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Bowen Appétit basic vinaigrette

Salad_vinaigrette

I’ve never been a big salad person – I rarely order them at restaurants, and we rarely (very rarely) eat one as a main dish at home (exceptions: add some roasted chicken and some lovely fresh croutons, and I’ll be there). I don’t entirely know why this is; I guess I’ve always just found salads kind of boring, or maybe I’m just not that excited by cold and crunchy things. I guess I’m more of a warm and/or soft sort of person.

(That might be in the running for the best sentence on this site.)  Read more

Weekend links, Feb. 6

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Picnic by the reservoir in the middle of a Sunday afternoon bike ride. 

Coconut oil is a versatile, versatile item. Evidence A: So many non-culinary uses! (And indeed, it is my new favorite shaving cream … when it’s warm enough inside our house that the jar isn’t completely solid). Evidence B: Looking forward to trying this change to my standby granola recipe.

Oh boy, I want to make a stovetop smoker. Particularly to make this.

In actions of politics and activism, food can be a symbol and a weapon.

It says something about our fascination with everyday life and about the power of food that something as simple as photographs of people eating dinner has been making the rounds on the internet this week.

A culinary training program and restaurant where the knives are tethered to the counters … because it’s in a prison.

After you make yourself some cajeta, you should probably use it to make some of this. It’s on my list for later this week.

On a completely different topic: If we didn’t already have plans, I’d force Brett to take me to this for Valentine’s day. Timeless, that woman is.

Eating sweets, spending money, watching TV … if you’re going to do it, make it count! I once read a similar article that argued that everything you do should be either intensely pleasurable or intensely productive. Don’t waste your time on anything in between.  I need to remember all of this a little more these days, as I’m more in charge of how I spend my time.

The next few weeks are pretty hectic: lots of teaching (Valentine’s Day classes from here until eternity), a big dinner party next weekend, and two weeks of puff pastry in my baking class.  There will be at least one post coming this week – at the very least, a recipe for my favorite everyday salad vinaigrette. Until then, have a great week!

Taqueria night 2 of 2: Chipotle-tomato pork tacos with queso fresco and homemade crema, fried plantains with homemade cajeta

Two nights of authentic taqueria dinners. Why not? This post details night 2 of 2. 

Night two, quite different than the first, even with many of the same elements.

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Start out with some sweet, tangy Mexican sangria. Bring out more of those homemade tortillas, heirloom beans, and tomatillo salsa.  Then some slow-braised pork tinga, packed with chipotles and tomatoes and onions. Maybe some creamy, tangy queso fresco and homemade crema for topping your tacos. Later, whip up some quick fried plantains with homemade cajeta caramel and more of that homemade crema. Read more

Taqueria night 1 of 2: Roasted mushroom and chorizo tacos with roasted tomatillo salsa

Two nights of authentic taqueria dinners. Why not? This post details night 1 of 2. 

Here are a few things I’ve learned recently:

  1. Roasting vegetables (or anything, really) with a bit (or a lot) of chorizo in the pan is a very, very good idea
  2. There really is something behind this pricey heirloom bean thing, and the “pot liquor” left at the end of the cooking process really is quite delicious
  3. When dry roasted, tomatillos dance around in the pan like Mexican jumping beans

All together now:

Mushroom_tacos

Earthy roasted mushrooms with chorizo and caramelized onions, simply prepared yet creamy heirloom beans, roasted tomatillo salsa, fresh homemade tortillas, and perfectly ripe avocado.  Tacos, my friends – mighty delicious tacos. Read more

Weekend links, Jan. 30

Had a lovely weekend.

Wait, I’m still having a lovely weekend. When your weekends become Sundays and Mondays, things get a little confusing.

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Updated two old favorite recipes today (this and this) – better pictures, a few recipe tweaks. Make both of these soon, if you like being happy and eating tasty things.

Roasted broccoli might be one of my favorite foods of all time (yes, really), but I could consider this broccoli confit. Maybe with a slice of really good cheddar in there, too?

Does community have economic value? I know the answer, and so does Wendell Berry.

I put this place on my list of places to go in LA, and then I did it the very next day (look at me, being effective). Very small but beautiful market, packed with many of my favorite foodie items. If we weren’t in the middle of a long, wandering Echo Park urban hike, I would have purchased half the store.

Beans! I received two lovely bags of heirloom dried beans for Christmas (these and these), and am making some for the first time tonight. But first I figured out how best to cook them – simple! I also did some research: Ciao Samin has a great overview of resources and sources for excellent dried beans. Including a link to this, which must happen very, very soon.

Can this be for real? Must try soon …