The Girl and the Fig

I simply adore figs. Borderline obsessive about them actually. They remind me of childhood and late summer, my favorite time of year. Growing up we would pick them right off the tree in my mom's backyard, and eat them. When fresh and ripe, those little suckers are supple, sweet and wonderful. The inside of a fresh fig is so succulent, and a gorgeous while and pink color, and loaded with tiny edible seeds. They are good with proscuitto, chicken, in tarts, with goat or blue (or halloumi) cheese, drizzled with honey or pepper, but seriously, they are best just right off the tree, unmodified, uncooked, just as they are.

Figs are a Mediterranean staple. In California where I'm from, figs are also abundant and cheap, almost to the point where during their peak season in late summer, they are too plentiful to be sold - you can just pick them anywhere. Here in Utah, since we have to import them, and since they are delicate and don't travel well, they are expensive, teeny and unripe. Sometimes I give in and buy them when they look decent at Whole Foods, but usually, I can't even eat them, they are so unflavorful compared to what I'm used to. The only thing that keeps me going during fig season are my yearly trips back to the Bay, where I load up and try to bring as many back with me as I can. Fig season is so important to me, right up with with Christmas and Chinese New Year, that I haven't missed one since moving away. This year, my good friend Shelly gave me some canned and bottled fig delicacies that she made in her home kitchen with figs from her tree: Fig balsamic reduction, fig wine sauce, fig jam and fig syrup. That stuff won't last long.

If your only interaction with the fig is from those silly little Newton things, then you really haven't had a fig. Go right now, don't wait, and try a fresh one, wherever you are, even if it means traveling thousands of miles.

SF Girl in SF

I am visiting the Bay Area this weekend. I had been jumping out of my skin excited to get back to San Fran, and I am so happy to be here. Unfortunately, I might have accidentally packed the Utah desert heat in my suitcase and brought it with me. The normally cool temperatures here usually hover around 65-70 degrees, but this weekend it has been in the high 90's! Yikes! But unlike Utah, where most homes are equipped with air conditioning, people here are lucky to have a fan! While driving with my mother yesterday, I begged her to turn on the AC in the car. She didn't know how! Double yikes!

It is still good to be home no matter the weather. I am having so much fun catching up with family and friends. Two nights ago I took a late night walk North Beach with some friends, grabbing a beer at a bar, still managing to get up at 6am for a 3 mile run along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building, under the Bay Bridge, to the ballpark and back. My cousins took me to Santana Row last night where we did not wait in the mile long line for a yogurt at Pinkberry. Maybe next time.



I had to smile this morning when I walked down to the coffee shop near my parent's house. In addition to normal breakfast pastries for sale- muffins, scones, oatmeal, there was also a plate of char siu bao. THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!

Dog Years

I've heard that if you take a dog's age and multiply it by 7, that is what their age is in human years. Floyd is 2.5, so that would make him about 17 human years old. Does this remind you of you at 17?

Note to PETA: He's not really smoking anything, it's just a rolled up piece of paper he was playing with.

Some Vacation Photos

Golden Bears

All this bear talk has reminded me that one of my favorite times of the year is upon us: college football season! Yes, it's true, I think college football is so exciting. My favorite team is, of course, the California Golden Bears. While Cal has always been known more for its academics & activism, I did hear that Cal's preseason ranking is #15 and our running back, Jahvid Best is widely thought to be a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy. Is this the year we beat USC? Do I see a New Year filled with roses? All I know is, I LOVE Pasadena in January.

Rocky Mountain Adventure

If you have noticed a lack of posts lately, it's because I've had a whirlwind two weeks. Two weekends ago John and I visited his mom's side of the family on the Jersey Shore. The trip was very brief yet enjoyable, but unfortunately can be summed up by two words: humidity and mosquitoes. As many of you know, I am a tried and true weather wimp. Anything higher or lower than a non-humid 70 is a bit much for me. Luckily too, for the mosquitoes on the East Coast, I showed up and unwillingly volunteered myself to become a blood donation station. Calamine lotion became my newest best friend.

They day after returning, my friend and cohort, Bree and I left for Montana on a business trip. The highlight of that trip was definitely our dinner at the Olive Garden. Soup, salad and breadsticks, YUM!

Once again, upon returning from Montana, John and I were officially on vacation. We left for Estes Park, CO the next morning, Floyd in tow. Our destination was the Maxey family cabin in Rocky Mountain National Park. What a lovely vacation complete with lots of hiking, fishing, rock climbing and family bonding. A cute black bear was nice enough to pay us a visit one morning, letting himself into the cabin and walking right into the living room. Here is a picture of a bear similar to our visitor.

