Monthly Archives: September 2010

Bourdain, The Writer

Posted on September 11, 2010 | 2 Comments

I like that he writes as he speaks, that is he needs to be censored every few words. I’ve motored through all but 5% of Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw today, taking a vacation from a vacation before everything gets back to normal on Monday.

The book is written in his inimitably, “no one is as cool as me” style which wears thin, as he admits, when he dances at a class with his young child. A lot is reminiscent of Kitchen Confidential so he may want to go on to murder mysteries from whence the writing bug started.

The star of the show, so far, in my estimation is the “book review” of Old Yeller. If I had the guts to write that in my third grade book report the principal would’ve expelled me, but I’d have been happy. Why kill the dog? What do you mean rabies isn’t curable??? Besides, I didn’t know any of those curse words yet so my literary repertoire was limited.

Tony, your error may have been in not reading more of those epic tragedies, as my favorite books at age eight were Death Be Not Proud and The Diary of Anne Frank. And I never skipped a day of school in my life. That’s why in your estimation, I can be a dedicated and loving home cook but never a line cook or chef. Though I did attend school and apprentice but that was years ago.

Though the terms are crude, there’s much in this book to enjoy from most lusted-after foods to chef and road stories. The most educational chapter is about whether/why go to cooking school. It is a primer every potential new cook or career-changer should read. Cheers, Dee

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Pop-Up Sponges

Posted on September 10, 2010 | Leave a comment

Call me a snob but I love the French pop-up sponge. It’s also a great gift for a child to put it under water and see it grow. I believe it cleans kitchen counters much better than the supermarket cellulose sponge. Normally I keep these for two weeks then turn them to cleaning duty. My last one I put through the dishwasher until I could buy more. Today I’ve enough for well over a year.

The last one I probably didn’t want to toss because I bought it while my mother was in hospice two years ago. We don’t have Trader Joe’s here so went one lunchtime while she was being bathed and slept, and stocked up on sponges.

Sur La Table also has them, and we bought a year’s worth today. We’re still on vacation and there are supposed to be many activities this weekend but right now all I can hear is rain. Heavy rain because I’m downstairs and I’m hearing it from upstairs. We’re flexible and I’ve done all the laundry from our trip so any other fun thing we happen upon is gravy this week.

Doing new things, exploring new places is really interesting. Spending 25 hours in a car with one’s significant other talking without music is remarkable, a testament that after nearly ten years together we can converse and discuss issues and not talk about work at all. My goal has been accomplished, taking my husband out of work mode and letting him relax and re-charge.

Today we only needed a two-minute dash to get new sponges en route to the movie, then home for a home-cooked meal. NY strip, small baked potatoes, farm-fresh corn on the cob.

We live in such a gorgeous place, it’s a shame to leave it but driving through four western states was a pleasure and one that most folks don’t get to do. Few people, lots of cows, and all of that
was appreciated from the eyes of a dairyman’s son.

Forget about tourist traps, visit the West and gain a picture of what life once was in the USA. Choose your spot as there’s a lot of territory. Shoot only photos, please. Thanks, Dee

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On Vacation

Posted on September 9, 2010 | Leave a comment

Yes, we did get back early but are still treating this as vacation for three more days. No work so no photos. I never got the camera out of the car! Jim took a few photos at my suggestion from his iPhone and emailed them to me but I’ve yet to import them and look at them on the big screen. Hey, I’m on vacation.

I was amazed that the roads were as calm as they were. Yes, we did climb to 8.392 feet above sea level and crossed the Continental Divide three times, but I was expecting switchbacks and steep climbs and drops and that didn’t happen at all. Jim says these roads were made for nearly 100 year-old cars that couldn’t climb or brake. I drove 98% of the time so Jim could relax and see the scenery and he enjoyed it.

As for wildlife, he saw moose en route to Jackson, WY. In Yellowstone I saw a yellow-bellied marmot, we saw three bison and several herds of elk. As to natural formations we parked at the Old Faithful Inn for lunch and it blew less than five minutes after we arrived. We saw it lessening and headed for the dining room and had lunch while a hundred folks waited in line to get in. Then we decided to walk a loop around after lunch and it erupted again!

We missed one trail I’d been looking for, but took a nice walk along the Grand Prismatic Spring and then turned off to see some bubbling mud at the Ojo Caliente Hot Spring but it was bubbling water, not mud.

At the south entrance to Grant Teton NP is a very expensive visitor center, and there’s another version by different partnerships next to Old Faithful. They’re expensive, slick and tactile and we both thought they “dumbed-down” science. Today (we’re not officially home even though the fish is back, but not the dog ’til tomorrow) we wanted to see local sights but dismissed one museum because Jim feared it was more dumbed-down science. He’s a physicist so I listen to that.

Instead we had lunch at an Asian restaurant (to get away from all the cowboy-themed places) and saw a movie, the new Clooney pic, The American. Very spare and definitely crafted by a photographer turned director. He even made Italy look stark. It’s not a movie for everyone but I liked it. I could see the care they took with details and how the lead character choreographed every movement.

