Weekend in San Francisco

Time to pack and fly to San Francisco for a Foodbuzz Blogger Festival. Lots of eating, tasting, sipping, and meeting others who are passionate about good food. Plus I get to see my sister and a few friends.

Nature's Pride Northwest Onion Soup Brizza

I'm very excited to be attending 1st-Annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco, sponsored by Foodbuzz community. Nature's Pride Bread has generously offered a scholarship to 6 deserving contestants. Here's my entry.

What is the Northwest Onion Soup Brizza? Think flavors of the traditional French Onion Soup, with Northwest Influences (Washington state onions and apples along with the Oregon cheese). Instead of a bowl of soup, however, the flavors shine and come alive on a Nature's Pride Country Buttermilk Bread. Here's where the word brizza comes in - bread + pizza - afterall, you do get the delicious melted Tillamook Swiss Cheese as a topper.

Enjoy the recipe! It easily doubles to please a crowd.

Nature's Pride Northwest Onion Soup Brizza

4 slices Nature’s Pride Country Buttermilk Bread, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 large Walla Walla onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon apple brandy
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Rome Beauty or Gala apple, thinly sliced
4 slices Tillamook Swiss Cheese

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Make sure onions do not brown.
• Add garlic, wine and brandy; continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook until the onions are soft and translucent and the liquid has cooked out, about 5 more minutes.
• Divide the onion mixture evenly among 4 slices of lightly toasted Nature’s Pride Country Buttermilk Bread. Top each piece with slices of apple and Tillamook Swiss Cheese.
• Bake the brizzas in the oven until toasted and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

So Russian

As if eating borcht and vinegret didn't bring me back to my Russian roots, today for pre-lunch (waking up at 11am will make you hungry), I had a slice of French bread, with butter (ok, so it was the fake butter - olive oil spread), and a layer of golden, orange gems. The gems? Salmon roe! Salty, pop-in-your-mouth goodness. True, black caviar is the tradition, but it's pricey, and I personally think that the salmon one is more fun to eat. Pop!

The Weekend Update

It's another quiet Saturday over here. I've come to rely on the chill time early in the morning, just reading in bed, and then making a cup of tea and going on with the day.

I've been reading Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope. Nothing extraordinary, but interesting enough. A novel about a group of women from different paths, who come together and share their lives. A few more chapters and then it's on to the next book.

Cooking
There were a few cooked beets in the refrigerator, and I decided to make the best out of them. The choice was vinegret (no, not a vinaigrette). Vinegret is a very traditional Russian salad made from beets, potatoes, carrots, green peas, eggs, and pickles. For the dressing, you can do mayonnaise or vegetable oil - I went with the combination of olive and sunflower oils.

As if this wasn't enough, I wanted to make something out of the 3-pound piece of Top Round London Broil. Why not stew? Sadly, the chunk of beef has yet to thaw out, so the stew has to wait. I did go ahead and cut the meat into chunks - actually having it half frozen was quite helpful and made cutting a bit easier.

Movies with Subtitles
I watched a French movie La Buche. I wish I spoke French. One of the characters in the movie was a Russian translator and a singer in a Russian restaurant. She sang "Ochi Cherniye (Black Eyes)," one of my favorite Russian folk songs.

Back in the Kitchen - Pork Chili

Over breakfast today, I mentioned to my mom that I've been thinking about making chili. She said that she had some ground pork in the refrigerator - would I want to use that? Sure, why not? As much as I love beef chili (ground or chunky), I thought a free pound of pork could serve as a great inspiration.

So after work, I made a pot of comforting, bubbly, delicious chili.

Pork and Vegetable Chili
1-2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, small dice
2 carrots, small dice
3-4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp coriander
1 Tbsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pound ground lean pork
1 Large can good diced tomatoes
Kernels of 2 corn on the cob
1 can white beans

In a large pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes.

Add spices, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes and add ground pork. Continue to cook, breaking up pork into small pieces. When pork is no longer pink inside, add tomatoes, corn, and beans. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the chili, adding water as necessary for desired consistency. I simmered the chili for about 45 minutes.

Time to eat!

I'm in print!!!

I just wanted to let all of you know that my photo is included in the Southern Living Magazine Party Book in stores right now! I'm the one in the blue!

The book also features 3 or 4 stories that I wrote.

Joy

Greetings. I have been quiet for quite a few months. There has been quite a bit going on - leaving, moving, moving on, etc. More on that later (hopefully sooner than later).

But for now...tonight was a joyous night. After a day of work, I met my mom and my friend Jane to go see Julie & Julia movie. Perhaps we should've had a quick dinner at a quaint French bistro, but alas, our choices were somewhat limited to Mexican, Chinese, Teriyaki or IHOP. Teriyaki it was - I had a combination of spicy chicken and beef.

The movie was truly a joy. I have read the book a few years ago, and as always was nervous whether the movie was going to live up to the expectations set by the book. No worries necessary. Meryl Streep has brought Julia Child to life with such a believable performance, not an imitation. The food spoke for itself. The mountain of chopped onions in one of the scenes took me back to my days at Skills I with Chef Turgeon at the CIA.

I was told that the movie would inspire me to blog on regular basis. I can't commit to the validity of the statement. But it did make me think, on my way back home, as I was finishing off the teriyaki leftovers, that it takes lots of determination and self faith to embark on a project like Julie Powell did. The beauty of her experience and the book is that she was one of the first early bloggers, and have been imitated/followed by many. She had a clear vision, a narrow focus, and a timeline.

A timeline I could deal with. A vision, I could perhaps find. But what about a focus? How many truly inspiring people named Anna do you know? (Please, please, do not suggest Anna Karenina). But do chime in with ideas if you wish.

And please, do go see the movie and read the book. I hope you'll enjoy both as much as I did.

Guacamole for Cinco de Mayo

Back in the kitchen, it's time for Guacamole. And what could be a better occasion than Cinco de Mayo?

Guacamole
1 ripe avocado, halved, pit removed
1 scallion, finely chopped (both white and green parts)
1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeno
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

While still in its skin, score the avocado with the butter knife into small pieces, and scoop into a bowl. Stir together with scallion, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper. Fold in tomato and cilantro.

Chips
As much as I would've loved to have some corn tortilla chips with the guacamole, I decided to go a healthier route. Enter a whole wheat tortilla.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the cookie sheet on the middle rack.
Cut whole wheat tortilla into chips. Lightly spray with cooking spray (I used olive oil spray.) Lightly sprinkle with Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (no salt). Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the chips are toasted.

You're ready to eat! Dip a chip into a bowl of guacamole and enjoy. Double dipping? I'll leave that up to you.

Great Vegetable Run

Last weekend I sorted and delivered groceries to those in need along with local high school students and adult volunteers. It was a rewarding and emotionally challenging event.

Read the full write-up here.

Best Sweet Potato Fries in Birmingham and Beyond

Read about a local Birmingham restaurant that serves the best sweet potato fries (in my humble opinion).

Black Market Bar on Highway 280 under Chef Jordan Cox

Lebanese Festival in Birmingham

It's Festival Time! This weekend, Birmingham was THE place to be for a Lebanese festival at the St. Elias Maronite Church. What comes to mind when you think of festivals? Food, crowds, music!

Food:
I sampled a selection of hummus, fallafel, and baklava. The rating went as following:
Hummus ($3) - pretty well balanced with lemon and garlic. The pita bread served with hummus was disappointing - you got half of a cold, stale-ish pita served in a zip-lock bag.

Falafel ($7) - This is definitely not Amsterdam Falafel (one of my favorite local spots in Washington DC). The falafel balls - made from ground up chickpeas and spices - were unfortunately cold and mushy. The flavor was good, but I really missed the light, golden brown balls that you typically get in a falafel sandwich. The sandwich was served in a large pita, which again was cold, and was so large that it overpowered everything that was inside - falafel balls, a smear of hummus, pickles, tomatoes and mint. This was actually the first time I had mint inside a falafel sandwich - not sold on the idea.

Baklava ($2/piece) - I saved the best for last. Dessert was great! I tried both pistachio and walnut baklava. Layers of phyllo dough saturated with honey and sugar, filled with chopped nuts. A touch of rose water and orange blossom added to this Lebanese delicacy.

We listened to live music by Amin Sultan band and people watched. And then it was time to head out.

New Addiction--Balsamic Glaze

I have heard about balsamic glaze (or balsamic syrup) and have been curious to try it, and now that I have, I am addicted.

Hello, my name is Anna, and I am addicted to balsamic syrup. ("Hello, Anna!")

What is this delicious concoction? In the simplest form, it is balsamic vinegar with a touch of sugar that has been concentrated to a thick, sweet, rich potion by simmering over time. I tried the balsamic glaze both ways - by reducing the vinegar myself and by purchasing a bottle at a grocery store.

Self-reduction:
Pour twice the amount of vinegar in a pot and add a pinch of sugar. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the vinegar is reduced by half. Important - once the vinegar is reduced, remove it from the heat and pour into a jar or a bottle. I didn't do this, and the residual heat of the pan reduced the vinegar too much into a globby pasty consistency. Word of advice - don't use cheap, sour balsamic vinegar for this reduction - it won't get any better.

Purchased:
Pretty easy. Open a bottle and drizzle :) In terms of price, expect to pay more than for basic balsamic, but it's definitely worth it!

Ways to enjoy Balsamic Glaze:
Drizzled over spicy and peppery baby arugula
Brushed on top of a pork tenderloin or roasted chicken
Over vanilla ice cream (I'm not joking)

Have a different way you enjoy balsamic glaze? Let me know!

Below Zero - Guidelines for Freezing

My second blog post is up on Eating My Words site for Southern Living :)

Check it out to learn basic guidelines for freezing your food and which items are better left out of the freezer.

Is that your car outside with NY license plate?

I was at a Blockbuster's location, sifting through the movies that I haven't seen yet and wanted to watch (a very small pile) when a man approached me asking if the car parked outside of the store with NY license plates was mine. I got worried - was there something wrong with my car?

Turns out, the man was just curious because he has lived in New York prior to moving to Birmingham. When I told him that it was in fact my car, he detected an accent and asked if I was Russian. I said I was. And that was a start of a 10+ minute conversation, at the end of which I wanted to pull my hair out and run away - I did leave the store in such a hurry, that I left behind my cell phone.

Back to the man - he informed me that his great-grandparents were from Russia. Where in Russia you might ask? KIEV!!! For those of you who might not know, Kiev is a capital of Ukraine. So I informed him that his great-grandparents were actually from Ukraine, not Russia. Oh, but he insisted that Kiev used to be a part of Russia. Really? Interesting. But I stood my grounds.

Then he continued asking questions and talking in a very obnoxious way up until the moment I paid for my movie and left. And the movie? Not even worth it! It was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, II. The first one made me fall in love with Greece and I've been looking forward to seeing the second one, which disappointed, like most sequels do.

Check me out :)

It's been a long time since my last post. Rather than writing here, I've been making mental notes and taking photos (which eventually will make it over on this blog).

But I wanted to share an exciting news. I am beginning to write for "Eat My Words" - a food blog from the staff of Southern Living magazine.

Check out my first blog In the Land of Grits

I plan to contribute to the blog on weekly basis. Have an idea for a post? Let me know, and keep on reading!

Craving Satisfied - Cereal!

A few nights ago, I was sitting on my couch, watching tv, trying very hard to figure out what it is that I was craving (talking strictly about food). Nothing I had in my pantry or refrigerator seemed to do a trick. I was left unsatisfied.

