About the Swine Flu

I recently got this email from a naturopathic doctor I see- Dr. Virender Sodhi. I would put it in my own words, but this article is so articulate, well thought out, and intelligent that I thought I would just copy and paste word-for-word (And I don't think he minds me doing so. What's important to him is that the information gets out there). It's long, but thought provoking.

The Panic Over the ‘Pandemic’:

Is Swine Flu a Scientific Fact or Media Frenzy?

Dr. Virender Sodhi

With new alerts and warnings being issued on an almost hourly basis - with words like “pandemic” and even “plague” now being used - it’s hard not to be concerned about the swine flu outbreak. Although CDC (Center for Disease Control) is on hold issuing next warning and now toned down from the previous warnings. The WHO (World Health Organization) has decided not to raise its alert to a full pandemic, since the virus has yet to cause sustained transmission outside North America. More than 100 people have died in Mexico. But to put this in to perspective, every year more than 36,000 people die with influenza virus.

Health care authorities, politicians, and media spokespeople cite statistics, issue travel advisories, and point to maps showing the rapid worldwide spread of the virus. While authorities reassure us that a new vaccine is being developed, and anti-flu medications are being “stockpiled,” they continue to fuel the fear that we are on the brink of imminent disaster. Most of us are left wondering whether we should travel, visit public places, or send our children to school.

In the face of this growing panic, I believe a dose of healthy skepticism is good medicine. A brief look back at the history of flu outbreaks sheds new light on the current situation. The established public health response to viral outbreaks of the flu in recent years has been less than perfect. The side effects and complications associated with flu vaccines, which can be debilitating or even fatal, are never mentioned. And as usual, herbal, natural and nutritional therapies to prevent and ease the effects of viral infections are almost never mentioned. But it will certainly sell billions of dollar worth of Tamiflu, which yet to prove its effectiveness.

Although the strain of the flu virus spreading through human-to-human contact today appears to be unique, this is not the first appearance of swine flu. More than thirty years ago, in 1976, a swine flu “pandemic” was declared, and a public health effort was launched to vaccinate millions of people worldwide. As it turned out, the swine flu pandemic never materialized, but the vaccine itself claimed its own casualties. Within a few months after vaccinations began, 25 people had died, and $1.3 billion in claims had been filed by people who suffered paralysis due to the vaccine. Hundreds more developed crippling Guillain-Barré Syndrome, in which muscle paralysis can lead to respiratory failure and even death. Tragically, healthy young adults ended up as paraplegics.

As an Ayurvedic and Naturopathic practitioner, I find events such as these particularly frustrating. The complex balances involved in human health are poorly understood and inadequately addressed in the mainstream medical establishment. According to the prevailing mentality, the swine flu virus is on the loose and the only solution is a one-size-fits-all vaccine. Simple, natural therapies such as curcumin (turmeric) and garlic can reduce the viral load on the body, ease inflammation and strengthen natural immunities without the risk of injurious side effects.

The more recent history of the bird flu virus offers a strong case in point. Beginning in 2003, the avian flu virus began to appear in Asia. First in Vietnam, then in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, a massive public health effort was launched to dispense vaccinations as widely as possible and millions of birds were slaughtered. Ironically, however, it was traditional Chinese herbal medicine that provided one of the most effective therapies. Curcuma longa, widely known as turmeric, acts as a natural preventative against many flu viral strains. Turmeric’s active ingredients, called curcuminoids, have been shown in laboratory investigations to have powerful antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.¹

Like the original deadly influenza of 1918 and the original swine flu, the current viral strain appears to over stimulate the body’s natural immune system. This explains the fact that most of the deaths so far have occurred in relatively young patients with robust immune systems. The swine flu virus appears to activate a response known as the cytokine storm, in which large amounts of immune system hormones (cytokines) are produced. Left unregulated, this inflammation can lead to respiratory and organ failure. In most cases, deaths occur when excess fluids accumulate in the respiratory system. According to the CDC, like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

· fever, which is usually high

· cough

· runny nose or stuffy nose

· sore throat

· body aches

· headache

· chills

· fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme

· Diarrhea and vomiting

The beauty of using turmeric against flu is that it's a natural protease inhibitor. In order to affect the respiratory tract, the flu virus needs the proteasome enzyme complex. Curcuminoids inhibit the release of these enzymes, leaving the virus unable to replicate itself. Since turmeric is a natural food substance, I believe that taking it regularly can provide a safe and effective anti-flu therapy.

During my more than 30 years of medical practice, I have never used influenza vaccinations for myself or my family. In spite of exaggerated exposure to these germs, I have warded off the flu with care and natural remedies only. My best advice to my patients is to use simple, common sense measures to strengthen their natural immunities and avoid infection.

When my patients ask me how they can avoid the flu, this is the advice I give them:

