{from the Melendez show at LACMA}

"New York is one of the capitals of the world and Los Angeles is a constellation of plastic." --Fran Lebowitz
"Los Angeles is raw, uncouth and bizarre, but it's a place of substance. It has more new horizons than any other place."--Werner Herzog

Spending a few days in New York can make our city, what Mike Davis and others have called the megalopolis, seem inferior, fragmented, unfocused, hard to navigate, too spread out, etc. It occurred to me that we often spend our time in one place thinking about where we will be next, or we are so busy in our everyday lives that we forget to appreciate the good things that surround us where we are right now. After some thought and reflection, I have decided to put together a list of some of the things that are going on all around me so that I can start taking advantage of the fact that I live in an (perhaps THE) epicenter of global culture and cultural production--ie, I think I'm going with Herzog on this one. Quick list of some things to do before Christmas, longer and more complete list to follow after the New Year:

• The Melendez show at LACMA
• Equivocation at the Geffen Playhouse
• 30 Year MOCA Anniversary Show
• Griffith Observatory (haven't been inside since it was redone several years ago)
• Visit Larchmont Larder (new purveyor of gourmet ingredients)
• Take a class at the New School of Cooking
• Go to Artesia for Indian Food

p.s. Tonight I made the wheat berry salad mentioned in the post below and it was sooo good. Wheat berries, who knew?

Forgot to mention in my earlier post that I made a batch of hummus yesterday that is outstanding; I've tried several recipes before but like the texture and tang of this one by Mark Bittman (patron saint of simple, straightforward recipes for delicious fare) best.

Secondly, while I was in NY I had some wonderful falafel and it got me thinking about trying to make them myself, has anyone out there ever made them before? Have a good recipe to recommend???

Last night I made a wonderful recipe that incorporates two of my favorite ingredients: Leeks and Fennel. Mushroom Risotto with Leeks and Fennel is from the Fields of Greens cookbook and the amount of risotto produced could have fed an army. I think we will be eating this stuff for days to come as lunchtime fare, or, since there is so much left, would could try to make Giada's risotto cakes. The dried mushrooms in this recipe really go a long way to adding depth and robust flavors, though I also think that throwing a half cup of parm in at the very end would be a good addition. I found a version of the recipe here, which exactly what my book says, minus the summer truffles.

Tonight, we're making a quick and easy stir fry (minus the shrimp) from an article Mark Bittman wrote for Runner's World Magazine. It's the only stirfry recipe I've ever made that gives all the veggies and components that glisteny, glossy texture you get when you order from a restaurant. We'll also be enjoying the Rick Bayless Swiss Chard Tacos, a new weeknight staple.

( Recipe here )

New York was phenomenal. I can't wait to plan my next trip! I spent much of my time just walking and wandering without much of a plan, catching up with friends, and hanging out with two of my favorite people. A few highlights:
-Walking from the Empire State Building to the Metropolitan Musuem
-The American Wing at the Met
-Dinner with friends at Momofuku
-Strolling SoHo and window shopping in SoHos side streets
-Walking through Central Park and the Upper West Side with Allison
-Venturing into Brooklyn
-Getting to see West Side Story (!!!!!!)
-Sampling the nightlife
-Taking in the view from the HighLine

The big downside? I was so wrapped up in walking and wandering and talking that I managed to not take a SINGLE picture! Argh. Next time, next time.

{photo from the LA Times}

Someone left a comment the other day requesting the ragu recipe I made a few weeks back, here it is. ENJOY!

Had a fantastic day in New York today.  Can't believe it's taken me so long to get here!

No time to write anything of substance, except to say that the Met blew me away, particularly the new American wing and the sheer vastness of what's there.  So much more to say, but off to dinner at momofuku for now...