The following day, as I was on yet another grocery run for work, I saw a few things - beautiful, plump strawberries (on sale - bonus points!) and neatly lined boxes of cereal. That's when it hit me - of all the things I've eaten over the last weeks, cereal was not one of them. And as strange as it might be, cereal is exactly what I was craving.

So that night for dinner I had a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with fresh chopped strawberries, toasted walnuts, and fat-free milk. Happiness in a bowl :)

Spring Dinner Saute

The spring is here. The flowers are beginning to bloom, the trees are blossoming, and Birmingham is slowly turning green. And as the temperature outside begins to rise, the temperature in my kitchen starts to cool off. Afterall, who wants to have the oven on 350F or simmering a pot on the stove for hours when it's warm out? So for dinner tonight, I made a very quick saute - succotash style.

In a saute pan, heat up olive oil, add a cut-up Spicy Italian chicken sausage, kernels of one fresh corn, sliced scallion, and a handful of sliced green beans. Saute for 10 minutes, enough for the corn and the sausage to caramelize - the green beans will still be nice and crunchy. Season with ground red pepper, S&P and gently stir in a chopped roma tomato - the heat of the saute will slightly warm up the tomato. Twist of lime juice and you are ready to eat!

The Everything Baked Potato Salad

I am not a fan of limiting myself. When it comes to cooking and eating, sometimes the more the better. For example, I would never order just a cheese pizza, or have a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The point is, I like toppings, and mix-ins.

And that's how I got to making this Everything Baked Potato Salad. I had a few baked potatoes on hand, and the rest just came from what I had in the refrigerator.

To make this, you will want to dice and chop the following:
Baked Potato
Cooked Chicken
Tomato
Celery
Green Onion
Pickle
Parsley

Add:
green peas

Dress with:
Yellow mustard
Sour Cream
Lemon Zest & Juice
Salt & Pepper


I know there are many versions of potato salad - what's your favorite?

Vietnamese in Birmingham Or....

...how a Jewish Food Fair turns into a casual lunch at Pho Que Huong.

Last Sunday, I had every intention to enjoy knishes and matzo ball soup at a Jewish Food Fair held at a local Temple Emanu-El. But something happened as I entered into a crowded hall, lined with tables that held egg-brushed challah bread, sliced brisket, pastrami sandwiches and freshly baked sweets. I walked around, through the crowd of hungry individuals, and decided that I was craving something else - plus there wasn't a knish to be seen. And so, I turned and left the synagogue.

Where to for lunch? It was a beautiful sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, and I thought it'd be a perfect chance to go for a drive to a restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a few weeks. Why Pho Que Huong? Simple - after two months in Birmingham, I was craving something other than grits, bbq, and biscuits. And a light, flavorful, and inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine would do a trick, or so I hoped.

The menu was pretty standard - a wide selection of pho, noodle soups, noodle bowls, and traditional Vietnamese sandwiches made with french baguettes and sliced pork. Since this was my first time at the restaurant, I decided to go the traditional route - spring rolls, pho, and a Vietnamese iced coffee.

The spring roll - an upsetting disappointment - it had me seriously worried that the rest of the meal would only get worse. The rice paper was thick and chewy, not transparent and light like it needs to be. And the filling wasn't much better. It seemed that instead of flavorful pork or shrimp and crisp vegetables, this spring roll was filled with noodles and lettuce. The dipping sauce helped slightly, but not enough to save this roll. Word of advice - skip the spring roll on your visit!

And then the pho arrived. Accessorized with fresh basil, lime wedges, and sprouts, the bowl of pho was sweetly perfumed. The key to good pho, in my opinion, is a clear, flavorful broth that is perfectly balanced with the addition of freshly squeezed lime, torn basil leaves and a touch of hot chili sauce. The slices of flank steak and rice noodles are a nice addition - the steak in my bowl was perfectly tender and lean, the noodles twirled just right around the chopsticks. The verdict - one good bowl of pho!

The ending to the meal? A healthy doze of caffeine - a traditional iced Vietnamese Coffee. The set up - a glass of ice, a shorter glass with condensed sweet milk on the bottom and a dripping coffee on top. You have to patiently wait until the coffee has finished dripping, then stir the coffee with the condensed milk and pour over a glass of ice. The end result? Perfection.

I will happily return to Pho Que Huong and hope you will too.

Small Victories

For the last few months, I have tried to go to the JCC gym trying to take advantage of my two-month free membership. Sadly, my less-than-present love for the traditional work outs has kept me far away from the elliptical and arc trainers at the gym. On the days that I did make it over there, I was literally holding the wheel of my car for dear life as I took one turn after another, following one curvy road before taking yet another one. The drive home would be even worse, since apparently street lights have not been invented in Birmingham as of yet.

Luckily, my GPS has been a pretty good guide. And for the most part, I have managed to veer to the right, instead of the left, and correctly counted three turns as a British voice of my GPS clearly instructed "take a left, then keep left, then take the third right." I believe I have named my British GPS co-pilot Ben - very British.

Back to the point. The last time I was driving to the gym, I decided to silent Ben and check to see if I could get to my destination on my own. And I did! I took all the right (and left) turns and when I arrived at the gym, I shared my success with the desk attendant. She smiled and simply said "small victories." That got me thinking...sometimes, celebrating the smallest of victories can bring a satisfaction, even if short lived. And why not? Each small victory is just a step toward a big victory.

One Item, Multi Uses

The Southern Living @ Home department was having a sale today of their old merchandise inventory. Never one to pass a good bargain, I stood in line of exciting and anxious employees, armed with my checkbook, "patiently" waiting for 11:30am.

Once the clock turned to 11:30am, the mystery merchandise, boxed up, and marked with $1/$2/$3 and up was up for grabs. Easier said than done. At the end, I purchased a pitcher, a set of glasses, a creamer & sugar bowl set, a few candles, and a candelabra. But rather than using the purchased items for their obvious purpose, I tried something different.

And so, the beautiful pitcher became a container to hold my kitchen tools. Since the pitcher was too tall, I stuffed it with a few plastic bags to "raise its bottom" - and now the tools fit perfectly.

Having enough drinking glasses, I decided to turn the 4-glass set into a perfect bathroom container set. Bonus points - the green of the glass matches my shower curtain (more on that later). Notice that the glass I'm using to hold make-up brushes has dried lentils as a base.

March 1st - Happy Snow Day, Birmingham!

Well, for once the weather forecasters were correct. Following a few days of 60-degree weather, it is in fact snowing in Birmingham, Alabama.

On March 1st, of all the days, the trees are covered in snow, the impatient buds that looked so full and ready to burst just a few days ago, are probably freezing, covered by the new blanket of white powder.

The snow is quietly, gracefully falling down, finding its resting place on the ground, and sticking to it!

Perhaps, Monday will be a day off work.

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Anna's Style

My soul has been in need of some nourishing lately - enter chicken soup.
I was not feeling the love for the traditional chicken soup, and instead decided to make this soup my own - thus, Anna's style.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 large carrot, quartered and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, halved
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 chipotle in adobo pepper
6 cups chicken broth (I actually had home made broth from poaching chicken breasts at work - if you use purchased broth, get the low-sodium kind)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges

Directions:
1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the first 8 ingredients and saute, stirring for 5-8 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth and chicken to the vegetables. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Ladle into bowls and add freshly squeezed lime juice.

Thoughts - there's quite a bit of heat from the chipotle. If you want a less spicy food, cut down on the chipotle or omit it all together. A sprinkling of cilantro or scallions would be really nice here as well. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the soup and so is my soul.

What is your favorite chicken soup?

Chips & Dips - Middle Eastern Way

I love chips and dips. Blue corn chips with homemade guacamole or roasted salsa is one of my favorite snacks. This time though, I left Mexico behind and ventured to Middle East in search of chips and dips. Testing a Yogurt Dip with Zahtar Grilled Pita Breads for Robyn Webb was my ticket to a new adventure in snacking.

To start, I made Zahtar - a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend that combines toasted sesame seeds, thyme, and sumac. I used thyme leaves and ground them up in a coffee grinder to release more aroma from the herb. Finding sumac in Birmingham, AL was somewhat a challenge, but luckily, there is a Penzeys spice store close to me and they carried this ground up berry with a distinct burnt red color and a sour taste.


Once you mix the zahtar, it can become your on-hand flavor boost for broiled salmon, sauteed chicken, or a tossed salad. For this recipe though, I mixed zahtar with non-fat Greek Yogurt for a healthy and delicious dip. A touch of olive oil, a minced clove of garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper round this dip up.

Now that the dip is finished, it's time for the chips. Pita is the quintessential Middle Eastern bread. To keep these chips on a healthy side, Robyn uses whole wheat pita. Lightly brushed with olive oil, the pita bread is then sprinkled with some of the zahtar blend and baked in the oven until crispy.

Once the pita is baked, cut it up into triangles and serve along with the yogurt.

Arugula and Orange Salad

Dinner time. I've been in love with arugula for ages - the peppery flavor is bright and can stand up against lots of delicious mix-ins. Searching through boxes, bags, and containers in my refrigerator, I came across the bag of baby arugula, and the rest just came together in a bowl.

Recipe - or something close enough

In a large bowl, combine the following:
2 handfulls of baby arugula
thinly sliced red onion
slivered almonds
crumbled feta
sliced oranges (left over from my bowl of citrus)

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss and eat.

Why this works - the salad is a great combination of contrasting flavors and textures. Here's the break down:
salty - feta
sweet - orange
sour - balsamic
crunchy - almonds, onions

Give it a try.

Have any other ways of using arugula? Let me know.

A Bunch of Citrus

Orange is one of my favorite colors. And oranges are one of my favorite fruits. The truth is, I love citrus - oranges, grapefruits, pamelos, tangerines, you name it. Freshly squeezed juice, fresh zest, carefully segmented, citrus has a lot to offer. And plus, it's good for you!

Last week at work, we were shooting lots of citrus and I couldn't let it go to waste. A nice selection of the fruit made it safe back to my apartment where I enjoyed it for days to come.

Orange Chocolate Cupcakes with Grand Marnier Glaze

A food post, finally! Last week, a few of the SPC interns organized a Valentine day dessert party. A price of admission? $2 to cover the wine cost and a plate of something sweet - not too shabby.

I am not much of a baker, and with expectations to impress (afterall, I am an intern with Southern Living magazine) I was slightly panicking. Not to worry. A few tricks, a use of the Southern Living kitchen (terrific perk), and I was ready to celebrate V-day with cupcakes.

Recipe:

1 box brownies mix (use your favorite variety)
trick: use buttermilk instead of water
1 orange, zested (this I learned from Olga)
1 pack (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar (you can use more-less depending on how sweet and thick you want your icing)
1 T Grand Marnier

Make the brownie mix according to directions, using buttermilk instead of water, and adding 3/4 of the orange zest. The buttermilk will make the cupcakes more tender.

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the brownie mix into cupcake forms lined with cupcake paper. Fill up each cupcake only 1/2-1/3 way up - they will rise. Bake according to directions, until the toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean and dry. Cool the cupcakes completely.

Make the icing by whipping together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add the sugar, and beat until smooth. Add Grand Marnier and the rest of the orange zest, mix until evenly distributed. I piped the icing using a ziploc bag.

Serve

The cupcakes were a big hit. I've got to say, I don't think anyone has guessed that they were from a box. And as a bonus, they looked beautiful as well.

How people get to my blog

As I've mentioned before, due to sitemeter, I can somewhat track how people find my blog.

