What is Tubissime?

The following email was sent to my boss by a local wine importer (this is fascinating and you MUST know about it immediately):

"Dear Friends,

What is Tubissime?

Traveling around the wine road of life, you come in contact with characters that would make Tom Waits* seem boring. These are real people with lives very different from our own but they have one thing in common- passion. They may be passionate about peaches, cigarettes, or newspaper but they share a thread that makes their lives worth living and money is not their motivation- self-fulfillment and the love of life is.** Tubissime is the result of just such a character, one of the new cultural icons of Paris.

Think Wallpaper meets Saveur meets modern Parisian hip culture and you will have an image of Paul Vautin's universe. Paul is intent on bringing Apollo 3 style food, in all its space oddity into your briefcase.***When first led into his lair, it was like a Jim Jarmusch**** movie with past and present folding into one and other - antique bronze presses, strange mustard gadgets that only those deeply immersed in French mustard culture could understand....Orleans vinegar, mustard seed grown in Zanzibar, salt from the ancient Himalayan sea beds or coastal areas of Norway - this was no mustard "factory," this was the home of the Tubissime King, and judging from his success in Paris, he may be set to produce the next cultural slang word that becomes part of our everyday consciousness (like Kleenex or the Ipod): Tubissime.

What is Tibissime? Tubissime is something of a craze in Paris right now- it is a mix of modern day life, form and function (like a Design Within Reach apparatus). It is life on the go with no time to stop for food or to clean up after your mess- you have a suit on, you are in a hurry, you are on the Metro or in your car and you need flavor, flavor from a tube.

That's right, from a tube.

The French take condiments seriously and I don't mean Heinz ketchup. Ask a you Parisian for some mustard and he or she may just whip one of these from their laptop cases. Packed under pressure in a shiny metal tube, almost like a raw toothpaste tube with very modern Danish graphics, the mustard can be carried anywhere and used on a moment's notice. A small screw cap comes on and off and I've seen people in the Luxemburg Gardens squeezing a tube and then tossing it back into their bug-a-boo for next time. The mustards are made with natural/organic ingredients*****, in very small batches and they are not preserved- the vinegar (or sulfites in the wine flavors) keeps them fresh (although I would still keep them in the fridge after opening- the French do not seem to be as concerned about things like that)- I'm sure these will keep for quite a while but I don't recommend keeping them as long as that jar of Grey Poupon you've had open since 1997.

The inventor/philosopher of Tubissime, Paul Vautin, is intent on keeping his creation at a manageable level and each run is made from scratch with small batch ingredients and hands on care. His desire is to meet the demands of the masses, but I'm not sure how long that will last...for now, the Tubissime Mustard King will make mustard for you (from scratch) but we can only import his wares once a year (due to truffle availability, etc)."



My conclusion: Sign me up! I had always thought it was my dream to be a chic Parisian woman with a French designed purse. Know I know the truth- it was always to be a chic Parisian woman with mustard in her French designed purse.



*Who?
**Really? There are people like that? Please, do tell me how you've done it.
***Why is it that if that was done in the State's it would be disgusting, and yet done in France, it's fascinating.
****Who?
*****I guess that's why.

It really, really works!

Call me a cynic ("You're a cynic!"), but I am always shocked when something actually works as advertised. But I say, give credit where credit is due. And I give credit to good ol' Debbie Meyer. She has solved all my problems (well, one, anyway).

It all started when I decided that pre-packaged sandwich bread was no good. Even the supposedly healthy ones. There's just too much...stuff. Commercial yeasts and preservatives- even if organic- were still putting way more ingredients and processing into my breads than I deemed necessary. What I find necessary to bread is flour, yeast, and water.

I liked bakery bread better anyway, so why not only buy that? I'll tell you why- staling. It's hard to spend $4-$5 on a loaf of bread that may last three days, if you're lucky. After that, I would continue to make bread crumbs to keep from wasting until I had an entire pantry full. Also, not very helpful. The refrigerator doesn't help either, it just makes the bread dry out even quicker. So why not just wrap the bag tight in plastic? Because the mold comes on fast. It seems like bread manufacturers had something going on with their ascorbic acids and other preservatives.

You think you've won, commercial bread makers, but not so!

I thought I'd skeptically try out these Debbie Meyers bread bags on a whim. Day 1 went by and the bread was as fresh as when I had bought it. Not even the outer layer had staled. Day 2...3...4...5! I could slice off a piece as I saw fit, and it was great! It was only until after more than a week that I noticed a little mold growing. In my book, that is excellent. Now I use them routinely. I buy a loaf of challah or olive bread and put it straight into my Debbie Meyers bread bag, and we have good bread all week long.

Win!

ps. I was not paid off by Debbie Meyer to write about this. Nor did she send me any free bags to try. I bought them myself, and it really, really works!

Our world gets even scarier...

The following article comes from www.alsearsmd.com

"Dear Health Conscious Reader,

Your right to make choices about your own body is being challenged.