• Do deep breathing exercises (outside if possible), and circulate more fresh air throughout your home. Exercise regularly. Walking for 45 minutes a day will increase the body's immune defense mechanism. However, do not over-exert yourself. Exercising longer than 90 minutes per day may actually increase your risk of upper respiratory infections.
• Reduce the "allergenic load" in your home. Carpets, gas heaters, wood burning fireplaces, fungi, mold and chemicals of any kind can weaken your immune system. Consider using electrostatic and charcoal filters in your house to clean the air.
• Reduce your sugar and dairy intake. Eat fruits and vegetables instead. Winter is a holiday season when we tend to consume a lot of sugar. According to published studies, seven tablespoons of sugar a day retards the immune system dramatically. One can of soda contains nearly four tablespoons of sugar. Avoid foods you are allergic to.
• Take antioxidants. My personal favorites are combination of Amla ( Emblica officinalis), Guduchi( Tinospora cordifolia), Tulsi( Ocimum sanctum), Vasaka( Adhatoda vasica), Bahera( Terminalia bellerica), Mulathi ( Glycyrrhiza glabra)Tikatu and Amla products made into a paste. (For more information about these herbs, please visit www.ayush.com) These are natural source of anti-oxidants and an excellent immune builder. Add to this vitamin D3 5000 IU twice a day, Ayurvedic herbs can also be taken, such as Triphla and Trikatu( one three times per day), Holy Basil standardized extract (250 mg three times per day) and Curcumin (250 mg three times per day). When you have a cold or an upper respiratory infection, drink ginger, licorice and holy basil tea. Garlic and green tea also have immune balancing properties. Drink plenty of warm fluids. Add fish oil one teaspoon three times per day.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap solution. A study of day-care centers showed that people who washed their hands frequently got 50 percent fewer colds than those who didn't. I do not like antibacterial soaps because they sometimes force the body to develop drug-resistant bacteria. Avoid frequent touching of your nose, eyes and ears.
• Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep can increase your chances of catching a cold.
• Avoid and reduce stress. Mental and emotional weaknesses have an effect on the physical system and actually increase your chances of catching cold. Perform yoga or tai chi and spend quality time with your friends and family. A study published in The Journal of American Medical Association found that people, who report three or less social ties, such as with friends, family, coworkers or community groups, are more than four times at risk of catching a cold than those with six or more such ties.
• Do not use antibiotics indiscriminately. Antibiotics have no benefits and can weaken your immune system. According to a study published by The Journal of American Medical Association, 50 percent of the patients suffering with colds, upper respiratory infections and bronchitis demanded antibiotic prescriptions. Most of the upper respiratory infections are caused by viruses. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria. Overuse of antibiotics can leave the body vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant bacteria which can be life threatening.

Ayurveda teaches that health is a matter of balance. Disease is the result of an underlying imbalance. Our bodies are constantly bombarded by contagions, and if these were the only cause of disease, we would be sick all the time. I believe that a balanced immune system is key in the quest for health and the conquest of disease. Learn to listen to your body and treat its imbalances in a holistic way. In the end, you are your own best physician.

References

¹Siddiqui AM, Cui X, Wu R, Dong W, Zhou M, Hu M, Simms HH, Wang P. The anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin in an experimental model of sepsis is mediated by up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma. Crit Care Med. 2006 Jul;34(7):1874-82.

²Ammon HPT, Wahl MA 1991 Pharmacology of Curcuma longa. Planta Medica 57(1):1

³lyengar MA, Rama Rao MP, Gurumadhva Rao S, Kamath MS 1994 Anti-inflammatory activity of volatile oil of Curcuma longa leaves. Indian Drugs 31(11):S28

⁴Srimal RC 1997 Turmeric: a brief review of medicinal properties. Fitoterapia 68:483

⁵lyengar MA, Rama Rao M, Bairy I, Kamath MS 1995 Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Curcuma longa leaves. Indian Drugs 32(6):249

⁶MulkyN,AmonkarAJ,BhideSV1987 Antimutagenicity of curcumins and related compound: the structural requirement for the antimutagenicity of curcumins. Indian Drugs 25(3):91

⁷Toda S, Miyase T, Arichi H, Tanizawa H, Takino Y 1985 Natural antioxidants. III. Antioxidative components isolated from rhizome of Curcuma longa. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 33:1725

⁸Selvam R, Subramanian L, Gayathri R, Angayarkanni N1995 The anti-oxidant activity of turmeric (Curcuma longa). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 7(2):59

Happy Grandparent's Day!

Now, anyone who knows me and my family knows that for all of us grandkids, the dish my Grandma is most remembered for is her crepes. Every single time we spent the night at her house, we would unfailingly wake up in the morning to crepes (at our request, of course).

Our favorite was always cinnamon and sugar, but we would experiment with other toppings like peanut butter, jam, or cheese. In the end, though, the cinnamon was always the best and we would eat it until we felt sick.

My Grandma cooked for us out of total love, but I don't think she realized two things were going to happen from it:

1. She was giving us a little bit of culture. To us, crepes were so familiar that I couldn't believe later on how many people didn't know what they were. Just like any building block you give a child, crepes were a building block for an entire world of cuisine for me!

2. She created a family legend/ tradition. I was challenged as soon as I could to begin making crepes for anyone special who happened to spend the night at my house. My recipe is different from my Grandma's- just as it should be since cooking is a very personal art. If you learned to draw from a grandparent, would you copy their drawings exactly? I don't think so. This was a great example of "the older women teaching the younger women" to take care in the kitchen.

So thanks, Grandma, for the memories. You gave me a tangible, taste-able, and smellable way of remembering my younger years, and the genuine love you showed for me and my cousins. I love you.....oh, and can I spend the night some time?

My [wannabe] Life in France

I am insanely jealous of Julia Child.

And not because she became a world famous chef, had an amazing culinary career, and will now forever be a food legend. Those things are nice and all, but what really gets me is that Julia Child lived in Paris is the late 1940's. Please note that I find that just as important to living in Paris was that time period in which she did- the post WWII era 1940's. This was when most food (in France) still came from small farms, a person of normal means could afford an apartment two blocks from the Seine, no one knew smoking was bad for you, and the Cordon Bleu admitted people with no cooking experience (and still had less than ten people in a class). Oh, not to mention a person could get an amazing meal for two, with wine, for $3.70.

Le sigh

I must admit first off that I have only spent four days in Paris. However, my senses were so alert when I was there- I was really trying to take in every second- that I find I had a very rich experience. I became a true blue Francofile right from the start.

Recently I picked up a copy of Julia Child's biography My Life in France. The book is about moving to Paris with her diplomat husband, and how she began to discover food- namely, French food- and the beginning of her culinary career. As I began to read, I was pleased to see how much of my first experiences with Paris were similar to hers: The total awe of the landscape and the countryside, preferring the food from mid-range restaurants and hole in the walls to l'gourmet, fancy restaruants, and finally the total wonder that anyone could find Parisians to be rude or generally disagreeable in any way.