Here are a few amusing google searches that lead them to my site:

***inedible "rachel ray" "new york times" recipe - Virginia

***mango brown inside Massachusetts

There must be a global brown mango epidemic

This is the most amusing thing ever. Recently, I installed a sitemeter application on my blog to see who was visiting my site, how they found my blog, etc.

Tracking my visitors over the last month or so, I noticed that I get the most hits from people who google "brown mango" - the visitors come from all over the United States (California, New York, etc.) and also worldwide (England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand).

Isn't it a peculiar thing? Last year I wrote a post Mango in the Winter are like Blind Dates. I was in Des Moines at that time and have purchased beautiful mangoes from a grocery store just to discover ugly, brown, and mushy inside flesh. Well, clearly I am not the only person with a brown mango problem. So here's what happens. People go to google and try to find a solution for brown mangoes, and my blog comes up as the first link. Who knew!

Brunch at Cosmo's

I am a big fan of brunch. I still remember the fabulous brunch I would have in Dallas at Ziziki's restaurant - the infamous unlimited mimosas, extensive selection of Greek specialties (dolmas, hummus, olives) along with the All-American pancakes, fresh fruit and scrambled eggs. Their coffee was strong and rich, with just a slight hint of cinnamon. I would spend several hours sitting at large wooden tables at Ziziki's with my friends, snacking on olives, mini bagels with smoked salmon, and trying to stay away from the chocolate cake. We'd sip mimosas and catch up on our lives. Then I would drive home, hopefully basking in the Dallas sunshine, get in bed and nap for the rest of the afternoon. Sundays could never be much better.

This past Sunday, I decided to explore the brunch side of Birmingham starting with Cosmo's. I was attracted to the restaurant (casual and fun, in a somewhat hip at least by this city's standard part of Birmingham - Five Points) and the menu looked promising. Joined by a few SPC interns, I declared Sunday, February 1st "Brunch Day".
The were several tempting options on the menu, but once I saw a combination of poached eggs, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce, I closed the menu, so as not to change my mind.

My selection (I sadly no longer remember it's name, and for some reason it's no longer on the menu) arrived assembled on two toasted English muffins, with several out-out-place tomato slices and an interesting looking starch item on a side. Being oh-so-un-Southern, I chose to forego smoked gouda grits in favor of a hash brown casserole.

Here are my thoughts. The casserole was less than inspiring. The texture was very mushy and felt under-cooked. I missed a side of hash browns - toasted golden, with a crisp outer layer and tender middle. The hollandaise sauce was slightly broken and oily (the English muffins provided a nice sponge for the puddle). The eggs were split, so to speak. One egg yolk was perfectly soft, and happily ran once poked with a fork. The second yolk did not budge - it was cooked too long and was solidly set in the middle.

I would say this was not a bad first attempt for brunch. More to come in the future. And if you do go to Cosmo's, check out their make-your-own Bloody Mary bar. I was tempted to give it a try, but at $7/drink had a change of hearts.

Moving Out and Moving On

I've been thinking (I've had quite a lot of time for this lately) - for someone who loves security and stability, I have been moving every 6 months for the last 2 years. No, I'm not running from the law.

The moving around started when I left Dallas to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Six months into my studies at the CIA, I packed up and moved to Des Moines, IA for an internship with Cuisine at home magazine. Loved the internship, hated being in Des Moines October through March, which was probably the toughest winter I've experienced.

In March, I drove back to Upstate NY to finish the CIA. Fast forward to October '08. With an associate degree from the school, with honors, I had no job or job prospects, and so once again, I packed up and moved to Virginia to stay with my sister.

Few months later, I was fortunate to accept an internship with Southern Living magazine and took a 14-hour trip to Birmingham, AL. You'd think the moving was over then, at least for the length of the internship. Well, without all of my boxes fully unpacked, I ended up packing again this weekend and moving again - new roommate, new apartment, and a much happier me.

So perhaps, as long as the moving is taking me to bigger and better places, it might not be so bad afterall.

Seriously?!...continued

Alright, partially this is my fault, apparently I am not capable of writing down a correct routing number for my bank. So instead of getting a direct deposit, I get a check mailed to me. Which is a problem. You might ask "why?" The answer is simple - my bank doesn't have a single branch here in Alabama - I think the closest one is in Georgia, over 80 miles away.

What is a girl to do? Open a new bank account of course. So I look around Birmingham, and try to select between Compass, Regions, Wachovia and a few other local banks. Comparing their geographical location, I decide to go with Regions - plus they give you a pretty free green canvas bag when you join (I can use it for groceries instead of plastic bags - why is it that the grocery stores insist on packing almost every single item in its own plastic bag?).

So anyway, I take a break from work (since I usually pretty much work through lunch - aka work lunch) and drive to a Regions bank. I walk into the first cubicle and tell the lady that I want to open an account. She asks to see my driver's license, and I tell her that I don't have an AL driver's license because I am here only for 6 months.

What happens next? My accent PLUS "6 months" apparently translates to "you are from a foreign country, and are only in the United States for 6 months, therefore you do not get to open a bank account." Apparently there aren't that many people in Alabama with foreign accents - there are plenty with Southern accents.

After sometime of explaining that I in fact do not have a student/work visa because I am a U.S. citizen, and that my NY license should be valid, I got an account open. Seriously? I should carry my certificate of citizenship with me from now on.

Famous in Birmingham

A few days ago I volunteered with the Birmingham Jewish Federation raising money for the 2009 fundraising campaign. I spent several hours on the phone, calling the Federation's members, talking to people and leaving voicemails. Surprisingly, I do very well on the phone - must be years of making Beige Book phone calls for the Federal Reserve. I also got to practice speaking Russian with some of the Russian-speaking members of the Federation.

It was a rewarding experience and gave me a chance to meet some other volunteers with the Federation.

And now, to the famous part. The Federation sends a daily email update to its members and guess what was published in the update?! ME!!! That's right, a write-up on the fundraising efforts with the photo of me - too funny!

(for photo)

NEW FACE, NEW RESULTS

Newcomer Anna Berman making calls to donors on behalf of the 2009 BJF Campaign.

We pride ourselves at the Birmingham Jewish Federation on being open to anyone who wants to get involved in our wide array of activities. One of those who stepped forward recently to volunteer for the BJF is Anna Berman. Anna moved here a short while ago to do an internship for Southern Living magazine. She received an email from the BJF's You Belong in Birmingham program, which welcomes young Jews to our community, seeking volunteers for our campaign telethons.

Anna volunteered and joined Jewish community members Lisa Engel, Maury Shevin and Barbara Bonfield at the BJF office, in making calls to donors this week on behalf of the 2009 BJF Campaign. Anna was born in Russia, which helped her secure pledges from donors who've come to Birmingham from the former Soviet Union.

Time to Read

I'm so happy to be tutoring again!!! I truly have missed it. As of this week, I will volunteer with Time to Read program (through work), mentoring/tutoring a 7th grader on a weekly basis. I have met "T" this Thursday - she's a smart girl, perhaps a bit shy, or maybe I just wasn't cool enough for her :) - she did answer all my questions as part of the "let's-get-to-know-each-other" but didn't ask me a single thing.

It's funny, I'm so used to tutoring 3rd graders, that I had to constantly remind myself that T is 12, I probably shouldn't have asked her what her favorite cartoon was.

Synagogue on a Friday Night

I have to admit, of all the things I would normally do on a Friday night, attending services at a synagogue would not be of them. So how is it that it is exactly where I ended up and in Birmingham, AL of all the places?!

True, I did join the local Jewish Community Center last week, and have been very happy using their gym. I'm also looking forward to participating in their community events and have already signed up to volunteer for their upcoming telephon fundraiser. But for me, going from gym to attending Friday night services is taking one giant leap - what made me jump?

Last week, I was picking up Jasmine (one of the interns at SPC) and noticed that she lives right next to Temple Emanu-El. In the land of churches (aka Alabama), I was astonished to see a synagogue, and this one was incredible stately and beautiful. A row of grand doors stood between me and the inside of the temple. But alas, the doors had no handles, and I could not enter.

Fast forward to this Friday. I drove Jasmine home (poor girl doesn't have a car), and as we were walking pass the synagogue, I wondered whether they were holding Friday services. The thought of coming in did cross my mind, somewhat briefly, but once again, I couldn't find a way in. That's when Jasmine and I saw a group of students walking toward the synagogue - turns out there was a back entry, and so we went in.

The main hall where the services were held is breathtaking. The building must have been a church at some point. High ceilings, stained glass, very comfortable benches (ok, maybe this part has been recently renovated). I was relieved that the service was true to the reform nature - mostly in English, with beautiful singing, and a family atmosphere. I have to say though, besides some children, I must've been one of the youngest people present - the Jewish youth of Birmingham must be doing something else on Friday.

All in all, it was a peaceful way to spend an hour. The songs were both happy and thoughtful, and I did feel as a part of a small community. I am not sure how soon I'll be back, but I am certainly happy to have discovered the entry to this place.

Seriously?! #2

(I have a feeling I'll have quite a few of these entries over the next few months here).

I went to a Dollar store yesterday to pick up a few cleaning supply items (why pay more if you don't have to, right?). I have to admit, in general there are quite a few useful items you can pick at a Dollar store - like the above mentioned cleaning supplies, perhaps some tea candles, some kitchen items, etc. As a general rule, I stay away from any food items - although, there recently has been a book published called The 99 Cent Only Stores Cookbook: Gourmet Recipes at Discount Prices.

Well, imagine my shock and surprise when during my check out I notice a pregnancy detection test at the register. Seriously!? First of all, why would the store carry a pregnancy detection test, and most importantly, who would actually go ahead and buy a pregnancy test at a Dollar store!?

Seriously?!

I'll make this short and sweet. I am not a fan of paying a 10% tax on everything here in Birmingham, including food! This is THE highest tax percent I have ever paid, and I am not happy about it. There, I said it.

Day 1 @ Southern Living

Rise and shine. It was a slightly earlier wake up call for me this morning. Forget the 10 o’clock morning sun, beaming at me through the window, pulling me out of bed. Instead, today I woke up on my own will at 6:30 in the morning, even without an alarm clock! Must be the nerves.

I headed out of the apartment just to see my car covered in the film of ice - welcome to the South! The cold front must follow me across the country. It's a good thing I still have my handy dandy plastic scraper courtesy of Des Moines winter. I scraped, thawed, wiped and drove to work (pass some pretty big mansions - almost as big as the ones in Dallas).

I received a warm welcome (with some hugs) at work and got situated in my cubicle. Shocker of shocks - I'll be working on a Mac!!! I haven't used a Mac since high school. Time to learn.

Then it was time for paperwork - the usual, including the W-4 form - one of these days I'll learn how many exemptions to claim and if I qualify for a head of household. For now, I had to remind myself that at my current income bracket it probably makes no difference.

Alright, to actual work stuff. I attended a monthly planning meeting where the editors of Southern Living and the test kitchen staff discussed the layout and stories for December 2009 issue! That's right, Dec '09, and we're just in January. It was a bit overwhelming, I kept on looking from one person to the next, trying to remember their names and what they did - why weren't they wearing nametags?! Seriously!

Then came the part that is a perk for those lucky to work at the culinary magazine - tasting! Several of the recipes tested were presented family style for the staff to taste and discuss. That made for a lovely "tapas-style" lunch. We had stuffing-stuff filet mignon, grilled sandwiches with pesto, sunny side up eggs, and bacon. Then came the series of recipes from pecan testing - pecan/gorgonzola buns, turkey/arugula/artichoke hearts/feta salad, croissant french toast, and there was even ice cream. It's a good thing you get just a taste or two of each.