I seldom, if ever, discuss politics with you. But this in one occasion when something needs to be said.

There’s a new bill in Congress.

If it passes, the FDA will have the right to permanently take away any vitamin or natural supplement it chooses. And once it’s gone, your access disappears…forever.

Imagine CoQ10 becoming illegal? Or if you could only take CoQ10 with a doctor’s prescription at 100 times the cost?

You have the right to choose what you put in your own body. And that includes natural medicine and nutritional supplements.

As the philosopher John Stuart Mill said, “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”₁

This is where I stand.

But the bill before Congress intends to lessen, and perhaps take away, your right to have control over your body and mind.

This new “safety” bill would empower the FDA to permanently ban any nutritional supplement it considers “adulterated” or “misbranded.”

On the surface it sounds reasonable, but in practice, it means the FDA can make a list of accepted vitamins and ban all the rest. Europeans already live under such a law. It’s so restrictive; most people in Europe buy their vitamins here in the U.S.

Part of the problem is the way the bill is written. The language is open-ended and subject to broad interpretation.

Even if a vitamin company makes a mistake with their paperwork, or the FDAclaims they made a mistake with their paperwork, they can take that product off the market forever. Even if that product has a clean track record.

Also at risk is the dose of a vitamin or nutrient. That means the FDA could say, for example, “Vitamin C is only safe at a dose of 10mg.”

But here’s the deal: If your vitamin C only has 10mg per tablet, you’d have to take an entire bottle to get a one-day supply. That’s another strategy the FDA could use to kill off a vitamin or nutrient.

This bill is dangerous: Both to your health and to your rights as an individual.

I urge you to click HERE and send a message to your Senator.

The Alliance for Natural Health has prepared the letter for you. All you have to do is fill in your name and address and click “send.”

Your voice counts.

Please take a moment to stand up and be counted."

If you're not angry already, it would do you good to know who the forerunners of this bill are: None other that John McCain and all the other members of congress who have money in pharmaceuticals....shocking.

Ok, ya, I want this

Ok...ya...I want this. I need this. I am totally a sucker for advertising.

I am scared...

It's official...the studies are in...EVERYTHING causes cancer.

Let me tell you my story today...I went on an errand for work today to a lovely little specialty shop called The Porcelain Gallery. These people were as austere about their work as any business I have seen. They were not snobby in the slightest- no pretense whatsoever- just exuding the utmost pride in what they did.

I was working and on a mission, so I marched through the front doors and straight to the back of the store where a prim woman in her early 60's was perched. Without looking around, I began, "Hi! I'm looking for the...{blah blah blah}." She gave me a kind smile and said, "Oh, dinnerware is on the second floor." It was finally then that I looked around and realized that I was surrounded by hundreds or porcelain figurines of any shape you can imagine- $750 - 15 inch giraffes and all.

I took the small, department store style elevator up to the second floor*...ding! There was the polite man I had spoken with on the phone, all ready with the bowls I had previously called about. As he was wrapping them up, I perused the displays of lovely china, admired this dinner set here, and marveled at how someone could spend $94 on a single dinner plate, no matter how beautiful. I commented on how lovely the dishes were...commented I did, to a man with a passion for fine china that is likely unmatched anywhere.

He agreed, and we spoke briefly about what makes their merchandise worth the price tag. As I was walking toward the elevator, he mentioned the health hazards of mass produced dinnerware....WHAAAAT? ding! The doors closed. I considered going back in....please, tell me!...why are my dishes dangerous?...how are these better?....please, give me an entire set!....$15,000 for 14 settings?...of course, you can't put a price on health!

I didn't. I should have. I am dying to know now what he was talking about. I've done some searches online, and what I have found is that while you may be suing Toys R Us for for putting lead paint on your baby's toys, there are no regulations on using glaze with lead on the surfaces in which you put your food. Massed produced stores such as Crate and Barrel and Tar-jay like to carry these products because (unsurprisingly) they are cheaper.

There is nowhere to turn! Now I am eating my meals in terror of what chemicals may be lurking under my organic dinner....right...Conclusion? Solution? No idea whatsoever besides replacing all that is in my cupboards immediately. Everything causes cancer....sigh.

*Did I mention this store was only about 800 square feet...in a neighborhood...with an elevator?

Top 10 Signs You're a Foodie

(Courtesy of the Baltimore Sun of all places)

1. You remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard that Martick’s closed.

No idea. This should be in the "you know you're an old foodie if...." list.

2. You know that basmati is not the capital of India.

Nope, the capital of India is Raita!

3. Your meal is ruined when you’re served from your left (or right – the point is, darn it, it matters).

This is only for foodies with good manners. I would beg to disagree with this one. For a real foodie, a good meal can't be ruined no matter how it's served.

4. You know the real CIA is a school in New York.

But the people who have graduated from that culinary school are as cocky and obnoxious as the government CIA.

