you're my pride and joy, etc.

I just wanted to share what is known in my household as "lemony beverage." I am addicted to this stuff like you wouldn't even believe.

But it's ok. See? Kitchen Buddha approves.

i got the magic in me

This recipe is as much for my benefit as it is for yours.

One evening, some months ago, Laura and I had some visitors over for poached eggs. (One of our guests turned out to be a singing pirate, which is a story for another time.) Over the course of the evening a largish quantity of alcohol was consumed and at some point it was decided that cookies were in order.

Somewhat inebriated, I came up with some of the most delicious cookies I have ever eaten. And every time I have made them since, they have been scarfed at high speed. In fact, I recently took them to my departmental barbeque, where the plate was licked clean before any other food even made it onto the grill.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Drunk Cookies".

Beat 2 sticks softened butter with 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar and 3 tsp vanilla until fluffy. Mix in 2 eggs.

Slowly add in 2 cups oatmeal, 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, a healthy shake (or two) of cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, and a dash of nutmeg.

Once combined, add 1/4 cup raisins, 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, and 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Place rounded tablespoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees until the bottoms are beginning to brown. Then broil until the tops are as dark as you want them. (The beauty of finishing them under the broiler is that you can get your crunchy/chewy outside without sacrificing the soft inside. Truly a revelation.)

Eat hot with cold milk.

Repeat.

figures fill their heads/ visions bathed in red

My roommate introduced me to Gunther's ice cream after discovering it at our local fruit stand. It has led to a bit of disagreement over whether it is exactly like Russian ice cream (which it totally is) or more closely resembles Finnish ice cream (definitely a lie), but one way or the other it is freaking delicious.

Since the engineer is visiting, the three of us decided to trek out to the original store, which has a much better variety of flavors available than our tiny fruit stand.

And I nearly cried with joy when I discovered that they had black walnut. For some reason, here on the west coast, where black walnut trees grow everywhere, this ice cream flavor is virtually impossible to come across. On the east coast, where there are no black walnut trees, it is practically ubiquitous, which was handy because it is has always been my hands-down favorite flavor of ice cream ever. Yum.

So the engineer kindly agreed to share a black walnut hot fudge sundae with me. It was spectacular.

The End. Until I go back next week.

the ghouls all came from their humble abodes

Happy Halloween! We might have gotten a little carried away with the jack o' lanterns this year...

Oh well, at least we had lots of pumpkin seeds!

Pro Tip: It is virtually impossible to carve the green pumpkins. Don't do it. Decide that they are decorative enough as-is. Your arms will thank you.

it isn't easy living here on skullcrusher mountain

My engineer is visiting again and this time we're exploring Yosemite! It's been quite chilly here and we are very grateful that we opted for the heated tent cabin.

We haven't seen any bears, although we have seen lots of marmots (they might just have been very fat squirrels), a family of unidentified ungulates (I'm going to pretend that they were moose), and what might have been a beaver (or a shadow).

Despite some snow on the ground in places, the falls are still running beautifully.

The engineer was willing to do a little more scary climbing on slippery rocks than me, so I hung back to photograph his success.

Mirror Lake was very low (although still reflecting) after a dry summer, although the stream fed by the lake was rushing!

The cables were down on Half Dome, so we admired it from a distance. And some of us (who shall remain nameless) were very thankful.

The park is such a gorgeous, peaceful place any time of the year. I had only ever seen it under a foot of snow before, so I really enjoyed getting to see more of the details.

This is somewhere everyone should go at least once in their lives. It's good for your soul.

they say it's your birthday

It's my lovely roommate's birthday! Hyvää syntymäpäivää!

sweet darlin'

So my roommate was pretty hard on the cupcake the other day, over on her blog.

She talked about how much she hated them, with eloquence and passion.

I'm not sure that I can match her in this regard, but I do feel like I need to stand up for my beloved cupcake. So here goes.

I love cupcakes. Not all cupcakes, mind you, and almost never the "gourmet" cupcakes that seem to be so popular nowadays, but a good, humble cupcake? Hard to beat.

One of Laura's biggest peeves is that they're American. Which is hard to deny, although the British have been eating fairy cakes for a while now. But certainly, if you don't like the kind of cakes and frostings we Americans generally make, you probably won't like an American cupcake either.

My argument for cupcakes is that they are, at their essence, a dessert made for sharing.

Think back to when you were a child, with cupcakes for your birthday. Remember how easy it was to sneak one out of the Tupperware to give your friend on the bus?

They're a way to say "I like you" with just a bit of dessert. How much harder would it be to hand out slices of layer cake? Crumbs everywhere!