Back at my desk, I answered a few of the subscribers' email questions in regards to the baking pans substitutions and found an old recipe using one of the intranet sites - success!!! - my skills as a former Research Analyst have not failed me, the Fed should be proud :)

So far so good!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Berman Style

A few years ago when visiting me in New York, Olga has purchased a beautiful silver ring at one of the boutiques in Brooklyn. I have admired the ring and wanted it to be mine. But alas, the store had only one ring to sell, and Olga beat me to it. I admit, the thought of just taking the ring and hoping that Olga wouldn't notice it missing (she has an enormous collection of beautiful jewelry) has crossed my mind, but I just couldn't do it.

So, imagine my surprise when today in the morning Olga handed me the ring! At first I thought she was giving it to me for keeps, which would've been great, but turns out she had even a better reason.

And now we get to the title of the post. Remember the movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? If for some reason you missed that masterpiece, the movie is about a pair of jeans that magically fits a group of friends. During the movie, each friend wears the jeans before passing it on to the next friend, and the jeans track the stories and adventures of their friendship.

But why share a pair of jeans when you can share a beautiful silver ring? Olga called the ring a Bravery Ring and gave it to me as a sign of bravery as I embark on my new adventure in Birmingham. As much as I would love to keep this ring, I can't wait to pass it back to her as she takes a brave new step toward the future. To the Sisterhood of the Bravery Ring :)

Sweet Home Alabama

My 2+ months of hanging out in Washington DC on Olga's couch are officially over. I have given up the morning tv shows, sleeping-in, and lounging in pjs in favor of an exciting opportunity with Southern Living Magazine.

In a few days, I will be starting a 6-month internship with the magazine's food department. As much as I have enjoyed hanging out with Olga and her friends (both new and old - who I am happy to call my friends now too), I'm looking forward to working again. I have heard a lot about Birmingham, both good and bad, but I am keeping an open mind and will discover it for myself.

Stay tuned :)

Quest for Perfection is Officially Over

I know, I know...I've heard it said many times before, over and over - Perfection does not exist, nobody is perfect. But a part of me still believed that one could strive for perfection and achieve it. And why wouldn't I? I had a perfect (ha ha) role model - Martha Stewart. If anyone was perfect, it would be her, right? From ironing towels, to making handmade picture frames, and the perfect turkey, Martha could do it all, and has been doing so for many, many years. It is no surprise that I've been wanting to work for her empire for ages.

Well, my hero (heroine) has fallen. As I was diligently watching the morning shows while sitting around on Olga's couch, I channel served between Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart. I finally settled on Martha to watch her shake, shake, shake a delicious cranberry vodka martini. Imagine my shock, when in the midst of shaking, Martha's shaker falls apart and spills ruby red deliciousness all over Martha's face and shirt. Strike one!

Well, the game hasn't ended at that point. In the next segment, when Martha reaches in the oven to pull a perfectly baked sheet tray of cinnamon buns, what do you know? She shuts the oven door in the matter of nanoseconds. What could be a reason? Oh, the buns are burned, baby, burned. Strike two!

Someone might be losing their jobs...and what about me? I just lost my deeply held believe in a perfectionism.

Dancing Queen

Last year I dressed up as a Dancing Queen for a Halloween Party. (Go ABBA!) The costume choice shouldn't be much of a surprise given my obsession (healthy of course) with salsa, and the fact that I own an awesome red dress (courtesy of being in Jenny's wedding a few years ago).

The party was fun, the red velvet cupcakes were to die for, and when the "Dancing Queen" by ABBA came blaring from the ipod, everyone at the party guessed my intended costume. After the party the dress went back into the closet (right now it's packed in one of the boxes, stacked on top of more boxes in Olga's living room), and I returned to regular dancing.

Fast forward a year ago. I am now in DC where I am feeding my sole and body with salsa dancing, which I have been sadly deprived during my stay in Upstate New York. Here in DC, Olga and I have been frequenting Salsa Room on Fridays and Saturdays. This past Saturday, the club was having a $100 bachata contest. After much begging and pleading, I convinced my favorite partner Parker to enter the competition with me.

And then the magic happened! Out of 8 couples that entered the dance off, Parker and I took the first place!!! All these years of dancing have finally paid off, literally!

Love, Dancing Queen

It's Soup Weather - Escarole and White Bean Soup

Could this weather be any more perfect for a nice, hot bowl of soup? Probably not! And it was just my luck, that Robyn Webb needed a recipe tested for soup.

This is a relatively quick, and absolutely delicious recipe for Escarole and White Bean Soup.
(The exact recipe will be published by Robyn, so below are the ingredients and general instructions).

In a heated pot, saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery over medium heat, until vegetables are slightly softened. Add flour, and cook for a few minutes (This makes a roux that will slightly thickens the soup).

Add chicken stock (you can use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version), a can of diced tomatoes with the juice, and a can of white beans of your choice (drained and rinsed). The soup gets extra flavor from dried oregano and rosemary - make sure to crush the herbs with your fingers before adding them to a pot.

Bring everything to a boil, lower the temperature and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.

Next, add the escarole and continue to cook for a few minutes until the escarole wilts.

You're all set for a bowl of heart-warming and stomach-pleasing soup. The tomatoes add a nice touch of acidity that contrast beautifully with the creamy beans. The vegetables are still "al dente" by the time the soup is finished - no mushy carrots here!
Photos are from Olga - I still have to learn how to take photos :p

Simple Pleasures

This is incredibly earthy and satisfying, and couldn't be any simpler.

Roast beets (covered in foil) until tender - 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from foil and allow to cool. Peel the beets and dice/slice/cube.

Sprinkle the beets with crumbled goat cheese.

Drizzle with good olive oil, and add a touch of freshly-ground black pepper.

There's so much more you could do with this recipe (adding herbs, garlic, nuts, etc), but it truly doesn't need anything else.

If you haven't tried beets, what are you waiting for?

How to spend $400 while traveling through 4 states in 1 day

Remember that Rachel Ray's show, $40 a day?
Well, how about $400 a day? Plus, instead of visiting just ONE city or state, if you follow my plan, you'll visit four states! Here's how. (Note: $ amounts have been rounded up to full value at some instances)

1. Pre-purchases a one-day roundtrip ticket Washington, DC - Birmingham, Al. You need to make sure that on the way to Birmingham you fly through Detroit, MI (state #2), and on the way back from Birmingham, AL (state #3) you fly through Memphis, TN (state #4). Cost of the ticket $300.

2. Call a cab for 5AM on Monday. Arrive at Reagan National Airport, thank the cab driver and deposit $9 into his hand, happy that you made it to the airport on time.

3. Save $1 or $2 by skipping on *$s (Starbucks), and instead purchase an iced coffee from Euro Cafe. $2

4. Fly from DC to Detroit, make connection flight just to be delayed due to some de-icing problems (figures, since you have a very tight connection, and a meeting in Birmingham).

5. Thank your lucky stars when you arrive in Birmingham in time to frantically speed-walk to the Budget car-rental counter where you deposit $61 for a ONE day car rental. Politely decline an up charge for GPS since you brought your own with you (thanks parents!)

6. Arrive at Southern Progress Corporation, interview with Southern Living and Cooking Light. Take a tour of the facilities and snack on free and delicious strawberries...and cheese...and crackers.

7. Get back into the rental car, drive back to the airport, stopping at a gas station to fill up (to avoid paying $7.99/gallon in gas). Stand for what seems forever by the rental car while trying to figure out how in the world to open the gas-thingie-maging. Finally realize that it's a manual opening, fill up 1.5 gallons ($3) and head back to the airport.

8. Because you are so tired that you could easily pass out, you buy a BBQ pulled pork plate with fried green tomatoes and potato salad to keep yourself nourished. $9 but worth every cent. It even comes with unexpected two individual corn bread muffins (you eat only one, b/c seriously, how much can you actually eat?)

9. You fly from Birmingham to Memphis where you stop by a lounge/restaurant, attracted by a live music performance. Sit and enjoy free entertainment.

10. Prior to boarding the plane to head back to DC, you stop by *$s (pop quiz - remember what it means?) and buy a medium (ok, grande) iced tea - 50% passion, 50% green. $3

11. Finally back in DC, you take a metro back. $1.35

Cost of the trip $400
Visiting 4 states in 1 day and interviewing with one of the largest magazines in the nation - PRICELES

Quote of the Day

From a recycled issue of Marie Claire (May'08) found by the elevator at Olga's apartment.

Amy Poehler: There are a lot of girls who look at you as a role model. Maybe they're really smart and funny but aren't quite getting a lot of boy attention, and they're stressed out about it. What would you say to them?


Tina Fey: You know what? Let the boys practice on other girls. Let them treat other girls like crud, let them learn how to French kiss for, like, 10 years, let them give some other girl a bunch of crappy Valentine’s Day gifts, and then you just move in when they’re fully formed.

Amen

Back in the Kitchen

Now that I'm done with The CIA, I sadly no longer have the luxury of eating in The CIA kitchens which offered a selection of 25 entrees on any given day. As such, my brain has to think back to 2 years ago when grocery shopping and home cooking were just a few of the routine tasks. I honestly have forgotten what it's like to do grocery shopping - but I'm sure it'll all come back soon enough.

Anyway, today for lunch I utilized some leftovers - the rice from the Russian Tuna Salad and the roasted pork loin from last night's dinner. The salad couldn't be any easier to put together.

In a bowl, mix the following: cooked rice, diced mango, diced pork loin (cooked), minced jalapeno, diced red onion. For a dressing, combine freshly squeezed lime juice, S&P, cumin (I'd prefer to use fresh cilantro but didn't have any on hand) and oil (olive oil was a bit too heavy, something more neutral like canola oil would've worked better).

Rejected

Sadly I was not chosen by Fine Cooking Magazine for the Recipe Tester position. As much as I'd like to think that it's a sign of something greater and bigger out there for me, at this point all I can think is that I am a week away from graduation, without a job prospect, packing my belongings and leaving the school unemployed.

A Chance Meeting with Sara Moulton

First things first. Sara Moulton is the Executive Chef of Gourmet Magazine, a host of several shows on Food Network, a successful cookbook author, and the CIA alumna (among many other things).

What are the chances of me not only meeting her, but sitting in her office and talking with her? Little to none if you ask me. Nevertheless, a few days ago, on a regular Monday in New York City, I ran into Sara as she was walking out of the elevator. I was visiting NYC for a tour of Saveur's test kitchens (which are fantastic by the way) and decided that a 4-hour roundtrip to the city from school needed a few more things on the agenda. So, armed with printed out resumes and addresses of several other culinary magazines, I bravely marched on "cold calls."

One of the cold calls was at the Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines (they are owned by the same company). Passing the security desk after obtaining a visitor batch, I headed towards the elevators to take me to the floor of Gourmet magazine. The doors open, and Sara walks out!!! Now, I am not sure what happened next, but I heard myself saying "Hi Sara, great to see you again!" before I had time to think about anything else. We ended up chatting for several minutes. I suppose she was thrown off by my "cold call" tactic, but wished me luck as she headed out.

I continued on with the elevator ride up to the Gourmet offices. While I was talking with the receptionist, the elevator ding announced its arrival, the doors opened, and Sara walked out. Seeing me standing there, she invited me into her office where we discussed my career opportunities and she gave me advice on joining the publishing industry.

