3.19.2010

have a lovely weekend.

ladies at the beach

3.18.2010

weekend report

it was good.

breakfast muffin

amish butterprint refrigerator dishes

the apps

good vin

gnocchi with red pepper sauce

potatoes unskinned

best chicken yet!

the bread

3.13.2010

Carbonnades a la Flamande

Last Sunday it was finally time to break open my new copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and enter the wonderful world of Julia Child. For our inaugural meal, I wanted to make something that was simple, hearty and of course, delicious.

a little sugar

Last weekend was really cold. And rainy. And while most everyone I know is ready for the clouds to pass, I really needed a few days of staying inside and doing not much of anything. I have been spring cleaning and trying to get some order back in my life. It has not been easy. Some days my brain is drained by the time I get home from work, and I am not prepared to think creatively in the kitchen. Thank goodness for cookbooks during those times.

I decided to go with Julia's recipe for beef and onions braised in beer, because those are three of my favorite things in the whole world.

braising the beef

I braised the beef and onions separately according to the recipe.

DSC_0016

and then added everything into the pot along with some beer. I replaced the pilsner suggested by Julia with a bold Chimay Grand Reserve.

chimay grand reserve

Left everything alone (as best as I could, it smelled delicious) for a few hours.

onions beef and beer

We left the stew a little soupy, because the broth was just as yummy as the meat. For a side dish, I roasted some fingerling potatoes and tossed them in a little butter and fresh parsley, as suggested in the recipe.

beef stew and parsley potaotes

enjoyed with a good cab, and a good film.

good cab

3.12.2010

Happy Friday!

LA in color

3.06.2010

ongoings

As usual, I'm up to my ears with tasks, but have only about 20 percent of the time needed to actually accomplish every lofty goal I have for myself. Instead of working off the task list I created last Saturday, I snuck off to the thrift store for a little hunting. A few weekends ago I was left empty handed, so I was eager to try to find some cool shit. After all, the thrift store gods would not let me strike out twice, right? Today I hit my downtown Goodwill, which always seems to be full of goodies, and it didn't disappoint. I found a cute little Hasko tray:

hunting platter

This enormous hobnail milk glass pitcher:
milk glass pitcher

a cute little Fire-King spice bowl:
fireking bowl

And some pretty glass trays. I think the long one will be great to serve olives on:

glass dishes

I finally made my way out to the garden to take care of the weeds and see how my winter crops were doing. The broccoli was out of control! I brought home two bags full, along with some kale, butter lettuce and a stalk of celery from one of my neighbors plots.


harvest: broccoli, cauliflower, celery and kale

Now what am I gonna make?