Our situtation differ, however, in the fact that she got to LIVE THERE! Aaaaahhhh. She got to buy cheese from the woman who knew exactly when a certain piece of camembert would be "ready," she got to learn French by conversing with the vegetable lady who could tell her exactly what she needed for that night's supper. She got to take weekends away in Provence and vacation in Cannes!

Lastly, she got to eat French food every day. She got to get up every morning and buy a cafe au lait and fresh croissant before she went to the Cordon Bleu for her culinary training! Oh to have these experiences. Sadly, I must live vicariously through Mrs. Child's beautifully written and descriptive book. Thankfully she has a vivid memory and is able to describe in detail meals that were eaten 50+ years ago so that I can pretend I am the one eating those meals.

I have been inspired now to pull out my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and cook through it from cover to cover like I had determined to so long ago. Thank you, Julia, for all you did!

Going Retro

I remember eating cream of wheat many-a-mornin' while I was growing up. It used to be one of my favorite breakfast foods before being home schooled by my mom. By third grade we were done with home schooling and off to a regular school like everyone else. There was no more time for morning meals that took 30 minutes or more to cook, and somehow cream of wheat just got lost in the hustle and bustle of life.

I saw cream of wheat (Bob's Red Mill "Creamy Wheat" to be exact) at the store a while back and picked it up. I had completely forgot about it until the other morning, when, due to the lack of eggs and other foods being present, I decided to try it out again.

Do you guys remember how good this stuff was? It's still that good! There just something about wheat that has been refined to smithereens (did I spell that right?) and covered in butter and brown sugar...mmmm.....No, it definitely does not meet the definition of a "whole food," but at least it's all natural! And while in my world cream of wheat dates back to the 1980's, in the real world it was invented in 1893 (according to Wikipedia).

So I think I might be eating it for dessert from now on- as I so often do with sugar cereals and other sweet breakfast foods- but I'll definitely be eating it again.

Something to Blog About

This may be a sort of a Debbie downer blog, but I am going to write today about something I just realized that I really miss in my life.

We moved to Seattle almost five years ago. In those years we have made some dear, dear friends here. As much as we love every single one of them, none of them share our taste and love for food enough to devote the amount of time and income that we do to trying new places and things. So, I make the most of the circumstances I have been given, and usually I look at food times as a chance to have a date and sit across from the man I love doing something we both enjoy.

This weekend, though, I realized how much I miss sitting across the table from friends that I love. Sometimes it's good to know that people are with you because they choose to be with you, rather than because you're family and stuck together. And I've said before that nothing is more meaningful to me than doing this with food- sitting around the table, eating, and just talking to my favorite people. It's one thing that I enjoy most and get to do least.

So to those who are far away, but would love to go out and have a meal with me, know that I really miss you and I'm getting cheesily teary-eyed writing so.

Love,
Annika

My brownies

I am a brownie purist. I do not like anything in them or on them. No chocolate chips, no sprinkles, and absolutely no nuts (The exception is the brownie recipe that my grandma made last time I saw her, where it actually seemed as though she went nuts with the toppings. She put everything on there from frosting to marshmallows, caramel, and who knows what else. Those were amazing).

Anyway, a simple brownie needs to be just that. Simple. Well, simple and fudgy. I found this recipe does the trick, and even with melting the chocolate it is really quick to make. I actually pulled the brownie part from another recipe that had a fussy chocolate frosting with it. They don't need it.

Annika's Brownie Recipe

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2-quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and mix well with a spatula. Add the flour and stir to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

I almost forgot to tell you

As if I didn't have enough reason to look forward to my trips back to California...


I have established a new and most enjoyable tradition. It's called the Euro Pane Bakery, and it's in Pasadena. I guess I should back up a lot....waaay back.... to my hair dresser, John. As far as hair dressers go, I love him. So much so that back while I was in college for four years, and in the almost five years I have lived in Seattle, I still plan getting my hair done around my trips back to California. It feels very posh, by the way, to be able to say, "Oh, yes, I fly down to LA to get my hair done." Kind of Oprah like, really. But I'm getting off topic.

You see, around the corner from the salon is the little Euro Pane Bakery. From the front it looks like it could be any of those odd, non descript mediocre cafes that simply litter southern Cal. I would have never walked in had my wonderful stylist not recommended it. My first impression was absolute shock when I saw this:

A real live bakery! One that knows how to make real live artisan breads! What I wish I had was picture of is the pastry case full of amazing looking sweets, croissants, tarts, etc...They don't look fancy or anything, just absolutely delicious like someone seriously knows what they're doing. The decor and the staff had absolutely no pretense (pretensiousness is a big problem with most good food establishments in Seattle). It was just good.

Second of all, take a look back at the menu above, if you can read it. Those are sandwiches served on their in-house made breads. Ooooh so good. And if you don't believe me, ask the twenty people that were in line in front of me.

Now every time I make the trip to Pasadena beautify myself, I swing by the bakery and get whatever I fancy at that time. Last time they had a roasted beet and goat cheese tart that was pretty much the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. They don't have a website. The best I could do for you is this page here, but it's got all the info you need.

I urge you friends

I love the food around Easter!

I would like to take this time to remind you to dip some strawberries in chocolate.



Make some deviled eggs.



Maybe have a mimosa or two ;).



And maybe a hand full of Jelly beans.



Enjoy your time with friends and family, and happy Easter!

The Way to Throw a Dinner Party

Something great about living in Seattle for the past four and a half years has been our "home group" that we attend every Sunday evening. From the very start of our marriage, Raj and I have been getting together with a few other families every week for dinner and Bible study. Each week we rotate houses, and everyone takes turns cooking and hosting. So basically, every few weeks I am responsible for throwing a dinner party.