Sleepover at Tupelo's

Whenever we go out of town and can't bring Floyd, we are lucky to have Kristin, Kyle and their furry child, Tupelo, also Floyd's girlfriend, to watch him. I don't think he even notices we're gone. This weekend we are headed for the Jersey Shore with John's family. Here's Floyd all packed for his weekend sleepover.

Carrots

John came home the other day from a Costco run with 3lbs of carrots. I usually like it when he brings home a huge bag of something not on our regular list of things. I typically like the challenge. The problem, is that I'm not a huge fan of carrots. Dipped in something they are good, but I feel like I use them only as a utensil rather that a vegetable. Luckily, I adapted several different recipes in to this recipe using the classic flavor of carrot and ginger:

Orange Glazed Ginger Carrots

1 lbs of carrots, sliced, or whole baby carrots
1/3 cup of orange juice not from concentrate
1 cup water
2 TB honey
1 TB fresh ginger, grated
2 TB unsalted butter
1 TB chopped chives (optional - for garnish)
2 TB chopped pecans (optional - for garnish)

Melt butter in a deep saucepan (I used my cast iron skillet). Add carrots and saute for 5 minutes, coating all the carrots in butter. Add water, orange juice, ginger and honey and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to a glaze. Top with chives and pecans.

It was beautiful and delicious!!! Try it.

Miss Piggies

Thesedays, I am not sure if we have chickens or pigs in our yard. Those girls have been devouring food, not only their feed but all of our scraps, bugs and worms. Can you say spoiled?

This is a photo of Sookie, Hedwig, Bellatrix and unnamed red chicken waiting for a mealworm.

You Say Tomato, I Say Love Apple

I read somewhere that when the French were first introduced to the tomato by the Italians, they referred to it as the pomme d'amour, which literally translates to "love apple". I wonder, did they think it had aphrodesiacal powers? Anyhoo, here is a photo of my "love apple" garden. They'll be red, green, yellow, and purple any day now.

Inside All of Us is a Wild Thing

If you are looking for a reason to get stupidly giddy, I have it. Yes, a movie version of one of the best books ever written, Where the Wild Things Are. Check out the preview here. The trailer alone brought chills to my spine and tears to my eyes. I like everyone involved with this, especially the screenwriter, Dave Eggers, and the triumphant song in the preview, Wake Up, by one of my favorite bands, Arcade Fire. October 16 can't come soon enough!

Farmers Market Heaven

It that wonderous time of year where the summer harvest is reaching its peak. At the farmer's market today I managed to get my hands on these beautiful fruits and veggies (and meat!).Yes, those are red carrots, purple green beans, yellow zucchini, and although you can't see it, those beets are a red and white swirl in the middle. I know they will be as delicious as they are gorgeous!

Rant The Sequel

I've found myself on a ranting roll. Another thing that really bothers me is summer in Utah. This is the time of year where I wonder why I moved here. It is so hot here during the day that all I can do is hide in the house with the air at full blast. Poor Floyd, whose whole being involves spending at least 2 hours per days running around chasing a ball or a frisbee, gets so overheated after a few minutes outside that he plops down in the shade and doesn't move. I ask myself, why is it necessary to live in a place where 2-3 months out of the year are 90+ degrees? I miss the days when heat waves were not only so few and far between, but bearable (85 degrees tops) that we actually appreciated and savored them. In San Francisco, when the sun clears the fog and it reaches 75 out, everyone comes out of their cubby holes and soaks up the sun at the nearest park or beach. Restaurants put tables outside and people really do relish in dining outdoors on those few days that they can. There is an unbelievable energy throughout the city. This is a scene from Dolores Park in the Mission/Castro District where I lived before moving. Mark Twain famously said "The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco." Sounds wonderful!!!

Rant

I haven't posted in a while, due to a busy, yet uneventful couple weeks. Well, I'm back, and I think a there is no better way to come back than with a hate filled negative rant. What has been getting my beef lately, you ask?


As many of you know, John has been out of town for a while for work and play. Whenever he's gone, I usually turn to my replacement boyfriend, Anderson Cooper, the cute silver-haired reporter on CNN, to keep me from getting too lonely. A small dose of Anderson each day usually washes away the loneliness blues. Unfortunately, thesedays when I tune in, 2 people keep popping up whose only impacts on the world were to make it a more loathesome place: Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin. It's like living with your boyfriend and his 2 loser best friends. And it's not poor Anderson's fault, it's his job to report the news. So please Sarah and Dick, go back to the holes you crawled out of (and stay there for the next 50 years while you're at it). Anderson and I would like an evening alone!