5. You can tell by scent as soon as you enter the restaurant which four cheeses they use in their quattro formaggi sauce and in your opinion they went a little overboard on the Asiago.

Oh yeah, baby. 'Cept you can't ever go overboard on Asiago in my opinion. Except on a bagel.

6. You would starve to death if you were trapped for 40 days in a fully stocked Olive Garden.

This one made me laugh out loud, because I basically said this yesterday while watching a commercial for the restaurant.

7. Not only do you know what cuy is, you know where to find it outside Ecuador and Peru.

I know what it is, but I would never try it to find it outside Ecuador and Peru. I would place bets that they are the only people who can prepare it correctly.

8. You sample bread from a wood-fired oven and turn up your nose at the hint of insufficiently aged elm.

I guess lose this one. I would never turn my nose up at bread. (non-commercial, that is)

9. You spell Kryptonite M A R G A R I N E.

YES! YES! YES!

10. You’re keenly aware that the first word in diet is “die."

Haven't I said this in so many words at least once a week?

I Love This- infused sugars

Design Sponge is one of the most aesthetically appealing blogs I have come across. Fitting, as it is a home design blog (and one of the most popular ones on the internet, I might add). After Domino Magazine folded, this was one of the only places left for me to go for home decor style that actually inspired me. My home is more beautiful because of it.

I have had my fun with infused sugars before, but this article on infused sugars is awesome. It immediately made we want to go out an buy a bunch of cute mason jars and make a home display out of my creations. It's so easy and beautiful, why not? I can see myself already, making tea and mulling over which sugar to sweeten it with (hmm...rose petal or cardamom perhaps?)

If you want a less exotic way to try it out, I would go with the ever classic cinnamon sugar and vanilla sugar.

The Vegan Project- Day 12

Dear Vegan,

Please know that for the rest of my life I will hold you in the utmost respect- for I now know what it is like to be you. I understand what it's like to go to a party and see that the only thing I can eat is the raw carrots. I understand that the consumption of tofu and other soy products is essential to your existence- even if they are processed and not that healthy. I understand why you got so irate and yelled at me when I worked at a bakery and we ran out of vegan cookies. I understand why you, and people like you, are the leading artists in writing emotional songs and painting sad pictures.

Yours is a path not easily followed. I respect your ability to cook beans 500 different ways in order to feel like you are eating a good variety of food. While you may find peace and serenity in your diet, I have come to discover that my family and I cannot eat this way and remain healthy and balanced- both physically and mentally. But this is why we did this experiment, dear vegan- so now we know for sure.

Another benefit of this project is that I will always have empathy toward you and your kind when I come across you in this non-vegan world. I will no longer roll my eyes when I hear you pleadingly beseech the waiter, "Isn't there anything vegan on the menu?" I will try to help you find something to eat.

With much respect,

Annika

I'm a BIG CHEETAH!!!

Yes, that's right, I cheated big time. But I must explain myself, beginning with the fact that I am a severe "type B" personality, and I believe that rules work well...until they don't work anymore. Today, it just didn't work for me.

I have mentioned in my past few blogs that I have been sick and unable to kick my ailments. I've been taking hot baths every night, drinking tea nonstop, eating my vegetables without a doubt, taking cough drops, zinc lozenges, and all kinds of herbs I can't pronounce. Yet still nothing can take away this dry sore throat that feels like I am constantly inhaling in dusty, dirty air. It gets worse at night, so I'm not sleeping well either. Instead, I'm waking up every hour with coughing fits.

I also said that I have absolutely no idea whether or not this vegan experiment has had anything to do with how I'm feeling. For all I know, it could have saved me from an even worse sickness. Either way, tonight I decided enough was enough. Today I went home from work early, and for dinner I had home made chicken noodle soup with the HOTTEST green chilies that I could get my hands on. Sure enough, within minutes my chills went away and my throat felt a little better- I think this is more due to the chilies than the chicken, but I don't care. I just want to feel normal.

My throat still hurts, but I will be back on task tomorrow. I am not throwing my project out completely, lest the entire last week would be in vain. Tonight I am going to make some ginger tea with honey and go to bed early. Hopefully I can sleep.

Thank you, Pop Tarts!

Did you ever think that I would have a title like that? I love this commercial:



At this moment, you're probably all thinking "Whaaaaa?" Why would I, a self proclaimed healthy food snob ever enjoy a commercial for processed, low quality, edible food like substances? Well, first of all, I'll admit I have a soft spot for Pop Tarts since I ate them a lot as a kid. I have, to this very day, been known to still enjoy an "organic toaster pastry" every now and then. But how can I show a commercial like this, and not only live with myself, but actually like it? The answer, my friends, is what this commercial doesn't do.

I love this ad because it does not make any health claims whatsoever. It does not say that Pop Tarts "start your day right" or "are a part of a balanced breakfast." It does not say that Pop Tarts may "lower your cholesterol" or "give you a serving of fruits and vegetables." No, this commercial is insanely honest. In fact, it doesn't even say that Pop Tarts are food at all! The only assertion it actually makes is that Pop Tarts are "made for fun." Fun...I can dig that.