Unbelievable!!! Someone, please pinch me.

Pigs must be flying somewhere

I've been saying for the longest time how I'm never ever going to join facebook. I've resisted it for years now! In fear of becoming obsessed with the website, wasting valuable minutes, hours, days, and months I have been successful, so far, to stay away from its cult-like ways.

Well, yesterday I have given in. I am now officially a member of facebook. When pigs fly, huh? :)

I wish I was a drinker

Seriously, I'm not joking. Tomorrow is my first day of the American Bounty Restaurant - Front of the House. First day we take a quiz which will test our knowledge of the menu. Besides knowing all the starters, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts that are on the menu, we are also responsible for knowing wines, beers, scotches, whiskeys, gins, rums, and bourbons. And that's exactly why I wish I would've been a drinker - I would have some sort of pre-existent knowledge of the alcohol. Instead, I have to memorize the entire list, trying to keep the scotches away from the whiskeys, and gins away from the bourbons. Back to studying!

The end is near

Today, September 25th marks the official end of my kitchen classes at the CIA - the checkered pants that have been a pain in my waist for so long are in the trash, and so is the apron that has been bleached over and over again and yet still has the grey stains from the aluminum steel that is so prevalent in our kitchens.

Today marks the end of paper toques, burners that don't work, greasy sheet trays, and mismatched pots and pans. I'm hoping it is also the end of slicing my finger and going to the emergency room to stop the bleeding, or burning my arms in a 400F oven. But sadly it is also the end of experiencing and learning from some great chefs and instructors.

What's next? Over the next three weeks - my LAST three weeks at The CIA, I will be taking Front of The House class, working in the dining room of the American Bounty restaurant, which kitchen I occupied over the last three weeks. With a smile and a notepad, I will take food and drink orders from our customers and deliver their food in a timely manner. I'll be a waitress!!!

Top of the Class

A few days ago I got a call from the Financial Aid Office - in the middle of my class. A bit panicked, I picked up the phone to find out why they were contacting me - as far as I was concerned, I was fully paid through the last two classes at the CIA and no longer owed anything to the school.

Turns out, that for once, the school wasn't asking me for money, but were giving me a scholarship! As a student with the highest GPA in my class, I was honored with the Presidential Scholarship Award - very exciting!

On my way to the Financial Aid office, I was contemplating the generosity of the award - boy did I have high hopes! For the school that is definitely expensive, the award was rather skimpy. The Presidential Scholarship amounted to $1,000 or 1.5% of the tuition. Yeah!

Next week, I will be presented the award during the new student orientation for the incoming class, in hope of inspiring a few students to reach high for academic achievement.

Better Late than Never

I am a bit embarrassed to share this story. I've had my car for a bit over 4 years and over the last 4 years have driven quite a bit - particularly in the last year (New York to Iowa and back, Iowa to Wisconsin, NY to DC, etc.). I've been getting better at driving long distances, but still, it's hard, and I get tired - especially my right foot, controlling the gas and break pedal.

From time to time, during the dreadful hours of driving, I have been considering using the cruise control feature of my car - but somehow, randomly pressing the buttons has never worked for me - and I wasn't about to pull out a manual while driving 80 mph (i mean 60 mph...of course).

Well, the wait is over. This Labor Day weekend, on the drive from Montreal to Hyde Park, my friend and co-driver Erica has patiently explained the use of cruise control. I am a changed driver.

I wonder what else I have been missing out on :)

Positive Feedback

So happy. Kristen sent me an email today from one of the Cuisine at home readers in regards to the recipe I developed for the magazine. Quoted:

I made the Huli Huli BBQ Chicken (Aug 2008) what a hit w/ my family. Not paying attention that it was cooking for 2, I didn't make enough. My family loved the sauce so much they were thinking of other types of meat to try it on. Tonight I'm making 10 legs at my hubby's request so he will have leftovers for lunch, just to drive everyone crazy at the office w/ the wonderful aroma.

What's been happening?

Hi! This is Olga, Anna's guest blogger.

I thought I'd write a little post updating you on the happenings of Anna's life, because she's been rather busy ever since she returned back to CIA.

Highlights: overnight trip to Maine, wine tastings, taking another big exam, continuing to apply for jobs, and counting down to October 17th: graduation day!!!

But the most exciting news for now, is that Anna, her friend Erica, and I are getting together this weekend in Montreal! Very exciting: a lot of eating, waking around, sightseeing, dancing and even a bit of shopping. Check my blog for more updates (yes, totally and completely shameless self promotion).

This is all for now!

Seriously!??!

I don't check mail often - I don't get much mail in my campus box other than bills - and who wants to see those? Well, today was "check the mail day." And what did I find in the box?! A BILL!!! And not just a regular bill, but a violation fee for supposedly running a toll in New Jersey - a 35 CENT toll that they are charging me 25 DOLLARS. Is this a joke?! I mean, I drove from NY to DC for summer break, paying $20 in toll charges - WHY would I run a 35 cent toll!?
I'm fuming.

Apparently there's a way to argue against the toll, but what is my defense or explanation? I paid?! And of course, by the time I got the letter, the NJ customer service was closed, so I have the pleasure of looking forward to calling them tomorrow! Joy

In the News Again - Volunteering

Last Saturday, I visited the Poughkeepsie Farm Project at Vassar farm with members of the Nutrition and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs clubs from the Culinary Institute of America. I admit, I couldn't bear to wake up at 6am on a Saturday morning, following a long week of 5:30am daily alarms, so I came for the 2nd round of volunteering at 10 am.

My assignment was to plant the lettuce seedlings, but as I planted a row of about 50 feet, the weather interrupted. The thunder and rain had the farm workers gathering all the volunteers under cover. The task at hand then became to clip/trim/sort garlic that has been pulled several weeks ago and was drying in a shack. Funny enough, the two varieties of garlic they had were the Red Russian and German Hearty (or something along these lines). While clipping the garlic, the farmers interrupted us for a snack of watermelon, melon, and fresh bread. Yum! Then it was time to get back to work. An hour or so later, we had pounds and pounds of garlic sorted and ready for its final drying before it would be distributed to the farm members.

It was pretty incredible to be so close to the produce, seeing rows of lettuces, corn, tomatoes, squashes, etc. growing right there in the dirt. Members of the community pay an annual fee and visit the farm weekly to pick up fresh, seasonal produce June-November. In addition, they are asked to volunteer 12 hours of farm work, which is a great way of establishing a closer connection to food.

The story of our volunteering was published in the recent President's Bulletin (the president of the CIA of course).

Note: photos are courtesy of Raquel and Erica

Yogurt

I've never really been a fan of yogurt. The texture, color, smell combination has prevented me often from enjoying this potentially healthy (watch those calories and fat grams) and nutritious snack. I used to like the double pack of yogurt that came with a side of chocolate sauce - but then, what wouldn't be delicious and decadent covered by chocolate?

Over the years I've given yogurt a try, enjoying the rich, creamy and thick Greek yogurt on its own, or mixed with dill and cucumber. I tried the Light & Fit, attempting to go for a low-calorie, low-fat snack. But I could taste the artificial sweetener in the yogurt, and it never satisfies.

Enter the Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt. It is lowfat, but has a higher calorie count than traditional low-fat yogurts. It is creamy, but not too thick or heavy on the palette. I am not particularly a freak when it comes to organic products, but this one really works - no artificial flavors or smells or colors. I really enjoy the plan vanilla yogurt (they do use organic natural vanilla flavor - no Brown Color #47 here).

Best of all, I get it at school for breakfast from a fridge in the breakfast kitchen for free.
As a snack after a workout today, I sprinkled some Cheerios straight into the plastic container of yogurt, gave it a whirl and enjoyed it.

Perhaps this yougurt is sold in your local grocery store, give it a try and let me know what you think.

X-mas Every Morning

The last couple of days I've been feeling like a little kid on X-mas morning - that's a new feeling, since I've never been that kid before (X-mas celebration is not a part of my life).

The photo shoot I've had with Stacey later last week is a gift that keeps on giving. Stacey has been posting new photos in her blog the last couple of nights, so I have something to look forward to when I wake up in the morning. The last set of photos is my favorite so far.

Take a look.

Life Update

I've been slacking on blog writing - what else is new!? Luckily, my sister has been doing her job, recording our time together during the last couple of weeks.

So rather than reinventing the wheel, I'm posting direct links to Olga's blog where you can find all the photos and write-ups of the latest adventures in my life.

Wine and Food

Glorious Lunch at Purple Cafe

Family Vacation at Birch Bay and More Photos

And I did manage to cook a few easy meals. Here's the Best French Toast ever!

Last, but not least, incredible dinner at Zaytinya

It's Not Easy Being a SuperModel

I've been waiting for my day in the spotlight for a very long time, and finally it was here! Armed with a change of outfits, jewelry and shoes, I joined Stacey who was in turn armed with a photo camera, lenses, and a road map to locations.

I smiled (or attempted to smile), stroke a pose, moved my head just so, and hoped for the best. We shot at different locations, going for the urban, casual, and natural look. After shooting for a few hours outside, we took a break, and later went to Stacey's house where we took more shots outside - on the field, by the fence, etc. Later, Stacey took a few photos of sisterly love with Olga - we have yet to see those :)

For now, a few photos are up on Stacey's blog - check them out !!!

The World if Full of Nuts

Here's one more scholarship essay. The theme was nuts :)

I was never quite sure why nuts are often associated with the state of being foolish. Why is it that we might ask “Are you nuts?” when a person does something unreasonable? Nuts are glorious, healthy, delicious, and versatile, and as such should be celebrated.

Thinking back to my childhood, I have several individual memories of nuts that stand out. In winter months, my family would go cross-country skiing in Russia. As nourishment, my father would pack little bags of roasted nuts that he would share with us to help during the last leg of the race. Sometimes still warm, the nuts were just enough to give us an extra burst of energy.

As a special birthday treat, my mother baked walnut cookies. Shaped as a walnut, the crumbly shortbread dough had a filling of condensed milk mixed with chopped walnuts. I still remember the pure joy of eating those cookies.

My first experience with peanuts was on the flight from Moscow, Russia to New York, when my family moved to the United States in 1993. On the plane, as we were fighting jet leg and fatigue, the stewardess passed around individual bags of honey-roasted peanuts. The novelty of the flavored peanuts and the packaging impressed even the adults in the family.

I hope I would never have to choose my favorite nut. I love chocolate-covered macadamia nuts from Hawaii, roasted chopped walnuts in chocolate chip cookies, and spicy almonds. I find it almost therapeutic and joyful to crack hazelnuts and Brazilian nuts. So perhaps if I am ever asked “Are you nuts?” I would take the question as a compliment.

Chicken Dinner Disaster

Surprise, but I decided to apply for a few scholarships - I've applied in the past without much success, but thought I'd give it a few more tries.

The scholarship asked to write a short essay about a poultry experience. I thought of this story right away - some of it is slightly embellished :)

***

When I was a sophomore in high school, my twin sister and I decided to have our best friend and her boyfriend over for dinner. The two of us have been cooking for quite a while, first as sous chefs in our mom’s kitchen and then as lead cooks for family holiday and birthday celebrations. It was spring, and we wanted to serve a light meal of roasted chicken with potatoes and a green salad. The dinner should have been a breeze; instead it turned into a long-standing joke amongst the four of us.