There’s a festival in the neighborhood, and a State Fair, plus another Festival to choose from this weekend. Jim is relaxing and enjoying a few days off. We haven’t taken a trip for a few days by ourselves in years, and I planned this to let his batteries re-charge and get a change of routine, change of scenery. Next week he’ll embrace his new duties with a spring in his step and a fresh slate.

Oh, I didn’t mention dog Zoe. Cruise Director on the SS Crystal Voyager has been taking good care of our swabbie. We arrived home a bit early but wouldn’t dare interfere with Zoe’s undeserved vacation! I have been watching food on the counter, and when I got extra ice cubes today I went to put them into her water and it wasn’t there! We’ll look forward to bringing her home tomorrow but know that she hasn’t missed us one bit. We’re still on vacation so I won’t be as regular a poster as normal. Maybe I’ll get pix next time. Cheers! Dee

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Sous Vide

Posted on September 8, 2010 | Leave a comment

We met an older couple at Yellowstone National Park yesterday and thought we’d be looking at boiling mud. It was boiling water. This pot was right next to a river a fisherman was on, and boiling water was flowing into it. Apparently there were still fish to be had. We didn’t take a photo. We have every respect for our country and the lands we citizens pay for and call our own.

I did say that if the trout was placed in a plastic bag and submersed in the boiling water that Top Chef would have called it sous vide. That said, I would never do that, did not have a trout or a bag. Our national parks are a marvel, as are the national forests and we’ve seen a few.

It’s not only a grand old flag, it’s this land is my land. We all own this land and should preserve it for generations to come. We don’t have kids and still will try to preserve it for generations to come. Some folks never get to see it. But you can see it and hear it in the voices of the West and their stories. Sure, they’re about love and loss, childhood memories and favorite horses. I guess that’s different than pure country songs from my husband’s background that are “my wife left me, dog ran away and I was fired” genre.

Thank you Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and so many other talents that help us see our country for what it could be. Also to the storytellers of the West, like Juni Fisher. Some of her ballads just make me cry, in a good way.

We look forward to seeing more of everything, here in the US and abroad. Cheers, Dee

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Meandering

Posted on September 7, 2010 | 2 Comments

Forgive this post, I’m on my laptop sans full-sized keyboard and oversized monitor so I may make mistakes. Yesterday we drove to Jackson, WY, walked about town and went off the beaten path to avoid expensive crummy meals with the bus tourists and instead went to a really great pizza place.

This morning, we started into Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. We couldn’t stay in the Park so had to get out for the night but saw some amazing things. More when I have photos. Taking photos was not my goal this trip. We took a few from Jim’s cell phone and I’m downloading them now to see if there’s anything worth sending along.

We’re deciding to do for the next couple of days but all is well and we’ve some beautiful country out here. Jim saw moose en route to Jackson. I didn’t, as I was driving. I saw a yellow-bellied marmot this afternoon. We did see three bison, and several elk herds. Old Faithful blew less than five minutes after we parked the car. We were first in for lunch at the Old Faithful Inn dining room and as we departed and walked a loop around the geysers, Old Faithful went once again.

More later. I drove a long time today and we saw both sides of the Grand Teton mountains. It’s a vacation but it’s good to check in with y’all and to check my email and wait to check on the dog (with a special young caretaker) ’til tomorrow so I don’t sound like a worried mother. Cheers! Dee

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Locavore, loca-date?

Posted on September 4, 2010 | Leave a comment

Date local. My favorite prof., a Friar, in my Marriage and Family course, talked about meeting someone who’s nearby, like the boy next door. He called it “propinquity.” Except it was the other way around. They tried to make propinquity into some sociological value to make it scientific.

I didn’t marry the boy next door, or anyone I would have thought of marrying. I married a genius from Texas, a nerd. To all those gals who didn’t look at him in high school or college because he was too smart, boo-hoo for you. We did meet locally, far from where we grew up.

There’s now a site for local dating that I applaud as I do cooking and eating local foods in season. I’m just glad I’m no longer “out there” on the market. Packing for a trip isn’t a really big thing, but I’ve a list for the dog (who is going elsewhere) and for us. And my love has not packed a bag in ten years! But that’s OK. We each have our strengths. He’s in charge of electronics.

So eat local, and date local. Long-distance relationships are a pain anyway. Cheers, Dee

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Posted in Education

Positive Thoughts

Posted on September 3, 2010 | 3 Comments

Great news! My husband, who never takes any time off, has four days plus we can go to see his family at Thanksgiving. Hopefully by book-ending a weekend now I’ll give him the down-time he deserves, and knowing we can go to Nanny’s for Thanksgiving is priceless as there are over 50 folks we haven’t seen for two years now. And I can’t even tell you what goes into all those cakes and pies… as I get filled up on dinner and Margie’s potato rolls.

It is wonderful to have a break from routine, and even the dog is taken care of by a loving youngster. I still need to find a place for the fish. The biggest news is that we can go “home” for a holiday, the most important one of the year for Jim’s family. My lists have been started and we’ll be ready to roll.

Hope y’all have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend! Cheers, Dee

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