Hey, why not? If you want to have a Pop Tart every now and then for "fun," then go right ahead! If it makes your kid smile, let them have one. Kelloggs all but admitted that they should be used as a treat and not a part of your daily diet, so let's take their word on it, and if you want to enjoy a bit of nostalgia, you have my seal of approval.

The Vegan Project- week 2 (Day 8) check point

Money spent on groceries so far: $300. Ya, you'd think since I'm not buying meat and cheese that this would be cheaper. I think the price is coming from the sheer quantity of food I have been buying in order to keep us full.

Times cheated so far: That depends on if you count each time or each day. We went to a party on Saturday night, and what was I going to do? I didn't do any meat, but the cheese cubes were so cute and bite sized, and the spanikopita so golden....

Times I've cursed this experiment so far: Usually snack times. Oh, and when I so badly wanted to eat that cake.

This week I'm making: This Vegetarian Cassoulet. Um ...yum! Tonight is "every vegetable that is about to go bad in our fridge" lentil stew. I'm sure it will be fine. I hope.

Dinner out: We'll probably go to Cafe Flora this week (a pretty well known vegetarian place), but only do the vegan options.

How I am feeling: As I said the other day, I have been tired and got a bit of a cough this week. Also, Raj's and my skin have both been very dry. It's really hard to tell, though, if that's related to our change in diet or the horrid weather this time of year.

Two weeks to go!

Sweet Rewards!!!!

https://deals.livingsocial.com/deals/369?rpi=39450

I will be rewarding myself with a dozen Trophy cupcakes when I am finished with this project. You should, too!

"Get a Dozen Classic Trophy Cupcakes for Just $15!

Best way to start off your week? Toasted marshmallow frosting! Today we announce a winner of a deal: 55% off Trophy Cupcakes! Pay just $15 (normally $33!) and get a dozen gourmet cupcakes. Everyone from Martha Stewart to Seattle Magazine loves these delectable treats. Our fave flavors are Snickerdoodle (cinnamon and sugar swirled butter cake with cinnamon buttercream) and Hummingbird (a tweeterific banana pineapple coconut cake), but take your pick for your assortment of fun...and oh-so-worth-it calories! Use your deal at any of the three Trophy Cupcake locations. Convenience, best cupcakes in the city, awesome bargain: This deal takes the cake, er, first-place trophy. Mmm..."

Click here for the link!

The Vegan Project- day 6

Tonight we had people over for dinner, and I rocked! My goal was for no one to know that anything was missing from the meal (namely, meat). It took a little more work, but when you think about it I cooked for 8 people and it only took be about an hour and a half total. Clean up was not too bad, either.

I made:

~Farfalle pasta with 3 kinds of mushrooms (portabella, button, and shitake) and vegan pesto sauce.

~This butternut squash soup recipe with a few alterations. I skipped the butter, replaced chicken stock with vegetable stock, and for my own kicks threw in a shot of amaretto and little bit of maple syrup. Win! (BTW, thanks for the tip, Christie!)

~Steamed broccoli and a sliced baguette on the side just to make sure everyone was nice and full.

No one was the wiser, and all in all the dinner was....good! I would do it again even if I didn't have to.

Now in other news, I have to say I got sick this week and Raj has been super tired all weekend. I have no idea whether or not this is a connection to our change in diet. At a time of year when it's 40 degrees and raining every day and the sun goes down before 5:00, it's hard to tell why your body is pissed off. I do have concern about our lack of fat and protein, though.

One more thing I discovered: toast with hummus and sliced marinated olives. It rocks!

ps. Sorry to those who left legitimate comments in the past few days. I have been getting a ridiculous amount of spam comments, most of which are written in asian characters. It's getting really irritating and I don't know how to make it stop. I was so in the habit of deleting lame feedback that I accidently rejected three or four real ones. Do comment again!

The vegan project- day 4

My thoughts are scattered and I'm constantly hungry. How many days are left?

Yesterday I remembered black bean burgers. I have made them in the past, and I actually like them a lot. I had to do a bit of internet research and tweaking of the recipe so that it would work without eggs to bind the patties together. In the end, I decided on a recipe that uses hummus. Once I try it out, I may share it with you.

I bought a few more groceries. Poor Raj is barely sustaining himself, so I picked up a few pre-made vegan meals. I kinda broke my "no faux food" rule, because I noticed one of the ingredients in a breakfast burrito is "soysage"....whatever....I kind of feel, though, like I had no choice.

Thank heavens tonight is restaurant night. We are going to eat at Plum Bistro, which is an exclusively vegan restaurant. I have eaten there before and found it quite enjoyable (more on that later). I think I mentioned before, Seattle is probably one of the most accommodating cities in the world to be a vegan in. In face, at the grocery store last night I might venture to say that the checker was nicer to me when she noticed the vegan food I was buying. Maybe she pitied me and my poor hungry stomach.