Double Rainbow

I was driving home after a thunderstorm today and all of a sudden, right in front of me was the coolest thing ever: a full arching rainbow, clear and crisp as can be. Not one, but two! One right on top of the other. I pulled into a Whole Foods parking lot to get a better look, and there was a crowd of 20 people standing outside, also getting a peek. It was a magical moment, like seeing a hummingbird. The picture below is not the actual double rainbow I saw (I did not have my camera - crap!!!) but it was just like it. It was a coincidental reminder that it is Pride weekend back home in SF. Happy Pride everyone!

City Girl Gone Rogue

John and I and two of our friends, Brittney and Jesse are going on a quick getaway to the Uinta Mountains this weekend. I have gotten my first ever fishing lisence. It is a momentus occasion. However, I am actually rooting for the fish.

RIP The Scarecrow

It's sad that it took Michael Jackson's death to make me remember how much a part of my childhood he was. And while over the years I have danced to 'Don't Stop' a million times, and loved the 'Thriller' video as much as anybody, I have to say that my favorite memory of MJ is "The Wiz". This one is so so underappreciated! One of my earliest memories is of watching it on tv with my parents. I wish I had it on DVD. I'd watch it right now in honor of him.

Gummy Melt

Have you ever wondered what happens to a jar of gummy worms when left in a car in 90+ degree weather? Wonder no more:

Amazing Grace

I have a wonderful friend from school, Maggie. 2 months ago, Maggie and her husband Mike (also a friend from high school) had the most beautiful baby girl, Grace Ellen Meyer. Grace was born with a heart defect that required surgery not long after she was born. It has been a trying 2 months for her and her parents, but I was thrilled to hear that yesterday, Grace was taken off her ventilator and was able to breathe on her own all day. Amazing Grace indeed!

I cannot think of a more awesome person than Maggie and as someone who had many sleepovers at her house, I can say the same for her wonderful family. I know that it was their enduring love for Grace and for each other that lifted her through these tough times. If you pray, please pray for this gorgeous little one, or keep her in your thoughts. I know the positive energy of everyone around her will help her heal. I am crossing my fingers that Maggie and Mike will be able to take her home for the first time soon, an event that is long overdue.

Haute Dog

If you are prone to spoiling your dog, as am I, and yourself, which I am also a strong proponent of, this might be the thing for you. If you live in the area, Log Haven restuarant in Millcreek Canyon is having "Dog Days of Summer". Bring your dog to dinner on the outside patio (weather and space permitting) and while he enjoys specially prepared "k-9 kabobs", you can enjoy $33.95 prime rib or $25 steak and lobster (before 6:30pm during the month of June). See you there!

Bachelorette Pad

My chickens are quickly growing into sophisticated, modern and independant ladies. They are in search of the perfect bachelorette pad. Anyone know how to build something like this?

Pago

It might be a bold statement to say that I think that professional chefs are going to save the world (if they haven't already), but I really do believe it. More and more, not just in major cities, but even in smaller cities like SLC, I see executive chefs partnering with local farms and local artisans in order to get fresher, more flavorful and less processed produce and meats, which in turn helps the local economy and environment. I know a lot of ordinary people, like me, who have taken these ideas and use them in their own kitchens. I know we'll all be healthier too. If you don't understand how important this is, then read The Omnivore's Dilemma and/or In Defense of Food, both by Michael Pollan.


Which is why I was so excited to hear about a new restaurant/wine bar in my little neighborhood called Pago. The description on its website says it is a 'Farm to Table' restaurant where they use high quality, local and seasonal ingredients. I can't wait to try it. They are open for brunch on the weekends, and lunch and dinner every day. I'm definitely going to support this neighborhood restaurant with a philosophy that I fully support. Who would like to join me?

Curry in a Hurry

Try this yummy thai-style curry recipe. I made it tonight and it was so good! I substituted whole wheat noodles for the rice noodles, halved the amount of chicken and supplemented it with mushrooms.

I Heart The One

Dear President Obama,

You are making it harder for our husbands, boyfriends, partners, etc to say they are too busy at work or too stressed to take us out on a date night. Keep up the good work.

Love, Debbie

A Delicious and Healthy Meal in Less Than 30 Minutes

Only sans the very annoying Rachel Ray. Tonight I made a spinach salad with chicken, carmelized cinnamon pears, toasted pecans, goat cheese and thinly sliced celery w/olive oil & vinegar dressing. I paired it with a side of polenta. Yes, I have been on a polenta kick lately. The best part of the meal is that it took me 30 minutes to make, enough time for John and Floyd to go for a walk and get home just as I was finishing the polenta. The meal turned out so well that I'm going to recreate it tomorrow night for John's boss, who we are delivering a homemade meal to while he recovers from back surgery. I hope he likes it as much as we did.