Currently, there are about eight or ten people that come on a regular basis, but in the past there has been as many as sixteen people to cook for in my little kitchen. When I began hosting, it would take me all day to cook, my kitchen would be a mess, and I would spend hours cleaning after. As the years went by, though, I became a very seasoned dinner party thrower. I figured out what kinds of recipes are best for big groups (ones with lots of do ahead steps), and which are not (for example, Indian dinner is definitely not a low stress menu, nor is a salad nicoise good to make for a lot of people).

Sunday was our day, and it was quite simple and delicious. I made the mexican lasagna I told you about the other day, assembling it on Saturday so there was no cleanup the following day. I marinated some chicken strips, grilled them, and then let Trader Joe's do the rest. Sure, I could have sliced pineapple and mango myself, made my own guacamole, and washed and cut up my own salad greens, but with places like TJ's who are fresh and reasonably priced why not outsource a few chores, am I right?

So now that you know how easy it is, go throw your own dinner party!

Only my thoughts for you today

As I grew from a teenager into adulthood, I became unintentionally inclined to the domestic arts. Cooking is the obvious interest, but I also found myself drawn to sewing, decorating, child rearing, and general house keeping. Which is why I am sort of embarrassed to say outright that I know jack nothin' about gardening.

It comes as no big surprise to anyone in this city of outdoorsy tree huggers that Seattle is full of people who just luuuurve gardening- and we're talking obsessively tending to the outsides of their homes. Frankly, and maybe it's the southern Californian in me, I am not inspired to do anything that's going to force me outside when it's 45 and raining.

However...

On those very special days like today, when for some reason we are getting a 70 degree sunny day break from our usually dreary weather, I open my drapes to view my back yard and I'm ashamed of myself. I told Raj that we are those neighbors- you know the ones- with the horridly weedy, dirty yard full of dead plants. And a fire pit full of rain water (that, I might add, we've only used once in our three years in this house). So since I have some free time today I am planning on cleaning up a bit. I'vee already thrown away our soggy remnants of what was once a doormat, a dead basil plant, old charcoal from our grill, and five or six broken flower pots.

Once everything is cleaned up, I think I might entertain the idea of growing some vegetables, which are things that I know grow fantastic here in the northwest. I sometimes feel that it's my duty as a self proclaimed food snob to know how to grow some things. From what I've heard, it's very satisfying to pick and eat your home grown food. Not to mention super healthy. And if I can get good at it, I will be one step closer to my dream of buying a rural plot of land and living like the Laura Ingalls Little House on the Prairie family except with electricity, plumbing, and heating. And the internet.

So if I start this project I will be certain to take you along with me on my journey. No promises yet, though, I'm still weighing the pros and cons.

Fast and easy...

...seems to be what my life is all about right now. Except the easy part.


Sometimes I really miss the days of pastry school, when I could go in and just get lost in learning about becoming a pastry chef. No quotas, no customers. Just 5 hours of baking and experimenting, tasting... What a wonderful time it was indeed.

But life is not pastry school, and sometimes things need to be done fast.

So to make this fast....I looove this Mexican Casserole. All the flavors are there, and it can be different depending on what salsa or beans you use. The recipe calls for pinto, but sometimes I use black. Also, I like to add some shredded chicken on occasion for protein.

Here you are:

Mexican Lasagna
Serves 4.

• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup prepared salsa (mild or medium)
• 8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until coarsely chopped.
2. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap slightly). Layer with half of beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese and pressing in gently.
3. Cover dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes.
   

Waaay Over the Top

Ok, so when I gave you the recipe for my very favorite frittata, I mentioned that I like to serve it with berries. BUT I DIDN'T MEAN WITH BERRIES ON TOP!!! Look closely at the picture above. Why, yes, that is a berry and bacon garnish you see!

What better month than this to say that I think Better Homes and Gardens has taken brunch a little too far? Allow me to give you their Bread Pudding Quiche with Berries and Bacon. Oh, and did the title forget to mention that it's made with a cinnamon swirly buttery crumb crust? Or that the filling is more cinnamon swirl bread with gruyere, onions, and HAM? Yup...

And let me tell you, I love all the things listed above. But dear, dear BHG, I also love smoked salmon and chocolate, and you don't see me making smoked salmon truffles! My point here is that I am all for innovation and mixing flavors, but this is entirely too much. Basically, I think this dish is what happens when you are too lazy to use more than one serving platter.

Better Homes and Gardens, please, for the love of all that is tasty, stick to your dried flower boquets and teddy bear decor and skip the food experiments. Thanks.

A Little Word of Advice

If you never listen to anything else I tell you listen to this....If you want to impress people, and make them think you are a super good and fancy cook, you will always make French toast using challah bread. I hope you know what challah is- I am surprised to find how many people don't. But just to make sure:

Challah is a traditionally Jewish bread that is made with white flour, eggs, and a bit of sweetener (sugar or honey). It's braided into a loaf (sounding familiar now?), and then baked with an egg wash to make the crust golden, soft and shiny. Like so:



So, when you're making French toast and you've already started with a soft, rich, sweet, eggy bread, once you add all the ingredients to make the bread softer, richer, sweeter, and eggier, you have got a combonation that can't be beat! The recipe I am sharing with you today is a great recipe, but really you can use any French toast recipe that you might like. Just replace your normal bread with challah. You can even do it with the "it's too early to read a cookbook and/or measure things out and I'm just going to estimate the ingredients" morning French toast.



I am sharing with you a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. I have only made it once, and it was quite delicious (the only reason I have not made it again is our complete lack of self control at the breakfast table when the platter was set before us). What set this recipe apart from others is that it uses orange juice and zest to give the French toast a good kick. Usually, if it's just two of us eating I will cut the recipe in half. I buy a whole loaf of challah and then freeze the second half for later use.