This is very cool for those of us who are yard challenged:
 

As many of you regular readers and friends know, fall is very, very busy for me and everyone at the university and I am starting to recover from weeks filled with evening events, out of town events, football games, donor calls, etc, etc.  As a result I have been terrible about posting about the goings on, the cooking projects, the little things.  There is a wonderful light at the end of the proverbial tunnel however; this week I'm leaving for a few days in NYC (state of California budget woes mean I have lots of extra "vacation" time this year) and I'm taking full advantage of my furlough time.  After NY, David and I are staying in Kansas for a few days around the Thanksgiving holiday; and after Christmas I have the good fortune of spending a few days in Hawaii with my parents, sister, and perhaps, even my elusive brother.  

Lots to look forward to and much to report, here are a few shots of what's been happening around here, sadly there are very few cooking shots as dinners have not been very exciting given all the working:



{had the chance to go to disneyland with a friend and got to see the haunted mansion transformed into the Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time, very exciting}



{there were some great flower arrangements along the walkways were great, Martha Stewart would have been pleased with their work}



{I cooked up a batch of Russ Parson's Ragu Sauce from the LA Times; it was phenomenal--reminded me of the oxtail ragu that Leone makes at Mario's Place}



{david built me a beautiful vintage italian bicycle--it has a step-through frame (means you can ride it in a skirt), a brooks saddle, and a rides like a dream}

Last Sunday David and I were *given* tickets to see one of the best bands supergroups of all time: Monsters of Folk.  I think they rival the Wilburys.  The show was dreamy and inspired, and perhaps one of the best shows I have ever seen.  If you haven't purchased their new CD yet, get thee to your local music store or itunes and give it a good hard listen.  Sexy, rocky, folky goodness with well-written lyrics and spiritual harmonies.  It's the only record I want to listen to right now. 

This week we had a Mexican feast--swiss chard, mushroom, and zuch tacos; slow cooker pork with refried beans; and some gourmet tamales my mom got us from the Murrieta Farmers market.  On Sunday, if the weather dips below eighty and if we perchance have some semblance of fall in the air, I might make the phenomenonally drool-inducing ragu that Russ Parsons featured in the LA Times this week.  It features my four favorite ingredients--pancetta, pork sausage, proscuitto, and pork butt--and has the personality to fit a lazy sunday: stir, simmer, stir simmer, add some stuff, simmer, etc, etc. 

Rick Bayless is a genius.  Our Pollo Pulquero was amazing and it's so nice to have dinner waiting for you when you get home from work and gym and a long day of driving.   Now that it's cooler and I'm enthralled with my slow cooker (nothing fancy, not even a timer), I'm scouring the interwebs for well-reviewed recipes that I can throw together quickly and then let cook while we sleep.  If any of you have recipes that fit the bill, please send them my way, because I'm loving the ease of letting my little gem of an appliance do all the work while i get my z's.

A cloudy day here in the City of Angels, and so I decided to make one of my favorite soup recipes to inaugurate the cooler season and implore it to stay longer than a few days.  This is one of the first recipes I made when I began cooking for myself some nine years ago.  It's from what Aislinn and Alison and I still refer to as "the purple cooking light" and I remember that the first few times I made it I thought it was pretty challenging and took a long time to prepare because of the chopping, now nearly a decade later I can make it without needing to glance at the recipe and think that it's one of the easier recipes in my repetoire--and it's nice to see that I have actually progressed as a cook and can dice a half pound of carrots in less than two minutes.  That said, I have also modified the recipe to be less cooking light-ish:  it calls for water, I use chicken broth, it calls for non-stick cooking spray, I use olive oil and this time I had a parmesan rind leftover in the freezer, so I added that to the cooking liquid to round out the flavor.  It was divine and now we can enjoy it for lunch throughout the week.  The soup is so easy that while it was simmering I assembled tonight's dinner as well: Pollo Pulquero from Rick Bayless.  This slow-cooker (the new euphemism for crock pot) recipe can be assembled in the time it takes to make a pot of coffee:  layer white onion, potato, cilantro, chicken, tomatillos, and pickled jalapenos in the crock pot, then turn on high for six hours.  So, that cooked away while we slept and now we just have to heat it up when we get home from work.  Yeah!