Cooped Up

Since we got our 6 little chickies yesterday, my research into cool chicken coop designs has kicked into high gear. I am a little obsessed with this coop with the grass roof. There is also the awesome and very modern Omlet that was a great find by my always resourceful friend Bree.

As for the babies, they are doing quite well and growing very fast! All they do right now is eat, sleep and poop, so they are really easy to care for. I have stopped constantly worrying if they are too hot or too cold. The heat lamp next to their cage keeps them at a steady 90-100 degrees. Today we got real feeding & drinking troughs for them. My favorites right now are the 2 Ameraucanas. Their feathers are already so cool looking. I can't wait to name them!

Polenta "Tartlets"

I made these cute little suckers for dinner tonight. The inspiration was an appetizer that I had at Faustina last week. They are muffin-sized polenta bites with goat cheese, tomatoes, chives and parsley over a roasted red pepper sauce. They were a success and super easy to make. I just used a simple polenta recipe made with chicken stock and parmesean cheese, poured it into a buttered muffin tray, made a thumbprint indentation in the middle and chilled until firm (about 2 hours in the fridge). Once set, I put a dollop of goat cheese in the indentation, topped it with quartered cherry tomatoes, and roasted in the oven for 20 min. I then sprinkled them with chives and parsley from my garden. For the roasted red pepper sauce, I blended a 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers (drained), about 1/3 C chicken stock, juice from 1/2 a lemon, 1 garlic clove and a few sprigs of fresh parsley in a food processer until smooth.

When I make these again, I will probably add toasted pine nuts to the goat cheese and bake them longer or sautee them so that the polenta is crispy on the outside. Overall this is a simple treat for anyone who enjoys polenta and an elegant, crowd-pleasing appetizer to serve at any gathering.

Babies Galore

I always thought that if we got another animal to keep Floyd company it would be another dog, possibly even a cat. I never thought of having any animals beyond that. Well, we have 6 new additions to the family. Meet our chicks. They are super cute!!! They are currently living in our basement, since we are not quite sure how Floyd is going to react to them. We have 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Red Sex Links and 2 Ameraucanas, all rarer breeds of chickens that are good egg producers. They will be so beautiful when they are full grown. More to come on the chicken coop and we should be announcing names as soon as we can tell them apart!

Lure Course Champion Update

Floyd is very tired from the competition today.

Lure Course Champion

Today we took Floyd to his second Lure Course Competition at the Wild Outdoors Festival. A lure course is when a dog chases a (fake) squirrel or rabbit through an obstacle course. This particular competition is judged solely on speed. Floyd goes absolutely wild when he sees the squirrel tail.

Floyd had the second fastest time and won the silver medal. He would have definitely won the gold medal if points were given for style, but nonetheless, we are very impressed with our little rescue mutt from the pound. He is such a fun dog to have.

The Song of the Summer

The band is Phoenix. The song is called 1901. I can't get enough. They make me want to become French. Go check it out now. Run.

Spring Harvest

It is only the beginning of June but we are ready to harvest our first vegetable...and the winner is: rhubarb! Rhubarb is very hearty, and grows without a lot of effort from us. When I pick the rhubarb in the next couple days I will think of my good friend Shelly, who lives in San Jose, and makes an excellent fig-rhubarb jam. Wish she was closer! John's mother, Kay, who happens to be visiting us this weekend, is probably the best pie maker around. Lucky us! If you are in the area, stop by this weekend for some amazing rhubarb pie.

Birthday Parties & Lake Michigan

I've been away from the computer for a few days. John and I headed back east to spend a few (too) short days in his home state of Michigan. The occasion was John's grandfather, Dr AJ Neerken's 90th birthday party at his beautiful home near the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. Two out of three of his children were present, along with 4 out of his 6 grandchildren, all 3 of his great-grandchildren and some of his oldest friends (including a former Miss Michigan!). It was a great tribute to a great man, who I know will be celebrating many more bithdays to come.

Another highlight of the weekenfd was a beachside walk with John, his mom and her two pups, Joey & Gem, at their family's summer cabin on Lake Michigan.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I was too busy basking in good company and the warm Michigan spring. :)

All Dogs are Beautiful

There is a small private school near my house called Realms of Inquiry. I walked by there with Floyd just now and there were a few students in the yard, each of them no more than 7 years old. One of them shouted, "That sure is a beautiful dog you've got there!" To which another young child said, "Emmy, all dogs are beautiful!"