Challah French Toast

nocoupons

• 6 extra-large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon good honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large loaf challah or brioche bread
• Unsalted butter
• Vegetable oil

nocoupons

• Pure maple syrup
• Good raspberry preserves (optional)
• Sifted confectioners' sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the challah in 3/4-inch thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until it's all cooked. Serve hot with maple syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or confectioners' sugar.

Where is the Best Brunch is Seattle?

That's a toughie. I don't know if I can tell you that, but I can tell you that without a doubt, the restaurant we go to more than any other is Geraldine's Counter. And when I say we go there alot, I mean it's kinda like our Cheers. In fact, when we walk in everyone says, "Norm!" Not really. They don't know our names, because it seems the wait staff is always changing. I am sure that they recognize Raj (he's easy to recognize). Anyway, it's the kinda place we go to and order without even looking at the menu. Our frequency there is partly due to the fact that it's the closest good food to where we live in Seattle, and mostly because we like the food and it's very affordable (we can both eat and be full for around $20).

Geraldine's is simply a diner and nothing more. What sets it apart is that, unlike when you are sitting at some other diner with your disgustingly greasy grilled sandwich and flavorless soup, this is the way you always hope your diner food is going to be. Yes, your bowl of soup may cost $7 instead of $4, but isn't it worth it to get soup made in the restaurant rather than shipped there in a tub and reheated?

So, of course we rarely have soups or sandwiches (unless I have a late night hankering for their BLT with avocado and yam fries) since we are almost always there for brunch. Usually I go in with the intention of getting the steel cut oatmeal with fresh fruit or the Cafe Fanny organic granola and yogurt. These things are delicious and leaving me feeling pleasantly full and healthy. Inevitably, I walk in and realize that I can't possibly leave without eating the French Toast. It is the most unique french toast I have ever had- crispy on the outside, soft on the inside- and always has a different fruit topping. Everyone who dines here must try it once.

So go try Geraldines- just not on a Saturday or Sunday since it's already crowded and I don't want to you to be in front of me in line to be seated. And don't go on Monday, either! It's closed, and Raj and I have made that mistake more than once....

Food as Fashion as Food....?

Speaking of brunch...what will you wear? I think the creative directors of Prada were reading, and inspired by my blog. Just look at some of the outfits from one of their Fall/Winter '09 collections!


Few things don't make he hungry...this is one of them. You may think Prada is just a kooky, over the top designer, but other labels are taking cue.

Betsey Johnson has an entire "kitchen inspired" line:



For the man in your life, you could get one of these creepy butchers outfits from Alexander McQueen:


Or if food isn't your bag, you could always just dress up like a monster from a 70's Saturday morning TV show.....


Artichoke, anyone?

Save the Best for First

I really wasn't much of a cook four (and three quarters!) years ago when I got married. Out of pure necessity of life, I began to dabble and experiment and eventually began to love the joy of making delicious foods to nourish Raj and I. I began my food journey with two books, How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson, and Everyday Italian by Giada De-Italian-Lady-With-the Huge-Teeth-Laurentis. In my next blog (I'm doing good with previews lately, yes?) I will talk about Nigella, but today is about Italian. For brunch, you ask? Yes!

So back to Everyday Italian. I must admit I can't stand the TV show on the Food Network. I find myself not paying attention to the recipes but rather pondering over the host's giant bobble head, and the music and camera angles make me feel slightly uncomfortable (as in, a little bit weirded out that I may be watching more than a food show if you know what I mean). BUT...I have made probably 70% of the recipes from that book, and they have all been simply delightful.

Our favorite is this frittata. It is so simple, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it really has become one of my best "go to" recipes. I most often make this when we have friends over for brunch and serve it with fresh berries. Of course, the best thing about it (like many brunch dishes) is that it's as good for early meals as it is for dinner. In fact, just thinking about it made me decide to make it for dinner along with some turkey meatball soup and a baguette.

Please, I dare say, try it at any time of the day that makes you happy.

Frittata With Potato and Prosciutto by Giada De Laurentis

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (7-ounce) potato, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 ounces sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy 9 1/2-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, onion, and garlic. Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-low heat until the potato is golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, and basil in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still loose, about 3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Cut the frittata into 12 wedges.

Now For What I Promised

Like so many others, I had a bad view of buffets growing up. Usually "all you can eat" means highest possible quantity and lowest possible quality (as I so often say). Especially when the "you" is just a "U" like, "All U can eat." That's a dead give away to avoid eating there. I mean seriously, if a restaurant is too lazy to put the entire word "you" in a sign, do you really think the food is going to be held to a higher standard?

My first experience with a fine dining buffet was when I was 19. This was before I even knew what good food was, but thank heavens peer pressure made me shell out the $45 for dinner at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas (that was nearly 8 years ago- anyone know what it costs now?). That was also the first time I ever had creme brulee. I had almost 3 before someone told me what was in it.

I dare say on Sunday I went to a brunch buffet that even beats my memory of the Bellagio- Salty's on Alki. Salty's is one of those places that, if you have been in Seattle for more than 2 days, chances are you have been to. I'm not sure how it took us 5 years of living here to get there. But wowee! First of all, the big tourist draw is the panoramic view across the puget sound of downtown Seattle (pictured above). Second of all, the variety of food was incroyable. I listed most of what I ate in my previous blog.

I actually had a few teachers in pastry school who worked at Salty's, and the pastrys display definitely showed that. What I was most impressed about was that this brunch buffet not only had such high quality food, but the volume of food being served was enormous! It was Raj's dream.

Anyway, I highly recommend that if you live in Seattle that you don't take 5 years to get to Salty's- for the food and for the experience of it all. Also, if you get there before 9 on Sunday, you get $5 off each person on your bill. But that kinda takes the fun out of brunch, doesn't it?