What could be so funny about a roasted chicken? After all, my sister and I followed all the necessary steps – we rinsed the chicken under cold water, slightly wincing from the contact with the raw, slimy flesh; we patted the chicken dry with paper towels and seasoned the bird with salt and pepper. For more flavor, we stuffed the bird cavity with halved lemons, garlic cloves, and chopped onions, which would deliver aroma and necessary moisture during the roasting process.

The kitchen smelled divine and wholesome as the aromas of garlic and lemon melted into the white meat. Every time we opened the oven to baste the chicken, the smell tantalized us and made our stomachs sing. Out of the oven, the chicken came out a classic golden-brown color, glistening from the regular basting. We were ready to eat. With a knife and a fork, we assigned the honor of carving the chicken to our friend’s boyfriend. And that’s when it happened. As the knife slid through the chicken, our faces fell from horror – the chicken was still raw inside, and thin, but unmistakable streams of pink juice formed a puddle on the plate.

Since then, I always use a thermometer to determine the internal temperature of the chicken whether I roast a whole bird, or bake a few chicken breasts. I am now a student at the Culinary Institute of America and have cooked plenty of successful meals for my friend and her boyfriend, but the memories of that bloody chicken dinner resurface every time we get together.

NEW Blog

I decided to start a new blog http://CIAgrad4hire.blogspot.com to document my job search.

My graduation from the Culinary Institute of America www.ciachef.edu is scheduled for October 2008 and it's time to return to the job world and start making some money to repair the dent in my banking account.

I plan to use the new blog to document my job progress. If anyone has helpful job search suggestions, tips, advice, please let me know.

See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Swirl, Spit

The five "S's" of the Wine Class. Alas, the wine class is over.
The countless hours of studying, memorizing, highlighting, rewriting, making flash cards.
French, Italian, English pronunciations.
Wine laws, labels, grape varieties.

I haven't worked that hard on a single class at the CIA. And all along, we poured wine - still, sparkling, white, rose, and red. Made from a single grape variety, and from blends. Aged in steel and oak, filtered and murky, and completely translucent. With high tannin and acidity, mellow and jammy, crisp and refreshing.

We looked at the color of the wine against the white background, tilting the glass towards us at a 45-degree angle. We swirled the glass at the base, aerating the wine. We smelled deeply, with our noses deep in the bowl of the glass. Fig? Fruit? Stone? Earthiness?

Next we sipped and swirled or swooshed the wine in our mouths. Notice how the wine affects parts of the mouth differently. Do the tannins numb your gums or the roof of the mouth? (The indication of whether the tannins came from the grape or the oak barrel). How long does the finish last? (The impression the wine leaves).

Do now swallow! Sad but true, each tasting of the wine was finished by spitting the magic liquid into a spitting cup. Rinsing our palettes clean with water, and moving onto the next wine.

I've learned a lot. I hope most of the information will stick around, planted deeply in my brain.

RFF - kiwis

Once again, this Random Food Fact is brought to you courtesy of my wine professor Steven Kolpan.

We were discussing the wines on New Zealand - the land of kiwis. One would think New Zealand would grow a lot of kiwis (I do know that the name actually stems from the bird, not the fruit).

Turns out, that the number one producer of kiwis is Italy.

Dancing on Two with a Touch of Sugar

It was a Tuesday night and I was salsa dancing - life doesn't get any better. Who would've known that there is a local coffee place in Poughkeepsie - Muddy Cup - that has salsa dancing every other Tuesday. Wood floors, plenty of space, it's the stuff the dreams are made of.

Now, the whole salsa world dances on ONE, and that's how I learned to dance. New York, however must be quite special, b/c most everyone here dances on TWO - they start moving on a different beat, and the dance seems to be off balance in a way, more "steppy" than fluid.

What's the saying? "When in Rome, do as the Romans do?" I thought being in New York would be the perfect opportunity to try dancing on two, and last night I did - once with the instructor, and once with this really smooth dancer - it was fun, I think I got a hang of it.

Now, a touch of sugar. One guy asked me to dance, started speaking Spanish right away and was rather confused that I didn't speak Spanish. He was Colombian, I told him I was Russian. He didn't believe me. He looked me up and down, danced a bit more, and then

He said: "Are you sure you are Russian?"
me: "Yes, I am."
him: "I don't believe it, you must have some sugar in you"

Too Early for Summer

One of my favorite things to eat in the summer is a fresh salad. I call it a "refrigerator in a bowl." The salad is usually full of fresh vegetables with a mix-in of cold grilled meats, cheese, and herbs. Lightly dressed - usually it takes nothing more than a squeeze of lime juice and drizzle of good olive oil - the salad is a perfect lunch on a warm summer day.

It all started with an ear of corn. I saw fresh corn in the store and immediately wanted to make a salad. Fresh corn off the cob, tomatoes, red onion, green scallions, a bit of jalapeno for the heat. I added white tuna and some feta. The dressing is a simple combination of balsamic vinegar, lime juice, coriander, lemon-infused olive oil, salt and pepper. It looks pretty, it should've tasted better.

The summer is not here yet. The corn, rather than tasting sweet and juicy, was still a bit floury and starchy and tomatoes could've definitely used a bit more ripening on the vine.

PS - I added crushed blue corn tortilla chips - it's a double corn salad.

Breakfast Detox - Yogurt Trifle

I've never been a big fan of yogurt, but this yogurt trifle works out quite nicely. For the base, I used a plain, low-fat yogurt, drained in paper towels over night.
Assembly layers:
cherries, pitted, halved
yogurt
orange supremes
yogurt
cherries, pitted, halved
cheerios

That's all. The cherries and orange supremes give off a bit of the juice that collects on the bottom of the glass - you could mix it in, to distribute some of the sweetness. A bit of honey, drizzled over the top could be nice as well, but I don't like honey, and I enjoyed the slight acidity of the yogurt as is.

MMM - Muddled Mango Mojito

It's funny when a fresh bunch of mint becomes an inspiration, or perhaps a reason for a batch of mojitos. If I was pressed to pick only one drink, the choice would be hands down a mojito. The refreshing, rum-based drink that I discovered in Texas has been a favorite of mine ever since.

The usual suspects of mojito are rum, mint, lime juice, simple syrup/cane sugar, and club soda.

For the Muddled (aka muddy-looking) Mango Mojito, I muddled together chunks of mango with sprigs of mint and freshly squeezed lime juice. The muddling releases the natural oils from the mint and the juice from the chunks of mango. For a cleaner look, one can strain this "mess", but I chose to leave it in the glass.

Next, pour rum and top with ice. I use a shortcut when making mojitos, and my secret weapon is Squirt (diet) - a lemon/lime soda. Squirt provides the sweetness, extra citrus flavor and carbonation all in one pour, and will save you the time it would take to make simple syrup.

You are almost there. Give the drink a swirl with a fresh sprig of mint and enjoy. I promise they taste considerably better than they look.

Garlic in Bloom

Green and Purple

I went to see the Sex and the City movie last night. Samantha was eating guacamole, and I got a craving for it right on the spot. The guacamole is a perfect combination of the rich, fatty avocadoes with the bright and fresh acidity of limes, and the heat of jalapeno.

Guacamole in a bowl

I added a chopped tomato, minced garlic, scallions (the cilantro at the store looked pitiful), coriander, salt and pepper. Scoop it up with blue corn tortilla chips and the only thing you'd be missing is a margarita.

Serve directly out of the avocado skin

RFF - Sabayon

RFF will be a new category for this blog and it stands for Random Food Facts.

As a student at the Culinary Institute of America, it is only natural that I am surrounded by food facts on daily basis - some of these facts happen to be random. The latest RRF comes courtesy of my Wine Instructor - Steven Kolpan.

We were discussing the ways that wine would be clarified before bottling, and one of the methods is fining the wine where the wine maker uses a colloidal agent, in this case egg whites to attract the sediment in the wine and force it to the bottom of the tank or barrel. (Egg whites perform a similar clarifying action in making of consomme - a crystal clear flavorful broth - except in the consomme, the egg whites form a raft on the top of the stock and pull all the impurities up, trapping them in the raft)

The fining method using egg whites was common Italy, leaving Italians with a lot of egg yolks. Rather than waste the egg yolks, the Italians came up with Sabayon/Zabaglione - an Italian custard of whipped egg yolks, sugar, wine, and flavorings. The egg yolks are placed in a bowl with sugar in a double boiler and whisked to thicken. Next they are transferred to a mixer, combined with wine and flavorings and whipped on high speed until cool.

An update from a new blog contributor

Allow me to introduce myself, although many of you know who I am. I am Olga: Anna's editor, friend (most of the time!) and of course her twin sister. As Anna's twin, I know pretty much everything that goes on in her life, and in that capacity I will be a contributing writer for her blog.

You must have noticed that she hasn't posted an update in quite some time, and that's where I step in. You'll notice that I like adding links, pictures, etc. Enjoy the read! And thanks for stopping by.

As I mentioned earlier, Anna has been quite busy the last few weeks finishing Mediterranean cooking class and starting a new class: WINE!

School related "stuff"
* apparently reading for school can be fun: Anna said that the Exploring Wine is one of the best written books she's ever read and full of insightful information. She even mentioned wanting to sit under a tree and read it cover to cover...fascinating!
* Last week Anna went to "The City" aka New York City for a food tour of Greenwich village with her school. This is something both her and I wanted to do last year for our birthday, but the tour was sold out: maybe next year?
* in June Anna will be going to Canyon Ranch Spa in Lenox, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, this is not a pampering trip; however, hopefully they will feed Anna and the other students. The purpose of this trip is to learn how to cook health-conscious food at a resort. Anna is contemplating staying in Boston overnight and doing some site-seeing.

Personal stuff
* Anna made a grand return to salsa dancing. Obviously the salsa scene in Upstate NY is not nearly as happening as it is in DC, Dallas, Seattle or NY, but she managed to find her way to several clubs (thanks to the GPS my parents gave her), and the most recent visit to the Mariner's Harbor in Kingston, NY was fun! She quickly identified a qualified dancer, approached and asked him to dance. He turned out to be great and introduced her to a very young guy who has been competing in Latin dance for a year. He was super young guy, but who cares? Dancing is dancing.

* There has been some scandalous activity a few weekends ago, but I'm not allowed to disclose the details. I can say that she finally made her way to Brighton Beach, where Russian language was heard everywhere.

* Anna found my "Rocker" tshirt! and finally is sending it back! Score!

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed this mini update!

Language Confusion

I hardly ever speak Russian anymore. My native language has become a tool I use when I want to make sure that people around me don't understand what I'm saying - private conversations, personal comments etc.

Writing/reading in Russian happens even less often. I usually practice my writing skills when I sign birthday and holiday cards for my grandparents. (Communication with my parents happens in English, written and spoken).

So, as I am sitting at work today, I am signing a birthday card for my grandma.

A student comes over (I work as a tutor in a Learning Center) and asks me a question. I answer.

He says "thank you"
I say "pozhalyista" and realize that I just automatically said "you are welcome" in Russian.

Dance Weekend - Tango

When it rains, it pours. I suppose the same could be said about the amount of dancing I fit into the weekend.

As if salsa wasn't enough on Friday night, I attended a milonga (tango) on Saturday night.
Held at Strictly Ballroom Studio in Newburgh, New York, the dance marked my overdue return to tango. In fact, I first started taking tango lessons in Dallas, prior to discovering my obsession with salsa. Once I began salsa, there was no turning back, and I stopped taking tango lessons.

However, from time to time, I would attempt to take tango lessons, but somehow the men in the group were never quite to the level of the women, and I felt held back. So I stuck with salsa, and would go tango dancing about once a year when visiting Lera (a tango extraordinaire) in Seattle. I always found tango sensual, dramatic, and hot.

