together until combined well. dust egg whites with a little paprika. i just used my fingers with pinches dusting high over the eggs to make it uniform, and i still didn’t get it how i wanted. note: my first go around at this was a disaster, which i did so after i had put the filling in the whites. there was paprika everywhere! i ended up scooping out the filling, washing the whites with cold water and starting a new. 

i used a pastry bag with a flower type tip to distribute the filling, but i’m sure using a small spoon works just as well, it’s just not as pretty. i topped mine with a cornichon slice and a sprig of fennel top.

transporting them in my vehicle turned into disaster number two. note: just putting them in a pie dish and covering them with tinfoil just doesn’t work, plain and simple. i wish i would have taken the advice in cook’s illustrated’s the new best recipe cookbook:

“cut a clean piece of rubberized shelf or drawer liner to the size of the dish…with relatively high sides- a square plastic storage container with a lid is perfect. place the fitted liner on the bottom…the liner keeps the eggs from sliding.”

or i might need to invest in something like this:

this was my first attempt at making deviled eggs, and though i had major paprika and transport snafus, they still turned out delicious. regardless how devilish my eggs act next time, i will be prepared.

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Categories how to, recipes

shared custody of ‘craft of cooking’

January 29, 2012 //
3

recently i went to las vegas to visit my friend (and guest blogger) elia, who was in town to run the half marathon. you would think the night before her big run we would hit the best italian place for pasta, but thankfully we didn’t. we ate at tom colicchio’s restaurant craftsteak at the mgm casino. it was one of the best meals i have ever had. we let our server marvin run the show with the three course tasting menu and wine pairing. boy oh boy did he hook us up. it was an insane amount of delicious food, and the wines were perfect. after the meal i sought out marvin, because i was interested in the artist who painted the cow art on the walls. he came back with the artist’s card, and a bag with a complimentary copy of ‘craft of cooking.’ we were floored. not only did we just have a perfect meal, but our waiter gave us a gift? wtf?!

as we were packing to leave the next day we weren’t sure what to do about the cookbook. elia said ‘you should take it. i don’t want to lug it on the plane back to mexico city,’ where she lives, but i knew it’s because she’s incredibly generous and selfless. it dawned on me that we could share it. we decided once i made one of the recipes, i’d make notes and/or alterations in the book, and send it on to her. then in turn, she would do the same.

the first time around i was ambitious, and made four different recipes:

  • grilled hanger steak with bordelaise sauce
  • puréed parsnips
  • pan-roasted hen of the woods mushrooms
  • poached pears

the hanger steak came from mccall’s meat + fish. it was such a nice cut of meat it really just needed a little salt and pepper, and was put on the grill for less than 5 minutes a side.

the bordelaise sauce took quite some time cooking down, but was so flavorful it was worth it. i didn’t even use veal stock like the recipe called for, but just regular store bought beef stock from trader joe’s. i wonder how amazing it would be to use real veal stock?

the puréed parsnips were so simple it was ridiculous.

hen of the woods mushrooms are incredibly expensive, so i did a medley and added some oyster, yellowfoot chanterelles, and hedghog as well.

i also made a root vegetable and bok choy gratin from tamarind brought to me via the tasting table, which complimented this meal wonderfully.

i couldn’t find bartlett pears at the market, but there were bosc and red d’anjou, so i used them instead.

for now i just put my notes on post-its, but who knows how long this book will be passed back and forth, so i’m thinking i’ll just make the commitment and pen them in the book itself.

the whole meal was a huge success, and the only thing missing was my friend elia.

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Categories review
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