Just Stopped in to Say Hello

I just want to tell you that I love brunch. It is by far my favorite meal for many a good reason. First of all, everyone knows that the term "brunch" was created from combining "breakfast" and "lunch," right? This means that if I am eating brunch that I have not had to get up early, but rather been able to sleep in until I am fully rested. This often also means- as so often happens with brunch- that I am about to have a long, leisurely meal, which, by natural consequences, means that I probably don't have anywhere else to be- namely, work- during or around that time. And think about it, brunch is by far the most social meal a person can eat. Really, one never eats brunch alone, am I right? Usually you are with someone you love, or at least sincerely like being with, when you have brunch.

With that said, of course the absolute best part of brunch is the food. Anything that combines the best of two meals has to be good. Brunch dishes are my absolute favorite. In fact, pondering these dishes is what inspired my theme for this month. I am going to call it "brunch month." So, for the entire month I am going to be sharing with you my favorite brunch recipes, and my favorite restaurants to have brunch, and maybe other things that may have to do with brunch. (A side note: writing the word "brunch" so many times has mad me realize it is a stupid sounding word. It's too bad, really, since the name doesn't do the meal justice at all. Any suggestions for a better term?)

My next post will be about the brunch buffet we had yesterday. It was the first time we've been to this certain place, an lemme tell you, it was tres bon. I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say it involved crab legs, oysters, waffles, omelets, biscuits, mac and cheese, sticky buns, a lot of fruit, and a chocolate fountain....I know....

La Casa Del Mojito

...Is where we went to dinner tonight.

What a great day I had today! After a quick meeting this morning, I went to get a pedicure. I then went home, had lunch, got my dog, and we went shopping. It was one of those great shopping days- the kind where I browse as much as I fancy, while refusing to look at the time since no one and nothing is waiting on me.

Imagine my surprise when at 6:00 I realized I had no plans and no desire to cook dinner! So, with little persuading, Raj agreed that we should go out to dinner. We wanted a casual, mid range dinner out, thought about our usual go-to's, and then decided to try something new.

La Casa Del Mojito (Spanish for "The House of the [alchoholic beverage]" is not a Mexican restaurant, but rather "Latin American" food.

Sangrias: 8/10. Super good, they had a hint of cinnamon!

Appetizer (Tortilla Espanola): 7/10It was a eggy, potatoey, layered thing. Reeeally good, also.

Raj's dinner (Parrilla De Luigi): 9/10. He loved it, and I tried the steak. It was moist and tender, and cooked nice and rare.

My dinner (Lechon Asado): 7/10 As tasty as it was, I think I ordered the wrong thing. I don't know why, in my mood for something light, I ordered pulled pork. Waaay more that I could eat, and I kinda wished I'd had a salad to go with it.

All in all, it is definitely a place I'd recommend, and for sure a place we'll go back to.

Total bill with tax: $54

Annika's overall rating: 8.5/10

La Casa Del Mojito

IMPORTANT TIP: There are 2 locations of this restaurant. The one we went to is on Lake City Way, and it was tiny. I mean seating for 15 people tiny. The servers repeatedly let us know that there is another, bigger location on University Way. I think they want people to go there more.

I Forgot to Mention

I was asked to make and ice cream cake for a tenth birthday for last weekend. I knew instantly what I wanted to do:
This is a baked alaska. I swear to you, this is sooo easy- truly one of those you-don't-have-to-be-a-pastry-chef-to-impress-everyone-desserts. There's not even a recipe, but here's the instructions.

How to make a baked alaska:

1. For the cake base every recipe is different. Choose whatever cake you or the person you're making the cake for loves best. For the cake I made, I chose a brownie base. Whatever you choose, bake it in a 8" cake pan.

2. Find about a 2 1/2 quart glass bowl with an 8" rim (tres important!), and line it with plastic wrap, leaving about 2 inches of the plastic wrap to hang over the bowl.

3. Choose 3 pints of your favorite ice cream. My birthday boy chose mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and french vanilla ("Not the kind with the beans," he said, "Just the vanilla flavor.") Let them soften on the counter until spreadable. Begin layering each pint in the bowl, letting each layer freeze thoroughly before putting on the next one.

4. Remove cake (or brownies) from cake pan. Carefully line the cake up on the top layer of the ice cream and wrap the plastic wrap around the cake. Freeze for at least four hours.

5. To remove ice cream from the bowl, place bowl in warm water for about ten seconds (careful not to get water in the cake). Invert bowl onto cake plate and if you need to gently shake or tap to remove the creation.

6. Make meringue using 1 cup egg whites (about 8), 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Whip in a stand mixer for 4-5 minutes until it forms medium-stiff peaks.

7. Spread meringue over ice cream, creating waves and peaks all over.

8. THE BEST PART- I would suggest you all get a kitchen torch so you can do this: take your torch and begin to lightly move the fire around the cake (keeping the actual flame 1 1/2-2 inches away from cake), to toast the meringue. It's a beautiful finishing touch.

And there you have it!

Try This

I used to not be a fan of magazines- I never really bought or subscribed to them. It now seems that all of a sudden my magazine collection has gotten seriously out of control. I think that between Raj and I we subscribe to six, err, no seven magazines. Some of which are weekly. If we are not careful, all too soon we are going to be like one of those old couples who are watching Jeopardy! buried in our recliners underneath our stacks of 23 year old magazines. I can just see it happening.

Luckily I am conscious of our tendencies, so I am always sure that, unless the magazine is super special (like my Gourmets or Dominos) that as soon as the new addition comes, the old goes in the recycling. Before tossing, I always go through and pull out whatever I find interesting or inspiring (usually good recipes or something I want to buy). I was reminded today, as I was reflipping through an old Sunset magazine, of an awesome recipe for braised lamb.