You can eat them while you mingle at a party, no need for hovering over a table with a fork.

You can make a batch and split them up! One for the woman down the hall who helps you with your tricky paperwork, three for the maintenance people who patiently unclog your drains week after week!

I'm even not opposed to cupcakes from a mix. Shocking, I know! I agree that homemade cake almost always tastes better (my grandma's coconut cake excluded), and certainly baking from scratch feels like more of a gift, but what if you've never baked before? Is it fair that your culinary endeavors will be scoffed at, just because you were too timid to make the investment in a whole range of baking ingredients in order to give it a whirl? Maybe you start with a mix and next time you give it a little personal flair! I'm all for building a love of cooking from the ground up.

Anyway, there is my defense. Perhaps they're inelegant, perhaps they have no history, but goddammit, I love my cupcakes. And if you don't, well, maybe you're just not a good sharer. :)

crimson and clover/ over and over

As part of our food-venture the other day, Laura and I headed to the Berkeley Bowl.

This place has long been one of my favorite grocery stores, and with their huge new facility, shopping (and parking) there is easier than ever.

My favorite part has always been the produce section, which is enormous, and contains pretty much every type of fruit and vegetable you could imagine. Need 20 different types of mushrooms? You're covered. Carrots in every color of the rainbow? Check!

Plus, it's just gorgeous.

Make a pilgrimage here sometime. Maybe you'll see me there! Or at least you'll see some picturesque vegetables.

i'm pink and black and blue

Today my beloved roomie and I went on a food-venture. Our quest was for lots of tasty tapas-making ingredients, but along our way we stopped at Ici.

Ici is an amazing ice-cream store in Berkeley that specializes in making all kinds of delicious flavors, using only organic, local ingredients. I had been once before, but it was a first for Laura. Sometimes the line stretches around the block, but it was our lucky day, and we only had to wait 10 minutes to get into the store.

Besides the standards of vanilla and chocolate, the menu changes every day.

Usually there is plenty of time to peruse the chalk-board while you wait, but just in case, the flavors are up inside as well.

Both Laura and I went for the plum raspberry cardamom sorbet, with a scoop of chocolate. And I wisely got one of their handmade cones (coated inside with chocolate, to prevent drips!).

Next time you're out food-venturing, put Ici on your list. Your tastebuds will thank you.

you feel so good when you look up in the trees

I'm home visiting the family for the first time in a long time, and it just so happened that my trip coincides perfectly with mango season. Totally accidental, that. *innocent*

What this means, of course, is a trip to the Tropical Fruit and Spice Park.

The park is amazing for a lot of reasons, but it's my favorite because of their number one rule: If it has fallen to the ground, you can eat it. And they usually don't mind if you assist it in falling with a little shake.

I anticipate much gorging on mangoes. And maybe a mamay sapote milkshake on the way home!

all aboard!/ ha ha ha!

I'm in the process of moving in with my darling friend Laura and her many cats, so I may be absent for a while. Have a lovely summer!

dream of silver screen quotations

One of the things I miss most about my adopted hometown (besides the engineer, obviously), is one of the best pizza places I have ever run across. And I've lived in New York.

So today, I tried to recreate it. The three things I wanted to capture were the flaky, seasoned crust, the rich, slightly spicy sauce, and fresh basil all over the top.

I adapted a couple of recipes that I came across online, and ended up with something that almost satisfies the craving.

The whole recipe makes two pizzas, but believe me, invite a few friends over, and you won't have any trouble putting away both of them.

For the crust:

Sprinkle 1 tsp instant yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm water. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.

In a mixer (with paddle attachment), combine 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 4 tbs "italian seasoning".

Drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil.

Pour in yeast/water mixture and beat until just slightly sticky.

Form dough into a ball and put into a large mixing bowl drizzled with olive oil. Toss to coat dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place for several hours (if you won't be using the dough for 24+ hours, just put in the fridge).

For the sauce:

Melt 2 tbs. of butter in a large skillet and add 4 tbs. olive oil. Saute 1 cup chopped onion, 2 minced cloves garlic, and 1/2 cup chopped celery in butter/oil, until soft and transparent. Blend until smooth.

Add 16 oz. tomato sauce and 12 oz. tomato paste to blended vegetables. Combine completely.

Add 4 tbs. grated parmesan, 2 tsp. basil, 2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, 2 bay leaves, 2-4 tbs. crushed red pepper (to taste), 2 tsp. ground fennel seed, and 1/2 bottle dry red wine. Stir.

Allow to simmer for 30-60 minutes. Remove bay leaves before using.

Assembly:

Use half of the dough for each crust. Stretch to cover a pan brushed with olive oil.