What a strange little world I've wandered into....

The Vegan Project day 3

I once baked with a vegan, and I always wondered how she managed to not eat anything we made. I suppose it's easier to pass on meat and dairy when a person is making what they feel is a moral choice rather than a self imposed, torturous experiment like I am doing. Today I made a chocolate birthday cake- my favorite chocolate cake- and I didn't eat any of it. I was quite impressed with my will power. I have to say, I think it's the only time in my memory that I have ever not eaten cake when I wanted to eat cake. And you know what? I didn't die! Shocking, I know. Even less shocking is that later I proceeded to devour a vegan chocolate donut in about three bites.

Tonight I ate dinner at someone else's house, so my meal was basically a normal dinner but without the meat dish. Needless to say, I am hungry still. I also had to deal with a lot of heckling as to why I am trying out this little stunt, but I am sticking to it!

I am feeling tired from the lack of protein and fat, I think. In general, I think I am eating significantly less calories, which is not necessarily a good thing for me. I put hummus and olives on my grocery list in hopes that it will help.

The Vegan Project day 1

I've planned out my dinners, mapped out my lunches....and I have no idea what to eat for breakfast!!! I am an egg person through and through. I have one almost every morning, and I'm feeling a little lost now. I refuse to make something odd like a tofu scramble, so now I am stuck. I thought about oatmeal, and I probably will give it a go eventually, but the thought of it without any butter, cream, or milk is not enticing me at the moment. As of now, I'm looking at toast with jam, a piece of fruit, and some tea. I guess that's not too bad.

Hey, vegans out there- what do you eat for breakfast? I'm fascinated by this topic now. Do you even eat breakfast foods, or do you just eat your dinner leftovers? I did find this resource here. I can't say that I have craved sweet potatoes for breakfast ever. I think I am going to try that "banana boat" idea for a snack, though.

Ok...deep breath....focus on what I can eat, not what I can't. Peanut butter, fruit, smoothies, potato hash. I did buy soy milk so that I could make vegan pancakes. I must get on with it, though. Eating vegan is time consuming!

ps. I just realized that photo I posted is an add for an anti-nausea drug for pregnancy morning sickness. Scary...

The Vegan Project day 0

Tomorrow I will officially be a vegan for three weeks (save for a dinner party here and there). I have decided, by the way, to go the whole nine yards and forgo honey as well. I've wanted to see what I thought of agave nectar anyway.

Today I went grocery shopping. It was surprisingly easy. I didn't find myself pining away at the cheese section like I thought I would. I did, however, realize that I am going to sorely miss yogurt, which I have for a snack quite often. I was going to hold to the "no faux foods" rule, and not by any imitation items, such as tofurky, soy cheese, etc...but I picked up a soy yogurt just to see what I thought.

For dinner, I made the butternut squash enchiladas, since we will be eating the leftovers this week. I nailed it, people! They were time consuming, but ended up oh so delicious and wanting in nothing. I can't begin to give you a recipe, because it was so many recipes spliced and edited and then put together with my own tastes as well. But I can tell you, the ingredients were: butternut squash (duh), red potatoes, quinoa, black beans, onion, green bell pepper, green chili, cashew paste, cilantro, and green enchilada sauce. Oh, and corn tortillas. Drink with kombucha, and end with coconut ice cream, and I've got one encouraging start to my adventure!

I am still here

I bet you've been wondering where I've been, after I last gave you that nail biting of an introduction to my little experiment. The truth is I have been procrastinating...er.... biding my time until I feel ready.

I have spent some of this time trying to consume all of the dairy and meat products that we have lying about (because I'm sure most vegans will agree that even worse than taking from an animal is taking and then wasting it). This includes the four dozen eggs that we have somehow ended up with in our refrigerator.

If I'm honest, I am also building up the gumption to go on with my project. I am not sure why it's so intimidating to me, but it is. I have gathered (in my head only, so far) a list of recipes that I will want to make. Things that I have made in the past, but never noticed that they were vegan- butternut squash enchiladas, kale and white bean soup, a lot of curries and Indian food. Also, I've noted things I want to try, like squash stew.

And now that also I remembered that dark chocolate and applesauce are both vegan, I am ready to begin. I think I am going to start on Tuesday...check back!

Well, why not?

I just heard the other day about a project called "The 21 day vegan challenge." It is pretty self-explanatory. Eat vegan for 3 weeks and see how you feel after. So I thought, well, why not? I am always up for experiments, and anything to make the time pass in hands down the crappiest time of the entire year (after the holidays, before the weather gets warmer). Also, it gives me a way to expand my own culinary world, and gives me something to share with you.

