Sunday, August 29, 2010

Summer Reading

I hate typing the title of this post as it means the end of summer is imminent.

Here are my favs from the past few months:

True Confections: A Novel
Strangely loveable book with the main characters voice one of the more interesting I've read in awhile.  Very easy beach read but it still makes you think.  A very pleasant summer surprise.

The Windup Girl Dark, violent, graphic but oh so relevant.  This won the Hugo this year and it's very easy to see why.  Pablo writes like a journalist (or rather writes like journalists SHOULD write) which gives you the reader a lot of room to think. 

Ender's Game I love this book.  I really do like everything about it.  Perfect mix of young adult angst, sci fi, and human emotion.   As my friend Jane pointed out, it's a shame that Orson Scott Card is such a jackass. 

Any fav books this summer that you read?  Tell me about them!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Restaurant Week! (which in August is actually 2 week so it’s a bit of a misnomer)

This time, unlike most other restaurant weeks where I feel accomplished if I hit up one establishment, I managed to make it to 4 different restaurants - 5 if you count a wine/cheese stop last Friday.  I will never do that again.  Not only am I just generally exhausted I feel like I do not need to eat for another month and my tummy now hangs out over my pants.  THE HORROR!
However, I feel required to document my fabulous excursions.

Wednesday, L’Andana
L’Andana is very yummy but too overpriced so the 3 course 33 buck deal was worth it.  I went there with Rums and the place is very romantic which made the two of us feel awkward.  Or just me maybe, I didn’t actually ask him.  I downed a few glasses of wine and managed to make it home before 9pm.
Friday, Papa Razzi
I stopped here before going to a cocktail party for some pre cocktail cocktails.  I ate some food too.  I think it was fried cheese.  We sat on the deck and it was nice. 
Sunday, Capitol Grill
Haha, the pescatarian goes to the steak house, sounds like a sitcom.  I had the salmon.  And a $120 bottle of wine for 60 bucks.  People said they marked it up from 60 to 120 just so the place could say they “gave you a deal” but what the f ever, I’ve never had a 60 or 120 dollar bottle of wine (or let’s be truthful, anything over 20 bucks) so it was worth the adventure to me.  I went with a bunch of my gamer friends which was fun.  Then they claimed that I was weird b/c I admitted to treating people differently if I knew what they made for a living.  I was subsequently vindicated of “being weird” as every other human I’ve asked agrees with me. 
Tuesday, Rialto
Ah, great company (Kristen and Justin!) and great food.  The 3 of us have managed to successfully traverse restaurant week for 3+ times and I look forward to continuing the tradition. Even though it was butt ugly outside with cold sheets of rain and I looked like a wet dog I still really really enjoyed this place.  I’m still thinking about the tomato risotto appetizer. 


Thursday, Gaslight
I went with Eric.  We both got the Gnocchi and I loved mine.  Eric didn’t like his.  I’ve never had it like that before, it was soft and squishy potato bits in a flavorful broth with roasted tomoatoes, roasated peppers, olives, and goat cheese all swimming in the lovely soup.  YUM.  Banana and caramel crepes for dessert, also delicious.  Scene was trendy and hip and I want to live on Harrison Ave.


Results:
Fav Spot:  Gaslight
Fav Food:  Rialto
Fav Wine:  Capitol Grille
Fav Overall:  Gaslight (but I think that was mostly b/c of my bf being there with me)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Butter Beans?

Butter beans are nutritional goodness.  They are like green lima beans but white and buttery.  And I always love their consistency and starchy like flavor (hiding tons of protein) but could never really cook them very well.   Luckily I have eradicated that problem and now pass on the perfect coupling.

  • Rinse can of beans
  • Chop up 1 small shallot.  
  • Warm butter (2-3 tbs) in pan, add shallots.  Let cook for a few minutes.  
  • Add beans, stir.  Add salt.
  • Let stand on low for about 3 mins to allow the beans to soak up some of the butter
  • Add fresh chopped sage (I haven't perfected this measurement but start out with 1.5 tsp of fresh)

Serve with glee.