Peaches

Last night could only be described as a night of party kids, hipsters, drag queens, lesbians, go-go dancers in cages, douchebags and a sexy performer that blurs the line between male and female. In a past life, this would have been a typical Friday or Saturday (or Wednesday or Thursday or Tuesday) night for me, but since today I am slightly older, mildly wiser and live further away from the epicenter of the "eclectic" lifestyle, nights like these are rarer, yet no less enjoyable.

John, my beautiful and witty neighbor Syd and I were at In The Venue to see the one and only Peaches, a singer that can only be described as raunchy goodness. Peaches is everything Madonna was trying to be in her last tour, but could never be because she's Madonna, and Peaches is the real deal. The show was packed with her provocative electronica music, several costume changes, crowd surfing and backup musician hotties. My favorite outfit involved a flashing light crotch thong over a nude leotard. If buying a CD called Impeach My Bush makes you a bit sheepish, Peaches may not be for you, but if you like to let loose once in a while, check her out. She puts on an awesome show.

While last night made me nostalgic for those crazy, carefree days of my early twenties, it also made me really happy to be exactly where I am, and grateful for the journey that got me here.

Cookie Cutters Belong in the Kitchen

Today a Hispanic female, Judge Sonia Sotomeyer, was nominated to the Supreme Court and I was thrilled to hear the news, not just for its historical significance, but because her credentials and experience appear to be top notch. It's exciting to see some of our longest held institutions finally reflecting the evolving diversity of this country.

Starts with a Gal, Ends with a Kis

Sadly, Memorial Day weekend is drawing to a close and it's back to the daily grind in the morning. It was a relaxing and productive weekend though, and now we're set for the next two weekends in a row which will be busy busy.

John and I saw this comedian, Zach Galifianakis, at a benefit for 826 Valencia in SF about 4 years ago, and just this past weekend caught a movie/documentary he made in 2006. It is mostly footage of his stand-up routine shot at the Purple Onion in SF and some behind the scenes interviews. If you have a Netflix account I highly recommend watching it, especially since you can easily stream it straight to your computer. Though he's much funnier live, the movie is at times laugh-out-loud hilarious. Here's a short video of part of one of his routines. I love the bit about reading the bible in public places. If he comes to a city near you, don't miss him!

In other entertainment news, I am seriously obsessed with the angelic voice of Susan Boyle. I can't watch her without getting wheepy! What an inpiration. Go Susan!!!

Girl on a Swing

Check out this cool video that John shot of a little baby being pushed on a swing. This is just a few blocks from our house.

Alice Waters in Training

On the menu for last night's Sunday dinner: A Chez Panisse inspired meal of citrus-herb marinated whole chicken, brined overnight, slow roasted and smoked on the grill. We also had a golden and red beet salad w/ goat cheese and fennel salt.



I was a bit nervous since I had never smoked anything on the grill before, but the chicken turned out fantastic!!! The meat was so moist and flavorful, and it didn't hurt that I got a fresh & organic bird from Whole Foods. The brine I used was a simple salt brine. I then marinated it in a mixture of lemon & orange juice and their rinds, herbs (rosemary, sage & thyme), garlic, honey & olive oil. I roasted the chicken on the grill for about 2.5 hours, keeping the temperature a constant 200 degrees. I put mesquite wood chips wrapped in aluminum foil next to the one burner I had on, for the smoky flavor. It was a long process, yet so easy to make.


I heard an interview a few months ago with my all time (s)hero, Alice Waters, where she chided President Obama for saying that he doesn't like beets. I couldn't agree more with Ms. Waters! He obviously has never had my roasted beet salad with mixed greens, goat cheese, and fennel salt, drizzled with olive oil and lemon. Yum! Beets, though really a winter root vegetable, are available locally in Utah year-round, and are relatively easy to grow in a backyard garden. While they do take a while to roast (about 1.5 hours), they are well worth the wait. We are growing both golden and red beets in our garden, as well as an heirloom variety, the Chiogga beet, which is red and white, like a peppermint candy. Can't wait to harvest those!

The Amazing Adventures of Wayne & Maxey

I never thought I would ever have anything exciting enough to say to have a blog, but here goes nothing. Check back in from time to time to find out the happenings with me, updates on John and Floyd & our travels, our urban farm, friends, music, food or whatever we get ourselves into.

My first ever post will be about, what else? My latest adventure in my culinary journey!