This Year's Wish List

Its that time of year again and I have a list all my own. Some of these items are affordable, others useful, and still others are hugely expensive (but soooo wonderful). Enjoy!



Even after all this time I still dont have a glass pie pan. These are completely practical in that you dont leave dents in them if you use a knife to cut out a piece of the pie.






I am dying to try these rainbow boba. I am a huge fan of the stuff and when I have the boba drinks its like I get to play with my food. Oh! I need the thick straws too!!









This is a double-walled french press. I do love coffee from a french press but find that it cools down before I can get to the second cup. This is the perfect solution.

















Since I like getting mail that isnt bills and I like reading about clever ways to fix up the house or quick-fix meals, Real Simple is on my list (I already get Savuer and LOVE it!).





Although my J is not really a meat eater (I am working on it), I would still love a dutch oven. The faculty have been raving about making bread in a dutch oven, and it is perfect for braizing once J comes around...








Yup, so some of these items are for my new place. Here is a pot rack that hangs on the wall rather than overhead. It seemed less reminiscent of an old dungeon in this model.












And when I wish upon a star that star has this totally awesome butcher block island to give me!

















And last, but certainly not least. I would love some pepper corns. I got a peugeot pepper grinder from my mom a few years back and I am finally running out of substance to grind. I am always dubious of the quality that I find around Lafayette (I should get over it already) but I think that some from William Sonoma would do the trick!

St. Andre

I picked up something different during my last Trader Joe's run. I decided to splurge a bit and opted out of my usual low-fat feta purchase and moved in toward an aged double-cream. It was a brilliant decision!


The flavor was full and nutty and the texture was creamy yet firm. The St. Andre is a welcome addition to any cheese plate and goes well with mild-flavored crackers or toasts.

Balsamic Figs

Figs. I have a new found love for figs. I suppose its not that new really, but its new to you since this is the first time I am posting about them. Since I still havent found a place in Lafayette that carries fresh figs, I use dried figs. While I cant make a beautiful fig tart like so many I have seen on tastespotting, I find that the dried ones work quite well for many other things. I have made a version of fig newtons that just could not be done with fresh figs. I even added them to a lamb stew, recipe courtesy of Eat.Drink.Think, and their desiccated flesh readily absorbed the flavors of the broth.*


One thing I like to keep on hand is dried figs macerated in balsamic vinegar. It makes for a quick but impressive appetizer should unexpected company arrive but also frequently serves to quell stomach pangs until dinner is ready. On my last trip to Cost Plus World Market, I picked up an airtight container so that I could have easy access to greater quantities of the stuff given that its J's favorite snack.


Making the balsamic figs is super easy, but the key is to use an aged balsamic. Go ahead and splurge on it; you will find it makes all the difference. First, slice the dried figs as thinly as possible, discarding any stems that may still be hanging on. Put them in your airtight container and add your balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir between additions to coat the figs. Should you add too much balsamic, you can always reduce the mixture on the stove.


The figs can be eaten the same day but have a richer flavor if you set them in the fridge for a few days. I have had my most current batch in the fridge for about two weeks and add more balsamic when the figs have absorbed what I originally added. Serve the balsamic figs with crackers or drizzled over goat cheese. They also make a great addition to spinach salad.


*BTW, the lamb stew was amazing! I really loved the flavor the meyer lemons added to the dish.

Great scones, a loaded quiche, and a new contributor

Vaughn lab, the haven for archaeology grad students, has become THE place to get free food, and that is mainly due to the fact that I bring in my homemade scones to share with others. A few of the cultural anthro students regularly lurk around the door of the lab to see if they can score a free scone. Even the secretary to the department head pops in for a scone. I really enjoy baking but hate eating the same thing for an entire week so I bring in what I cant possibly eat, plus it helps me to share the calories!

Typically I follow my basic scone recipe for cheddar, bacon, and green onion scones but substitute the additions with whatever is on hand. In the last few weeks I have made apple-oat-walnut, saffron-orange blossom-pistachio, and lavender-lemon scones (thanks mom). The last of the lavender-lemon scones are still being consumed by the masses, mainly V. :) Sorry, there are no photographs. I will be better, I promise, once I get the windows...

Also lacking a proper photo is the amazing quiche I made for dinner the other night. When I discovered I didnt have much to assemble into a real meal, I hunted through my freezer and came up with a batch of homemade pie dough. I knew that I needed to use two packages of leeks from Trader Joes (best thing ever because they are already cleaned for you) and that I had eggs...a quiche was born. I sauted some prosciutto in butter, deglazed the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine. When that had reduced a bit I added the sliced leeks and waited til they got wilty. In the meantime I rolled out my pie dough with my new silicon coated rolling pin and beat 4 eggs with 1/2 cup of cream and salt and pepper. With the dough assembled in the pan, I crumbled a bit of gorgonzola in the bottom of the pie, spread the leek mixture evenly on top, added a bit more gorgonzola on the surface of the leeks, and poured the egg mixture over all of it. I baked the quiche for 25 minutes at 350. The aroma of it baking had me drueling the whole time. I served the quiche with Trader Joes Sweet Potato Bisque for a more complete meal.

After realizing that there may be times when I am upable to fulfill my blogging duties, I am happy to announce that Sarah S. will be contributing to this blog on occation. Her specialty is cake baking, a task I generally steer clear of, and she is a stellar photographer so her pics should be dazzling. Three cheers for Sarah S.!

Our new place...and other things to look forward to

Hi there! So, things have changed a bit since my last posting. Its true, the boyfriend has altered my schedule and I am just now thinking of entering recovery. :) Normally I would update my blog while watching episodes of the West Wing on DVD but that obviously doesnt happen now.

There is something good (for you) that is coming out of the new boyfriend business. First, I/We will be cooking more regularly which may translate into more posts. The boy is learning to cook too which could supply some interesting entries. Second, we are moving into a new place together! Not only does it have a full dining room, but it has soooo many more windows*. As any foodie who has tried to photograph their creations knows, natural light is a huge plus. In my current apartment I only have windows on one side of the place while the new place has windows on ALL FOUR SIDES!!! Basically, there is a greater chance that the pics will be gorgeous and worthy of posting on the web. Also, we will have a guest room/office and I am seriously considering turning part of that space into a makeshift photography station for when I cook later in the day or when the weather is crappy (which is often here in Indiana). My friend S dabbles in photography and has offered to help me out...I am hoping she can teach me more about my camera. Anyways, we dont officially move in until the new year but already we are already anxious to fill the new place with wonderful aromas.


The months ahead promise a plethora of reasons to post. Here is a short list:
1) I am dying to try the roasted cranberry sauce from this months Saveur magazine.
2) I will be home for Thanksgiving which means that I will be around for the annual cookie-making extravaganza. Basically my aunts and my mom and I all meet at Aunt J's place and make an obscene number of cookie batches from a variety of recipes. No doubt the photos from that event will prove druel worthy.
3) My boy J will be visting for a week in LA before Christmas, providing an excuse to eat at all my favorite restaurants. Bamboo Song Vietnamese, Rosalinda's Ethiopian, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, LA Farmers Market Crepes, India's Sweet and Spices, La Capilla Mexican, Mitsuwa Japanese Market, and In'n Out are all on the list!

Life will still be busy, perhaps even more so, but I have high hopes to make a return to the bloging world (hopefully more successfully than my last attempt). I have been missing all my foodie friends!!

*Technically we only get access to the first floor and basement of this place. And YES that is an enclosed sun porch attached to the rear of the house!