Here is where I stand currently: I am not a vegan or vegetarian, nor do I put any other restrictions on my diet whatsoever. I have trained myself to have (mostly) healthy habits, so generally I can let myself eat whatever I feel like. I do recognize that the meat and dairy industries in this country are often disgusting, unsanitary, inhumane, and also that meat takes up a much larger part of the American diet than it should. Most dinners I cook have some sort of meat in them, but not all, because I don't want to depend upon it. Lastly, I could always use a few more veggies, and cutting out meat and dairy will inevitably make me eat more.

My concerns are as follows:

1. Keeping full- especially my 6'8 husband who is doing this with me. I've heard beans are the answer to this problem.

2. Time- Since I am not used to cooking this way, I am going to have to do a lot of planning. Not to mention I can't just come home from a long day's work and quickly grill a fish.

3. I am afraid that I am just going to spend 3 weeks eating bread.

4. I can take meat or leave it, but the things I am going to miss the most are dairy. I consume my fair share of eggs, butter, cheese, and yogurt, and I have never found a milk replacement that I liked- especially for my tea.

I read a little bit of advice about eating vegan, and one thing I am going to try to do is focus on what I can eat rather than what will be eliminated. Things such as: oatmeal, bread, peanut butter, pasta, various random grains, and of course fruits and vegetables.

My rules will be flexible. None of this "don't eat it if it's ever been within a half mile of an animal" nonsense that some people go by. I may even eat honey, but I haven't decided yet. And since Seattle is a vegan paradise, we will be going out to sample vegan restaurants once a week.

I'll let you know when I get started!

Joseph Joseph and the kitchen of many colors

As I was making my $10 kitchen gift list, I was remembering my list from last year- particularly the colorful and fun products by Joseph Joseph. I love the idea of taking our every day tools and utensils, and turning them into something beautiful.

So, using this list of the "top ten cooking tools a chef needs" as an inspiration, I have interpreted the guidelines to make own my list.

10. Durable non-plastic oil/vinegar cruets and spice containers


Easy, thanks to World Market. This even comes with spices already in it.

9. Tough wood and plastic cutting boards



Wood is always pretty, but nothing compares to stripes.

8. Multiple non-stick-safe spatulas and stirring spoons



You can't mess with the simple design of a spatula, but a little barnyard motif never hurt anyone.

7. Sharp peeler



Hands down. Cutest. Peeler. Ever.

6. Sharp can opener

Aaaand we can continue the bird theme with a "tou-can-opener"

5. High-quality boning knife

Cute? No. Beautiful? Yes.

4. Forged chef's knife



Of course you know I think Bob Kramer's line of knives for Shun are the most beautiful. I heart them.

3. Pyrex glass measuring cups

Pyrex doesn't really change their design very much, but remember these measuring cups?



2. KitchenAid mixer



You really get the punch of amazing color when you see them all together.

1. Quality pots and pans


Le Creuset is easily the prettiest set of pots and pans you can get. Also perhaps the awesomest. Mix and match!

Under $10 Kitchen Gift Guide (and a little more)

Salter kitchen timer $10.00 Whetstone Woodenware toaster tongs $6.95 Fran's Chocolate Sauce $8.50 Lady Slipper Dish towel $7.95 Crate and Barrel tomato slice bowls $3.95-$6.95 Key bottle opener $12 In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan $10.20 Panda Filter Mug $4.99

Hurry, time is winding down for online orders!

Catering a christmas party

For 60 guests. Love it when I get to put my pastry school skills to work. The hostess wanted all cakes, so here is what she is getting:

-Flourless chocolate decadence cake with crumbled pistachios on top

-Cranberry eggnog cheesecake

-Angel food peppermint cake with crushed candy cane garnish

-Sherry cake (Have you had this? It's southern, and pretty darned good)

-A lot of cookies for the kids. (I learned my lesson last year about greedy little kids at Christmas parties after they stuffed their faces with all my beautiful petit fours before any of the adults even saw them. The plan this year: make them sick on cookies and then put out the cakes for the adults to enjoy.)

I'll let you know how this goes!

Current obsession: whole grain mustard

I have never been a mustard fan. This has always been a sad reminder that hangs over my head reminding me that no matter how hard I try, I will never truly be a European (I know, I know, that little red EU passport is also a minor detail). Try as I might, if I was honest with myself I would say that whatever I was eating would have tasted better to me sans mustard- dijon, French's, whatever. Now I realized I was just uneducated.

I discovered whole grain mustard a couple months ago when I was making a turkey, spinach, and potato hash. It called for 1/4 cup of the mustard. It was obvious while eating it that the whole grain mustard made the dish. Then again, about a month ago, I made a beef stew, and what made it super tasty? Oh, yes. Another 1/4 cup of whole grain mustard! It just turns out that it makes everything....just plain better. It's definitely another one for the "make people think you did something really fancy" list. It acts like a secret ingredient. It's not sour and acidic like other mustards. It's just more tart and flavorful.

Now I won't have to feel bad about now getting the nutritional value of the superfood known as mustard. Do you know how healthy this stuff is? Speed up your metabolism, improve digestion, decrease cancer cell growth, help migranes, asthma, arthritis....I pretty much put a spoonful in and on everything savory that I cook now.