I don't know why I forgot about it. First of all, it was super easy. I tweaked the recipe a little, so that it was basically a throw into the oven at a low temp, go to work, and dinner was ready and perfect when I came home eight hours later. Second, we were all like, "Wow! This is amazing!" and we really enjoyed it. Third, we had leftovers all week to do great things with like make greek yogurt and lamb sandwiches. Seriously, I'm not sure why I haven't made it once a week since.

I'm giving you my own version, since I think the prep and cleanup is easier this way. If you want the original, it's here.

Coffee Braised Spoon Lamb (adapted from Sunset magazine)

• 6 garlic cloves, divided
• 1 bone-in leg of lamb (about 4 lbs.), trimmed of outside fat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 large carrots, cut into chunks (or half a bag of baby carrots that are getting not-s0-crisp)
  
• 2 shallots, peeled
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups freshly brewed strong coffee, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 250°. Mince 2 garlic cloves and rub onto lamb, spreading evenly. Heat a dutch oven or oven safe covered pan on stove to medium-high heat. Braise lamb on all sides in olive oil, making sure that each side is a nice, deep brown.

2. Transfer lamb to a plate. In pan over high heat, add wine, and boil until it has reduced by half. Stir in 2 cups coffee. Add all other ingredients, including the lamb. Cover pan and put in oven.

4. Cook until lamb is tender and pulling away from the bone, about 5-8 hours.

5. Transfer lamb to a platter and cover with foil. Reheat remaining 1 cup coffee and pour with liquid and vegetables from pan into a blender, working in batches if needed. Pulse until smooth. Pour sauce through a strainer set over a bowl, using the back of a spoon or ladle to push it through if needed. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour half of sauce over lamb and serve the rest in a bowl. Sprinkle lamb with parsley.

Some Good Little Bars

It's funny- one would think, one would hope that when a body is in healing mode that it would crave only and all of what is good for it. Personally, all I want is sugar. Now, I am an admitted sugar addict, but I am even more ridiculous right now than I normally am. It makes me afraid of getting pregnant...



Right now I am craving one of my favorite sweets to eat and bake. Unfortunately, I am certain to not be able to make them with one arm indisposed. Call them raspberry almond bars, raspberry streusel bars, mazurkas, whatever. They come from my ever favorite Macrina Bakery Cookbook from my ever favorite Macrina Bakery downtown. She calls them "Fruit and Oat Bars," which makes them sound altogether much more healthy than they actually are.



They are on my mind because I have been asked to make them for a women's luncheon for this Saturday. Don't worry, Friday night I will have the help of a dear friend to do everything I cannot.



So here you are:


Leslie Mackie's Fruit and Oat Bars from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook

For the sweet almond dough crust:

1/4 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup granulate sugar
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Roast almonds for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, cool, and finely grind in a food processor. Measure out 2 tablespoons, and combine with sugar and flour in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together vanilla extract, almond extract, and melted butter. Add mixture to dry ingredients and mix until coarse and crumbly. The finished dough will stick together when squeezed.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Using your fingers press dough into an oiled 13x 9 1/2 inch baking pan, covering the bottom and 3/4 inch of the sides with 1/4 inch of dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

Line the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans. Bake crust for 20-25 minutes until edges are golden. Remove paper and beans.

For the topping:

2 1/2 cups raspberry preserves
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats

Using a rubber spatula, cover the crust with raspberry preserves.

Cut butter into 1/4 inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Add sugar, flour, and oats. Using your fingers, mix the ingredients, working the butter into the flour until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the preserves.

Bake on center rack for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the preserves are bubbling around the edges. Cool (if you can!) at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Costcooooo

I have no official evidence to back this up- on the internets at least- but I have heard more than once over the past few weeks that Costco's brand Kirkland Signature has some of the best quality food products that one can buy- in the US, that is.

Now, I'm sure you will roll your eyes and say sarcastically "Boy am I surprised" when I tell you that I don't usually support buying the most food money can buy for the least amount of dollars. Truly you usually end up losing in quality what you gained in quantity. With that said, I am a Costco member and I do quite a bit of shopping here.

When I go shopping at Costco it usually puts me in a bad mood because of it's bad parking, long lines, too many pushy people, etc., so I want to get in and out as quick as I can. Because of this I have gotten my Costco runs down to a science. I know exactly what I want and need and get in and out pretty quickly. This took a few looong trips of going up and down each aisle, seeing what they sell, trying a few items that didn't make me very happy (Nancy's pita chips, for example, are a great deal but they always staled before I could eat them all), and then memorizing the location of the stuff I like so I can run through the store.

I won't tell you the locations of the items I buy, but I will tell you what I buy to save you the trouble of Costco trial, because Costco error can leave you with 15 packages of macaroni and cheese that you don't really like (I don't care if Annie's in natural, it's juts not good) and nothing to do with them.

Here is my list:

Earthbound organic spring grean mix- I kid you not, it's like the neverending salad tub. You take some out and then an hour later it's filled up again.

Kirkland signature organic peanut butter- Ingredients: peanuts. I like that you get two normal sized jars instead of one ginormous one. And for $7.00 for two, I find it to be my favorite even over peanut butter that costs $7 for one jar.

Tillamook 1lb cheddar baby loaf- By the way we go through cheese in this house, you'd think that it was a sorority full of girls on PMS.

PJ's organic burritos- Raj likes to take these to work

La Brea Demi Baguettes- They come in a pack of 5 or 6, and I freeze these right away. They stay fresh enough that I can just heat one up when I want a baguette with dinner or a yummy sandwich. La Brea, by the way, is a brand also sold at whole foods, and you will pay $2 for just one of these baguettes.

15 Pound bag organic brown rice- I don't really buy this every time I go. In fact, I purchased this just one and I don't think I'll have to buy another one as long as we live. It's huge!