So, off to tango I went. I thought that starting with a free lesson would be a good idea. I was greeted by a husband-wife team instructors, probably in their 60s. Not sure how else to put it, but they looked like tango dancers :) There was a married couple and me who wanted to take a lesson. We started by walking to the rhythm and then learned a few steps.

The dancers started arriving, and this time the age average was about 40-50s. Just like with salsa, the tango community feels like a family. The members were very happy to see each other and welcoming to the newcomers. I got to dance with quite a few elderly gentlemen, staying as far from the close embrace as possible. Fun night. I made it back to campus without being pulled over by a cop.

Salsa, Police, GPS Failure

It's been my mission to find a salsa place around school. Today, the mission has been officially accomplished. I went salsa dancing in Kingston, NY in Rosendale Cafe.

Driving for 45 minutes along the curvy, woodsy roads of Upstate New York to reach my destination reminded of two things - #1 people in Upstate New York do not believe in lighting the roads and #2 I would go (drive) to great lengths for salsa.

The cafe, very cute and charming, with wooden floors and original photographs on the walls, was a far departure from the salsa clubs I am used to. The inhabitants of this salsa night were not the norm either. I felt like I was crushing a middle-aged suburban community dance. I was a good 15-20 years younger than the average person, reasonably overdressed, and not accompanied by a husband or a significant other.

But what is great about a salsa community, of any kind, at any location, is that it welcomes you. It invites you in. I danced, and eventhough I have danced in the past with much better dancers, I was happy to salsa again.

On the way back to school, my GPS system has failed me for the first time, and as I was trying to make some sense out of the roads, not being able to see much further pass the car lights, I saw bright flashing lights of the police car behind me. I felt so lost, that I almost didn't care why I was being pulled over.

I stopped, rolled down the window, and waited for the officer to approach me.
The officer :good evening. Can I see your license and registration please?
Me: good evening officer. (wondering why I never carry my car registration with me). Is something wrong?
The officer: are you feeling alright? you seem to be having a problem driving. You are driving 30mph in a 55 mph zone.
Me: yes, I am alright. Except I am lost, and can's see very well in the dark.
The officer: I see. I just wanted to check that you weren't too intoxicated to be driving.
Me: (thank god I didn't have that glass of wine at salsa!). Thank you. Could you please let me know how to get back to Hyde Park?

He gave me directions and got on his way. I tried to reprogram my GPS system, and gave it a chance to redeem itself, but once again, it failed, and I had to turn around. I finally made it back on campus, safely.

Rabbits

We were on the second day of Spanish cuisine in class today. Rabbit is one of the national ingredients in Spanish cuisine. We are serving a rabbit stew in class. There were 13 rabbits, one for each student (isn't it ironic that 13 is a "lucky" number).

I fabricated a rabbit today. It came packed, skinned, without a head. It was my job to remove its front legs, then its back legs. Then the rabbit rib cage was cut off, and I carefully slid the blade of my boning knife along the ledge of the tenderloin, on each side, loosening the tenderloin meat, and then finally removing the back bone.

Next, I trimmed the tenderloin and the attached flaps, seasoned the rabbit with salt, pepper, a few dabs of butter and fresh thyme. I rolled the meat and tied it with a butcher twine. The rabbit got cooked in a flavorful tomato broth with a chocolate garlic sauce. The chocolate is the indication of Columbus' discovery of new world ingredients and bringing them back to Spain.

I fabricated the rabbit. It reminded me of the days when I was in the Meat Fabrication class when I first got to the CIA - I used to think back then that I might want to be a butcher. There's something almost satisfying in gliding the blade of the knife, sharp, thin, and flexible, through the natural separations of the animal's parts, and seeing the immediate result of your work. It's methodical. It's messy. It requires a certain disassociation.

Random Fact

Did you know that Spain (Ispania) translates into "the land of the rabbits"? I bet you didn't - I didn't either. Apparently, the land was hopping (ha ha) with rabbits, and thus the name, and the country's traditional dishes of rabbit stews.

Hop hop

Wine Tasting

One of the benefits of attending the CIA are the regular extra curriculum activities on campus.
In the past, I've attended caviar tastings, visits to local farms and wineries, food writer panels, etc.

Yesterday, after a long day in the kitchen, dripping with sweat and feeling overly gross and exhausted, I couldn't think of anything better than a cool shower and a wine tasting. I was in luck, the wine club was sponsoring a $2 wine tasting.

6 generous pours of wine, and I felt much better. We were comparing wines made from the same grape but produced in different regions - Europe vs. US - to see the differences a certain terrain makes on the taste of wine. My palette is not developed enough to discern the specific differences, but I could appreciate quite apparent variations in taste, flavor, color, and body.

At the end of the tasting the students were encouraged to pour any of the undrunk wine (what?!) into trash receptacles. There were quite a few wine tasting sets that weren't used due to a lower than expected turn out. Rather than pouring out the wine, my friend and I decided to do a different sort of cleaning - we drank the wine...obviously! It's good to be living within a 2-minute walking distance, no concern of driving.

And my favorite wine of the night was the Sauvignon Blanc from California.

Cheers.

In Print: Cuisine at Home and Praise

Time flies. The second issue of Cuisine at home that I had great pleasure of working on is now out in print - May/June 2008. The recipes I developed for the issue include:

* Mole Rubbed Fajitas
* Roasted Salsa Verde
* Grilled Vegetables
* Mexican Corn Salad
* Cremini Pizza
* Radicchio Salad
* Rice Veracruz

Enjoy!

And here's the cherry on top - I just got an email from the magazine with a letter from one of the subscribers:

"This probably isn't the place to write this, but I absolutely must comment on how fabulous the mole rubbed steak fajitas were in the June 2008 issue. We cooked them for a cinco de mayo party this weekend and the steak was devoured by all of the guests. In Tucson AZ we have access to lots of Mexican food and we cook it all the time. The mole spice mix is a great addition to our repertoire of Mexican recipes. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!"

Drinking in Class

A few months ago I wrote about drinking on a job - when I was at Cuisine at home I was developing a recipe for a Limoncello Mint Lemonade and obviously had to taste the product (more than once) to arrive to the final recipe which is currently gracing the backcover of the March/April issue of Cuisine at home.

The drinking continued, so to speak, but this time it was in class. Assigned with a project to develop a pear recipe for the Baking Class, my partner and I decided to make a pear pizza (thin crust, apricot marmalade, arugula, pear, goat cheese and prosciutto) and a pear mojito. With some free time on our hands, we worked on the pear mojito recipe in class yesterday. Delicious.

Pear Mojito
-simple syrup infused with mint and lime juice
-rum
-pear liquor
-pear puree
-mint sprig
-squeeze of lime juice
-ice
-club soda

I Scream, You Sorbet

The Baking for Culinary class is almost over, I'm taking my practical final today (Lemon Meringue Tart) and the written exam tomorrow. I have to say that I really did enjoy the slower pace of the baking class versus the culinary class. The kitchens are more spacious, the temperatures are cooler, and there's something very therapeutic about watching the dough rise, tempering chocolate, or sifting flour.

But let's get back to screaming and sorbeing.

Yesterday we had a tasting of our handmade ice creams and sorbets. On the tasting were:

* Ice cream: chocolate, bacon
* Sorbet: black currant, green apple, lemon grass, coconut, chocolate

While most were good on its own, I loved the combination of chocolate ice cream and black currant sorbet.

Baking for the Culinary 101

Back into the uniform, the stiff white jacket, the high wasted checkered pants, and the oh-so flimsy toque (chef hat).

The L block is finally over, and we just started a 3-week class Baking for the Culinary.
Day 1 - we baked baguettes: it's about a 6 hour process from start to finish. Baguettes are considered to be a lean dough bread (just flour, water, salt, and yeast - no fat). We applied a straight-dough method (everything gets mixed together) - scaled ingredients, mixed, bulk fermented, folded, fermented some more, shaped the loaves, scored the loaves, and baked.

We used a pizza oven, and had to add some steam (via water) to achieve a crusty outside. Not too bad - fresh, hand made bread is quite satisfying.

Tomorrow we're making rolls.

Dining at Prune Restaurant

Just got published at La Papillote (the CIA newspaper)

Yet another sleepless night. If I don’t fall asleep right now, I might just die – everything is a little bit more dramatic at three o’clock in the morning. I toss around to the sounds of a high-pitch hyena laughter coming from the gazebo right outside of my window and the slamming of the doors in the hall. I should be asleep. The mental list of things-to-do runs through my mind in vicious circles. I panic and my heart races. Just then, a strong, calming voice pops into my head. “Simply because it’s night time doesn’t mean you must be sleeping. Get up, do your laundry, take care of the bills, do what you need to do. Make every moment count.”

The voice belongs to Gabrielle Hamilton, a chef and owner of Prune in New York City. I am fortunate to have met Chef Hamilton and dine at her East Village restaurant on a recent visit along with members of the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs group. Our early arrival pays off: we are whisked down the steep and narrow stairway of the restaurant to the prep area. We meet Chef Hamilton and spend over an hour asking her questions and listening, all the while trying not to get too much in the way of cooks and servers who are in the middle of finishing up brunch service.

Chef Hamilton answers each question thoughtfully and honestly without any pretense or hidden agenda and at the same time manages to put the final assembly touches on the individual pear and dried cranberry crisps (which we enjoy later on). We ask how she feels about being a female in the kitchen and she shares her journey of transformation from “one of the guys” to “a girly girl” to finally being herself in the kitchen. After working in the industry for over 20 years and owning her restaurant for the last 9 years, she has plenty to say.

When someone asks Chef Hamilton how she balances her professional life and her personal life (she is married and has two young children), I expect to hear a typical answer: I do what I can, and try to balance it all out. Instead, the answer is different and surprising. There is no such a thing as a balance in this demanding field; dividing the hours of the day evenly between each aspect of your life, each responsibility, simply doesn’t work if one wants to have an accomplished career and successful family life. There are days when you need to devote yourself to work and find someone else to take care of your children and days when you need to trust your sous chefs and leave them in charge of dinner service so you can take your sick child to see a doctor. After all, it is impossible to be in more than one place at the same time just as it is impossible to do everything at once with the highest standard of quality. And while the concept of “having it all” is quite appealing, it is hardly achievable. The best you can do is set your priorities and utilize every opportunity to reach them.

By the end of our conversation with Chef Hamilton we are ready to eat and eagerly take the same steep and narrow stairway up to the cozy and packed dining area where the food is just as honest and straightforward as Chef Hamilton’s advice. We don’t find a menu that requires a dictionary to understand, listing every hyped up trendy item. The plates arrive unadulterated without unnecessary garnishes, and the food looks approachable, inviting, and unpretentious. We eat family-style, starting with appetizers, passing the plates of grilled head-on shrimp with anchovy butter, Parmesan omelet, and Spanish goat cheese with buttered brown bread. Each ingredient plays in harmony with one another, showcasing skillful cooking technique. The food is perfectly seasoned and leaves a very satisfying, but not stuffed feeling.

There’s plenty of room for the second course. We choose among stewed pork shoulder with salsa verde, whole grilled fish and grilled prime ribeye with maitre d’hotel butter. The choice of main entrée comes with baked garnet yams with brown butter, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and baby white turnips, and bitter greens with virgin oil and lemon juice. I often find that vegetable cookery is a true test of the kitchen. And these vegetables couldn’t have been prepared any better: I would’ve been just as happy had I eaten nothing other than the garnet sweet potatoes and the bitter greens.