By the way, my favorite brand is Maille. You can for sure get it at whole foods, and probably other stores, too.

A feast for your eyes

For your viewing pleasure, I have put Christmas in a blog. These are some of my favorite photos of Christmas food that I have collected. Maybe they will inspire you to make something beautiful. Or maybe they are just fun to stare at:

Marshmallows and dresses

What more are the holidays about?

I happened to be watching Martha Stewart the other day while I was wrapping presents. She was making marshmallows with Claire Danes. The show brought to my attention that marshmallows would be a really fun bulk gift to make for all your friends and neighbors (and not to mention that Martha reminded us that they were "trendy" about 65 times). I tried very hard to pay attention to the recipe and the method, but pretty much spent the entire time drooling over Claire Danes' dress and wondering who the designer was.

If you find the task of making marshmallows interesting, here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Makes about 16

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 (1/4-ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Confectioners' sugar, sifted, for coating

Directions

1. Lightly spray a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; boil rapidly for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and, with the mixer on high, slowly pour the boiling syrup down the side of the mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Add salt and continue mixing for 12 minutes.
3. Add peppermint extract and mix until well combined. Spray a rubber spatula or your hands with cooking spray. Spread gelatin mixture evenly into pan using prepared spatula or your hands. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, spray side down, on top of marshmallows. Let stand for 2 hours.
4. Carefully remove marshmallows from pan. Remove all plastic wrap and discard. Cut marshmallows into 2-inch squares using a sprayed a sharp knife. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Working in batches, add marshmallows to bowl and toss to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

And if you just want to drool over an amazing dress, here's the link to the preview:

http://www.marthastewart.com/show/the-martha-stewart-show/actress-claire-danes

Isn't that dress awesome? If I had it I would wear it every day, I think. And I would most certainly make marshmallows while wearing it. Yeah.

If you don't like to bake...

...you know who you are.

So many parties, so many pot lucks, so many "bring along dessert!" invitations. What do you do? Pick up packaged cookies from the grocery store? Noooo, you make caramel corn! This definitely goes on my "easy things that for some reason really impress people" list. I made caramel corn recently for a party when I ran out of time to bake something, and people were raving, I tell you!

I got the recipe from Gourmet, and as amazing as it is, it fails to include the secret ingredient: popping the corn in coconut oil. Not only is coconut oil one of the healthiest fats for high heat, but it also gives the popcorn an ever so slightly sweet flavor- not strong enough to identify, but enough for everyone to think that you've done something really important.

So here's the rest of the recipe from Gourmet- no pastry chef degree required!

Maple Pecan Popcorn

Makes about10 cups

• About 8 cups plain popcorn
• 1 cup pecans (3 1/2 oz), coarsely chopped and toasted
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Equipment:

  a candy or deep-fat thermometer

• Toss popcorn and pecans in a large bowl.
• Line bottom of a 17- by 11-inch 4-sided sheet pan with foil, then lightly oil foil.
• Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add maple syrup and salt and boil (still over medium heat), without stirring, until thermometer registers 300°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pecans and popcorn, stirring briskly with a lightly oiled spoon or silicone spatula to coat, then immediately spread popcorn in pan in 1 layer. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.

Fun fact of the day

Did you know that pine trees are edible? I just found this out. Apparently some breeds of pine have needles and bark that you can consume if you're ever stuck in the wilderness. Maybe boys scouts already know this? You can consume pine needles or brew pine needle tea- they are very high in vitamin C. Also, some Native Americans ate the bark of pine trees (that part I probably wouldn't recommend trying).

Only the best

Does anyone question that I loooove kitchen stores? I think not. When I buy my tools, I want quality, long lasting items. The problem is sometimes being able to decipher whether or not the quality that I want comes with the price tag. I'm smart enough to not assume that just because a wooden spoon is within the four walls of Sur La Table and priced at $25 that it is going to be the best wooden spoon out there. In fact I know this is not true.

I went to college in a tiny little town in the middle of Indiana called Winona Lake, and, while Wal Mart was certainly always 8 minutes away in the next town, Winona Lake had quite a standard of what businesses were allowed to be within its city limits. The water front was dotted with artisans and small shops. One of which is what I consider to be the best thing (if not the only good thing) that comes out of Indiana.

I was too wrapped up in college to care about domestic things, but when I graduated, got married, and started taking care of a house, my mind immediately went back to Whetstone Woodenware. The story is that the owner was a furniture makes and that his wife asked him to make "a wooden spoon that would not break." What came out of it was an entire business model. They have cutting boards, spoons of all shapes and sizes (the flat paddle is my favorite, and I literally use it every day), rolling pins, tongs, etc...all hand carved from wood! I'm telling you, these are by far the best kitchen tools that money can buy. Seriously, this guy could be charging three times as much as he does, but keeps all his merchandise at small town, midwest prices.