C&H white, brown, and powdered sugars- not for everyone, but for bakers, yes.

Kirkland signature organice butter and organic eggs- Best deals on organic both.

Charmin toilette paper- TP is one place that I just can't bring myself to go organic.

Bounty paper towels- See above

Scotch bright sponges- Again, such a great deal for how many you get. And they have coupons for this one alot.

Kirkland signature organic instant oatmeal packages- because I never get up early enough to make a good breakfast on a work day, and neither does Raj. The taste is OK, the convenience is great.

Lastly, sometimes I supplement with brown rice chips, Kashi granola bars, or Izzi sodas.

And that's Annika's approved list!

Oh, and since there is no picture today, I am giving you this token for next time you want to swing by the food court on your way out:

What to do when you can't do anything.

Good news- I can type with both hands again! That's about all I can do, but it's a big step from where I was a couple of days ago. It's amazing how hungry one gets while sitting around and doing nothing....

So I can't cook, and all I've really been able to do is read. The good news is that I am reading cookbooks and magazines, and I'm getting very excited to try new recipes and to share them with you. When I am able to. Two recipes that I have flagged are a provencal chicken and tomato roast and this Bourbon Banana Pudding with Glazed Pecans. Mmmm.

It's driving me crazy not to be able to cook, but in the mean time my mom is here and she just made pineapple upside down cake to cheer me up. I think before she goes back home she is going to make a big pan of my favorite chicken stew with biscuits from the Barefoot Contessa. If you ever don't know what to make for dinner- make that.

So that's what I've been up to. I'm sorry it's not super exciting, but I will be sharing some great things in the next few days, so check back.

Feeling a Bit Useless, and The Remedy

So, I fractured my shoulder skiing...yup. That's it. There is nothing I can do now but wait to heal. No prescription to make it go away, nothing to
make me feel better....or is there????

Yesterday- the day after the "incident"- my wonderful husband/nurse took off of work to take me to the doctor, and to just take care of me in general. While we were out and in between appointments, we went to the Coastal Kitchen for some sustenance. Now , the Coastal Kitchen in Seattle is best know for it's continually changing menus. Every season or couple of weeks or so, they focus on a certain coastal region (Peru, Casablanca, Crete, currently Tunisia, etc...) and build a small menu around the local fares and flavors of that region. This is super fun, tasty, and exciting, but to be quite honest at $17-$25 per entree I find it a bit overpriced (even for seafood) and it's not what draws me in.


What I do love about the Coastal Kitchen is that the offer what I think is "perfect meal". For about $9 you can get a bowl of seafood chowder, a salad, and a nice hunk of delicious bread. What makes it even more great is that like the regional cuisine, these recipes are always changing. Sometimes the chowder is New England, sometimes it's Manhattan, sometimes the bread is sour dough, sometimes it's a baguette...you get the picture. I find this meal to always be delicious, healthy, satisfying, just enough in quantity, and a great value. That gives it "perfect meal" status in my book (or my blog, I guess).

However, when one breaks an arm let us not forget that only one prescription can make it all better- a hot fudge sundae.



Sorry about the phone picture- but that's me in the background with my arm in a sling.

Anyways, if you go to the Coastal Kitchen for no other reason, go for the hot fudge sundae. They make the hot fudge in house, use real whipped cream, and cover it with just the right amount of nuts. It is soooooooo good! And what's great is that the small is not sickeningly huge, and only costs about $4. Which means you don't pay $10 for a dessert that you only eat half or less of.

Well, it didn't heal my shoulder, but it definitely made my countenance feel better for the present.

Thoughts of the Day (from Pastry School)

I know I have let a few days pass without dropping you a note, and I apologize.  Sometimes, it seems, that time just runs away from you doesn't it?  That can be a good thing is some cases such as when the winter is dragging it's feet and seems like it's never going to end! It's times like these that I want to jump for joy when the high even hits 50 degrees, and then I put on my bright yellow flip flops in my futile attempts to will spring to come early. Here in Seattle, it never does.  

Does it sound like I'm in a funk? I am.

I really wanted to have a nice recipe to share with you, or a clever article about a wonderful ingredient for you to try.  But honestly, today I am simply uninspired.  My mind is, sadly, on many non-food things.  Fortunately, this does make me realize something interesting.  Hopefully interesting enough to fill up a blog....

My education at pastry school was very specified in the art of baking and pastry.  Since I have not had time to enjoy either, I have been dwelling on some funny little thoughts in my mind about what I learned in pastry school that applies to every day life.  Things like:

How to eyeball 1/4 of an inch

So many things in baking need to be cut, filled or frosted a quarter inch thick.  I have gotten pretty good a recognizing exactly this width.  I proves helpful in many ways around the house.

The many uses of an electronic scale

I used to think scales were for kitchen use only, but I am so glad my school required me to buy one of these.  I end up weighing all sorts of things like packages for mailing or my dog (he weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces now!)

How to speak French

So many culinary words come straight from the French language.  When I went to Paris for the first time a year and a half ago I surprised myself at how it helped me be able to get around- and more than just around the menus!

How to work in teams

This is a little more broad, but when stuff needs to get done it needs to get done.  If that means tag teaming, assisting, switching tasks, or letting someone take over.  There is no room for egos at that time.

How to write a little nicer

I can still write nicer on a cake than I can with a pen, but my hands have gotten more artistic and my cursive has improved greatly.  This really goes beyond script to all abilities in the visual arts category, of which I am not naturally inclined.

How to get dirty

Messes happen and they can always be cleaned up.  I once spilled about 20 cracked eggs in a church kitchen.  Everyone gasped, but I was able to laugh, clean up, and move on.  Whether it's flour, sugar, or cocoa powder, getting dirty is fun!

Well, that made me feel better!