The dessert is a sweet ending to our visit with Chef Hamilton at Prune. The pear and dried cranberry crisp that the Chef was prepping earlier on, arrives with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. There’s also a dark cocoa cake with truffle center and wafer crumbs and Breton butter cake. We take the last bite of the dessert, thank our gracious host and head out of the restaurant with a sense of encouragement and inspiration.

I Want my Fed Job Back

Here's a scary realization. Filling out my taxes for 2007, I have noticed that the amount of money I made as a part-time math tutor at the CIA for the entire 2007 is only slightly higher than my weekly salary at the Federal Reserve.

Sigh.

Dialogue Overheard

In the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Son: "Dad, who is the greatest artist in the world?"
Dad: "That's debatable."
Son: "Who's Debatable?"

Out and About - in Print

My first official issue of Cuisine at home is out in print in your local grocery stores, Michael's, Home Depot, etc.

Issue #68 April 2008 features the following recipes I developed:

-Seasonal Kitchen: Spring Vegetables pages 42-45
-Back Cover - Limoncello Mint Lemonade
-Roasted Ratatouille page 13

I can't exactly explain what I felt when I first saw the issue - I might've even squealed, and you should know that I don't squeal on regular bases. Very exciting, gratifying, and encouraging.

The two other issues I have worked on will be out in print in May and July - I will keep you up to date.

She's Not Bitchy, She's Just European

Last week I attended a high school fashion show - it was a fundraiser for a local charity. I have to admit, I felt quite old amongst all the 16 year olds, but that's beside the point.

The show was fun, the fashion was hit-and-miss, but it was all for a good cause. Most of the "models" happily strolled down the runway, smiling, and flirting with the camera, pumped up by the loud applause from their classmates and audience members. And then there was one girl who didn't quite fit the happy-go-lucky image - when she came out, there was a very different vibe about her. She looked angry, pissed off, and dare I say ... bitchy. Strange, I thought. She was pretty and her outfit was just fine. I couldn't figure out the reason for her demeanor. After she appeared on the runway several more times, with the same look, I became even more curious.

Oh!!! It all made sense a few minutes later. Turns out, the girl is an exchange student from one of the Eastern European countries. She wasn't bitchy - she just couldn't help it, she was European. I'm sure she is quite lovely and friendly.

Orange Juice, with Pulp

Him: "would you like some water?"
Her: "no thanks, but do you have juice?"
Him: "yes, orange. would you like some?"
Her: "sure. is it with pulp?"
Him: "no, no pulp."
Her: "bummer, i wanted some pulp" (jokingly)

He walks out to the kitchen to get orange juice.
Five minutes pass by.
He comes back with a glass of juice.

Her: "where have you been? were you squeezing the juice?"
Him: "no, I found an orange and added pulp to your glass."
He comes over and gives her a glass of orange juice with fresh pulp.

How?

How do you explain basic division to a 10-year old? For example, 24 divided into 8 groups? Or even how to divide 10 by 2? I wish it was easier. The girl I have been tutoring for the last 5 months is incredibly bright, but I feel like today we hit a wall. Apparently, the way it is taught here in the United States is by actually drawing 24 objects (snowflakes, apples, etc.) and then drawing circles, forming 8 groups. But what's the logic behind it?! Is it by guessing and continuous attempts is that the child needs to figure out that 24 divided by 8 is 3?
I tried to think back to the days when I was learning division, and honestly I remember just memorizing the tables - "simple" and easy. But all these years later it did stick with me.
So, here it is. I tried to explain the rules of division, and reverse multiplication to a 10-year-old. Some of it she got, some of it was still a challenge. But she promised to ask her teacher for further explanation, and I believe she'll do it.

Off to dancing.

Published

I submitted this article to be published in La Papillote, the Culinary Institute of America newspaper. It made the cut. Unfortunately, they didn't publish it right away, so some of the information is outdated, but majority of the article is still timely.

***

Confused, dumbfounded, surprised – and that’s the nice way of describing how people reacted when I told them that I’d be going to Des Moines, Iowa for my externship. I got raised eyebrows, rolled eyes, and more often than not "you are going where?" When I patiently repeated myself that yes, in fact, I would soon be driving to Des Moines, every other person was more than happy to inform me that I would be spending five months in the middle of a corn field, as a crazy person. After all, who in their right mind would choose to go to Iowa when there were so many externships in more desirable culinary locations such as New York, Miami, or Los Angeles?

I’ll admit that Des Moines was not on the top of my list when I began my externship search. In fact, it wasn’t even on my radar. I focused my search on the experience that the externship would offer, which to me outweighed the location or the big name attached to the site. From the time I decided to attend culinary school, I knew that ultimately, I wanted to be on the "other side of the industry." Spending seven months at school only reinforced my decision, and as a result, I focused my externship search on publishing and research and development establishments. I was not too surprised to see that the list was rather short – the majority of sites were for traditional restaurant and hotel externships.

Being realistic and fiscally responsible, I eliminated non-paying externships. As tough as it was to say "good-bye" to well-known publications in New York and Los Angeles, I didn’t see myself happily living in these expensive cities without an income. Instead, I selected my top six paying externships and sent out resumes and cover letters. Several sites fell through pretty quickly because of the time schedule conflict; another one played hard-to get and never returned my phone calls. I began to feel stressed out and worried – the externship was just a few months away, and I had no potential locations secured. That’s when I went back to my original list and took a closer look.

Des Moines, Iowa – I had to consult a map. Hmm…I’d be cold and isolated in a new place, but I remembered that I was searching for an externship, not a vacation spot, and persevered. The externship would be at Cuisine at home magazine, part of August Home Publishing. After some on-line research, I sent out my resume and cover letter and was soon contacted by the magazine’s editor. With the first interview out of the way, I waited to receive copies of the magazine in the mail to help me decide if it would be the right fit. And it was! I loved the content and format of the magazine, as well as the educational emphasis and focus for the home cook. I happily accepted the externship offer and was ready for my drive to Des Moines.

What I have discovered over the last few months as an extern is how fortunate I am to have chosen this particular site. As an editorial intern at Cuisine, I have developed and tested recipes for the magazine, written copy, assisted with photo shoots, and participated in peer editing. One of the benefits of working at a smaller company is the ability to be involved in every aspect of the daily routine. With direct access to both the editorial and art teams at the magazine, I have learned about the magazine business beyond my expectations.

There are plenty of job perks as well. The work environment at Cuisine is similar to a corporate one and offers regular weekly hours with weekends and holidays off. Furthermore, with constant recipe development in our test kitchens, there is always plenty of food for breakfast, lunch, and even to take home for dinner. With close ties to the community, members of the magazine often use their culinary expertise for a good cause. Most recently, several of the editors and I served as judges for the Apple Pie contest for a fundraiser at a local retirement home.

At this point, I am half way through my externship and have enjoyed every bit of it. And what about Des Moines? I am happy to report that the city has exceeded my expectations in a positive way. A few weeks ago, New York Times published "In the Spotlight, Ready for Its Close-Up" naming Des Moines a traveling destination for arts and culture. With the presidential campaign in high gear and the Iowa caucuses on January 3rd, Des Moines has been a major player in the news lately, drawing much attention and deservingly so. On a regular Sunday afternoon I found myself eating brunch just inches away from Hillary Clinton, and what can beat that?

Hand Modeling

I can officially add a new title/job description to my resume - Hand Model.
No, I'm not joking :)

At the magazine, we shoot a lot of "step" photos for the recipes - usually, each recipe gets 2-3 step shots (pouring in marindade, tossing a salad, basting a piece of bbq chicken, etc). Usually, one of the art designers gets to be a hand model (the food editors are too busy prepping/cooking the food for the photo shoot).

I've mentioned a few times that I would like to offer my services as a hand model one of these days, and yesterday was my debut! It was quite fun, a bit stressful, but interesting at the same time. My hands are scheduled to appear in the July/August issue of the Cuisine at home. My modeling steps included:

* Pulsing vegetables in a food processor
* Adding ice to the bowl of soup
* Pressing grilled sandwiches with a skillet (to make paninis)

Freaky :)

How strange is this? My credit card balance is $444.44

Food Poetry

I was describing my "sandwich of the moment" to Olga, when I realized that the description rhymed. Food poetry was born :)

Bread
and
Butter
Onion
Cucumber
and
Avocado

Pretty simple, but the flavors go really well together. Whole wheat bread, not toasted. Thin slices of onions and cucumber. Sprinkle kosher salt in between the layers. My sandwich was open-faced (with only 1 piece of bread), but you could top it with another slice of bread.

The Weather Cruelty

It's 50 degrees in Des Moines today. The snow is melting, the air smells like spring, and for the first time, in a long, long time, I didn't have to spend 10 minutes in the morning de-icing my car. You would think that I'd be thrilled with this unexpected gift from mother nature. Not so much. This is just a tease - like a candy dangled in front of the child, just to be taken away. Tomorrow, it'll be back to 20-degree weather. Bundle up!

In the Test Kitchen

My internship at Cuisine is moving along, and I'm currently working on my third issue of the magazine, that will come out in August. The first issue I worked on would be available in March - exciting!

Here are the recipes that I've been developing - they are pretty close to being complete.

*Huli Huli Chicken Drumsticks (grilled) with Hawaiian Pasta Salad
*Korean BBQ with Kimchi Rice and Cucumber-Radish Salad

The recipes I developed for the June/July Issue:
*Cremini Marsala Pizza with Radicchio Salad
*Veracruz Rice
*Mole Rubbed Steak Fajitas + Sides
*Mexican Spicy Grilled Corn
*Grilled Scallop Teriyaki Salad
*Grilled Fattoush Salad

Since we are working on issues 6 months ahead of the publishing time, it's summer-grilling time around here. Somewhat strange. They enclosed the outside patio with temporary walls, so we are grilling in there - smoky!

Out of Line

Turns out that I dance Cuban-style salsa rather than in-line salsa. This was pointed out to me by one of my favorite salsa dancers here in Des Moines, who just happens to be a professional ball room instructor (so I suppose he knows what he's talking about). He meant it as a matter-of-fact statement. I took it as a criticism (shocker, I know). Not dancing in-line, to me, meant that I dance out of line - traveling too much during spins, rather than rotating in one space or traveling in the same line. Cuban style salsa has more of a circular dance pattern. So, from now on, I'm going to make a conscious effort to stay in line!!!

Mangoes in the winter are like relationships

I haven't always been a fan of mangoes. Perhaps it is the strong pine odor that made me feel like I was biting into a pine tree and had its sap run down my chin, or the fact that the long fibrous strands of the fruit made it necessary to floss immediately after eating it.

But eventually, I grew to appreciate mangoes and happily incorporated them into my lifestyle. The problem I have been facing most recently is the winter mango syndrome. Here's what happens. I go to the store, and see wooden crates of mangoes among the typical winter-available produce (oranges, pears, apples left from the fall). The mangoes look exotic and regal next to the other fruit, and they are on sale! How could I possibly resist?

I test each mango before it gently lands in my grocery basket. First, I go for the visual clues - not too much green skin, no brown discolorations, I want vibrant yellows, oranges, and maroons. Next, I give the fruit a squeeze - the flesh needs to give a bit to the touch, but still be firm. And then I smell it - there is a hint of tropics. I'm good to go.

I get home, slice through the mango...and then, there it is - the winter syndrome. The perfect looking mango is completely brown inside and inedible, most likely from a frost bite. Directly into the garbage it goes.