In this economy, and especially during the holidays when businesses expect a rise in sales, it's so important to support small businesses. And really, if they're selling the better product for the better price you have no excuse. This year, skip Williams Sonoma and browse through Whetstone's website instead. Instead of dealing with parking and crowds, you can sit at home on your computer, put on Christmas music, and sip tea all while you shop!

This is great

Aaaah Christmas cookies!

They are just about one of my favorite things in the world- the coming together of everything I love about the holidays! This year, I think the award for the best compilation of Christmas cookies goes to Sunset Magazine. The December issue sat on my coffee table for at least two weeks before I finally opened it up.

The article has just four cookie dough recipes, but it gets creative with the fillings and decorations. Who knows? It could even inspire creative thinking!

Round 2

I stuck with it! Today I prepared the doughs for pumpkin pie and onion pie. I also made the turkey stock, which isn't difficult, but takes quite a lot of time.

Tomorrow we will make almost all of the dishes (stuffing, glazed carrots, boiled kale, put the pies together) so that Thursday all we'll have to think about is roasting "The Bird" and the other things that are better made the same day like salad and mashed potatoes.

After we are done preparing everything we can on Wednesday, we will be doing what I hope most of you will be doing and EATING DINNER OUT! You'll have enough to think about on Thanksgiving, and you're going to want to start the morning with a clean kitchen. Trust me.

Round 1

3 Days to go! I hope that you are at least thinking about your menu for the biggest feasting day of the year. I decided that I would finally go for "The Bird" this year rather than my past endeavors such of duck, Cornish game hen, or ribs.

I was very proud of myself for getting all of my shopping done on Saturday. Now all I have to do is meditatively stick to my game plan. What a fun week I have in front of me!

Today I made:
-cranberry relish
-sauerkraut with apples
-the filling for the onion pie
-the beet marinade for the marinated deviled eggs.

Didn't get to the pie dough. That'll come tomorrow. Try to have a spirit of thanks all week, and enjoy every minute of it!

I think you must know

In the past have shared with you many of my favorite restaurants. I like to keep this blog positive, but after my dinner out last Friday, I feel I need to rant. Oh yes, we had a terribly mediocre, horribly overpriced dinner. The kind that hurts when you pay for it. This brought back memories of a few other dinners we've had like that. These are dining establishments in Seattle which, no matter how often you hear people say they just loved it, I want to you please heed my words and avoid them like the plague. My biggest disappointment list...

....Begins with last Friday when Raj and I decided to explore the new high end shopping center in Bellevue called The Braven . We should have been clued in when walking by the new Louis Vuitton store that The Bravern caters to people who like to pay waaay to much for low quality junk just to make themselves think it's luxury. We wanted to try something new, anyway, so we went to The Artisanal Brasserie, which apparently is an extremely popular restaurant in Manhattan (that totally blows my mind, because I always imagined that New Yorkers know when they're being taken) and the chef came here to open a new one. The menu was promising, and almost looked like the index for Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I ordered an onion tarte and Raj ordered steak tartare for starters, and we decided to share a cassoulet for an entree (after all, and $20 entree should be enough food for the two of us, right?). It all sounded fancy, but in the end, my "tarte" was caramelized onions on a pita, Raj's tartare was ground beef, and the cassoulet was unremarkable and so small that Raj also had to order soup to fill himself up. The worst part was that combined with two glasses of wine the bill came out to be $100. Don't get me wrong, we've paid that for a good dinner out before, but this was seriously twice as much as it should have been. Combine that with the fact that we saw the movie "2012" after, and you've got one bad date (except, of course, the man I was with)!

If you think $100 is a nauseating bill, a year or two ago we wanted to go "somewhere nice," so we decided to go to Crush at the recommendation of many supposed foodies we had talked to. This was a while ago, so I don't remember the details of what we ate. All I know is that I so badly wanted to love it- the pretentious white decor, the insanely slow service, the food that just didn't tickle me. I wished even more that we had enjoyed the experience when our $250 check came at the end of the meal. Live and learn, and never eat there again, am I right?

Other places to not eat:

The Space Needle Restaurant (total novelty)
Burgermaster (does this go without saying?)
Lark (I'm taking the advice of friends on this one. Some people swear it's their favorite restaurant, but based on my knowledge of our tastes I think we'll skip it)

All I have to say is this:

Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS

5-7 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into wedges

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter removed from fridge 45 minutes prior

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put the apples in a 9x13x2 inch Pyrex casserole dish.

Sprinkle the lemon juice and nutmeg over the apples.

Sprinkle the cut vanilla extract over the top of the apples.

Stir the mixture around a bit with a spoon.

Combine maple syrup, cinnamon, oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in butter.

Sprinkle mixture over apples.

Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crisp.

Here is why you are thanking me:

Difficulty: none

Refined Sugar: none

Wheat: none

Guilt: none

You can also replace the butter with coconut oil to make it vegan or the oats with quinoa to make it even healthier (although that's a bit adventurous for me).

Again, you're welcome. ;)