Recipe for Soup here  and Rick Bayless's Pollo Pulquero here.

Check out lexiep616 for pics of my mom and dad's new corgis!!!  They're such sweet little babies, wish I could be with them all day!

{a nice contrast to our costa rica shots, these were taken at the wedding and rehearsal dinner we attended several weeks ago.}

A very different kind of farm than we usually talk about here at Feast.  Had drinks with a lovely friend from college who is working on her Master's in Nursing and who will be a Midwife later this year and she passed along this article, a compelling read about obstetrics and home birth/hospital birth.  

After a fortnight back in town, David and I are finally settling back into the change of season (metaphorically that is, since there has been no visible shift into fall save the earlier sunsets) and our routines of work and daily life.  We've been very busy with work since both of our jobs are tied to the academic calendar and so it's been lots of running about and crashing out once we're home at night.  I haven't posted in ages, so today, just some quick notes on new recipes, restaurants, etc.

Bombay Cafe: (an Alison and Kevin favorite), ate here for the first time and LOVED it.  It's challenging to find Indian food that isn't heavy and greasy; Bombay has been an LA institution for over twenty years and I can see why.  Had a great vegetarian thali lunch plate and was extremely satisfied, will definitely be back for more.

Our friends John and Caroline had us for dinner last night and John whipped up a dish that is destined to land on our weekday menus.  Chicken Gyros with Cucumber Salsa, delicious, cool, and just the thing for a sweaty September evening.

Right now we've got Rick Bayless's Tomatillo Pork Braise with Picked Chiles in the slow-cooker.  It takes 10 minutes to get this dish together and then it just simmers for six hours.  I've made his fancier version (Tomatillo Braised Pork Loin) before, but this one a bit homier, more rustic.  Can't wait to serve it up over some rice tonight!

So I'll have lunch ready for the week, I also threw together a batch of Italian Tuna Salad that Jane sent me a few days ago, it's delicious and I know that it's only going to get tastier from sitting in the fridge for a day or two.  ( Recipe here )</div></span>.</div>

 
{lizards &}



{Ocelots &}



{Caimans &}



{monkeys}



{oh my}

 We had an amazing trip--saw incredible animals, lounged at one of the worlds best beaches, ate coconuts on the shore, kayaked in a lagoon, snorkeled, etc, etc, etc.  Pics and stories soon!

Out of office email is set.  Out of office voicemail is set.  Tomorrow is for last minute shopping, packing, cleaning, and then we're boarding a plane for a week of email free bliss!!!!  I'm on vacation officially.  Tonight I'm drinking my chardonney, watching glee, then top chef with mark peel, and copious episodes of my favorite sappy, guilty pleasure, The West Wing.  David is so lucky to be out of town to miss this enchanted evening.  Last night I took advantage of my alone time and went to see Julie and Julia.  it was wonderful to see Meryl channel Julia's spirit and I was once again reminded that the experience of eating and cooking can be transcendent, transformational, and transfixing (or maybe that's my Santa Barbara chardonney talking).  In any case, I am so delighted to be away from the cubicle-life for the next week and a half and just wade out into those clear waters, snorkel with the fishes, and be away from the daily grind that is le quotidien.  That said, I will miss my corgans.  Darcy is sitting here by my side, finally sleepy.... 

There have been some great discussions raging all over the interwebs of late (here as well) about food politics.  This here article is a wonderful feminist take on the conversations we have all been having over the table and in our comment threads.  Please check it out.

{Marcella in her kitchen circa 1952}

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears, so I took David up on his suggestion that I make a tomato sauce.  With our motley melange of tomatoes, I decided to cook up a batch of Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Olive Oil and Chopped Vegetables (making her variation with rosemary and pancetta).   It has just finished and the smell of the rosemary and vegetables is wafting through the apartment, increeeeedible.  For the variation, you basically just fry some rosemary in olive oil and pancetta, then toss into the awaiting sauce.  Minimal chopping, minimal tending, just loads of savory goodness.  Would like to slather this stuff on it smells so good......