Top with sauce, mozzerella, and toppings of choice (I cannot recommend fresh basil highly enough!).

Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is bubbly. Remove pan from oven, brush exposed crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.

Return to oven to bake until crust is golden brown (broil if necessary).

Pair with a great Zinfandel.

Eat until you can't breathe! Or, you know, show some restraint. I've heard that works too.

i feel a hot wind on my shoulder

In light of my recent confessions about my inability to keep any plants alive, I wanted to amend that statement slightly. I am awesome at growing cacti.

In fact, succulents in general.

They're beautiful, they come in a huge range of colors and shapes, and they do amazingly well if you forget that you even own them.

Perfect!

a family of trees wanting/ to be haunted

In honor of Earth day, I thought that I would share my recent attempt to grow a malanga root. Malanga is an edible sub-tropical plant that is supposed to grow really quickly and be almost impossible to kill.

Given that I am so good at killing plants that I've chosen it as a career, I thought this would be a good choice for me.

Fill a large terra-cotta pot about 1/2 of the way full with your potting mix of choice. I went with organic because I am a dirty hippie. And because it's what they had at my friendly neighborhood Target.

Plant the malanga root just at the soil line.

Cover with potting mix.

Water with your adorable watering can.

And there you have it! Now cross your fingers with me and we'll wait for it to grow.

(ETA: The malanga root never grew. I dutifully watered it every day, but to no avail. I am an amazing pathologist. (Shh, this is my excuse.))

see the world in green and blue

Hello everyone! I hope that whether or not you are celebrating the religious aspects of today, you are taking a moment to enjoy the spring weather, and the excuse to be a kid for a day. Because who doesn't love chocolate and brightly colored eggs? (Ok, so I cheated and didn't have to hunt these.)

Although the technique was a little different when I was a child. :) You know you're an adult when...

Happy first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox!

hopping down the bunny trail

I may be breaking some unwritten law here, but it would be criminal to keep this recipe to myself.

For years, my grandmother's coconut cake has been the go-to cake for family events. As a layer cake for special occasions, cupcakes for birthday parties, and... bunny cake. Always the best part of Easter. Because this cake is amazing.

Last time I was home, I couldn't hold back any longer. I begged my grandmother for the recipe. And she handed it over. Just. Like. That.

And it turns out that grandma has been hiding a secret from us all this time. Two little boxes.

Seeing as how this is my grandmother that used to be a semi-professional wedding cake baker/decorator, this is something of a surprise. But who am I to judge? I went with it.

Mix: 1 box white cake mix, 1 box instant vanilla pudding, 1 1/3 cups water, 4 egg whites, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 2 cups shredded coconut.

I used my shiny new red KitchenAid stand mixer (a Christmas present from my engineer!).

Pour batter into greased and floured (or lined) pans. For a bunny cake, you need two 9" rounds.

Be sure to use your smiley face spatula. (My sister gives me the coolest kitchen gear!)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes. Let cool.

While your cakes are cooling, make the icing. Mix: 4 tbs. softened butter, 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 tsp. milk, 1 box confectioners sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, and another 2 cups of shredded coconut. Now, I hate cream cheese frosting, but this turns out to be amazing. Fluffy, creamy, not too sweet, and definitely not tasting of cream cheese.

Once your cakes are cool, it's time to assemble the bunny. Level the tops of the cakes (I won't tell anyone if you keep all the scraps for yourself) and make bunny ears and a bowtie out of one of the rounds, using the cake pan as a cutting guide.

Ice, cover with extra coconut for fur (can you tell that I love coconut?), and make your face with whatever candy you prefer. Jellybeans and twizzlers are traditional, but I love chocolate, so I went with M&Ms.

Slice and serve to everyone you know and love. This cake is delicious in any form, but it does make a pretty perfect bunny cake.

for reasons unexplained, she loved the monkey man

Today is the engineer's birthday. And while I can't be with him to celebrate, I've been reminiscing about the birthday trip we took last year.

The Florida Keys are all spectacularly beautiful, but one in particular is near and dear to my heart. Bahia Honda is unique in that the entire key is a state park. Which means no tacky tourist places, no high-rises on the beach, and lots of camp sites.

Not to mention the fact that it's a (sub-) tropical paradise.

The water is crystal clear and comes in about a thousand shades of turquoise.

The beaches are white sand (although a little heavy on the seaweed last year, darn hurricanes).

And there's no shortage of shady palms to relax under.

And it's only a short trip over the causeway to Key West if you really need your tourist trap fix. (The shiny new causeway on the left, which doesn't have giant holes in it, I swear.)

It's pretty much the most restful vacation spot ever.

Don't you want to find out for yourself?