2 New Yorkers in exile

Portland: Livestock and Voodoo.

2009-09-11T18:13:00.011-05:00

Fear not.

Though the title of this entry may be conjuring up images not meant for the faint, Voodoo is sweet and fried and Livestock is rural and on a stick.

Monday of this week, we ventured into the great beyond to soak up the crazy at the Big State Fair. As it is always a dream of my dear Ruby, during the harvest season, to visit each and every State fair in the Union so, we humored her with a 50 minute drive south west to Salem, OR - the state capital.

Not unlike the Minnesota State Fair, this crowded event was a chock full of crowds, overpriced and frightening food and showcases of award winning farm animals. The grounds are beautifully manicured, the people more tattooed and less obese, no deep fried cheese curds or pickles on sticks, but many blue ribboned apple pies and quilts, tractors and hot tub displays. A taste of the mayhem of the Midwest here on the west coast.

Highlights included a car quilt (photo on right), Oregon berry lemonade and a Smoky the Bear camping and forestry display featuring a tank of live salmon and a fully furnished camping yurt.

Now for the Voodoo.
One word: donuts.
We read about Voodoo Doughnut months ago, and thus continued our irrational obsession with fried dough. We have gone to great lengths to sample the wares of donut aficionados across the country. When told about great donut experiences, we will make our way to them. We remain loyal to our NY staple, Donut Plant. Not too sweet, fresh, delicious. But we wanted to visit this sweet fried mecca- a place refrenced in almost any guide to weird and wacked out Portland sites.

As the name implies, the theme is wicked, raunchy, gory, sicky and bizarre. Donuts in the form of skulls and genitals (yes.). toppings such as bacon, tang and unidentifyable blue kool-aide.

In addition to attracting millions of unattending screaming children, they also perform weddings (for $25) and blare hard rock from their jukebox. The walls are pink and the decor is emodied by the black velvet portrait of Kenny Rogers that hangs behind the cashier.

At and average of $1 a donut, it was a bargain breakfast. We ordered 5 donuts and 3 $1.25 Stumptown coffees knowing that we may be tossing away the remains if they proved to be unpalateable. Lemon chiffon cruller, Oregon creme (like a custard, really), Arnold Palmer (cake doughnut covered with lemon and tea powder), maple glazed and something chocolaty.

ps: A bargain breakfast made of sugar, oil, sugar, flour and chocolate is not the breakfast of champions.

Portland: Sauvie Island and cooking explosions

2009-09-09T11:35:00.009-05:00

Thus our big day of food begins:

This is the part of our story where we show you the bounty of our harvest and the amazing food we cooked from our pickings:

Sauvie Island is about a 10 minute drive from the city. It's the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26000 acre and is mostly comprised of farmland and wildlife. The flat terrain lends well to bikers and many come to the island to ride their bikes. The loop is about 20 miles around.

Our main objective that afternoon was to visit the humongous blackberry bushes that surround the island off the road and collect tons of berries to bring home and bake with. This was, after all blackberry season at its prime and we were going to make a party of it.

Also, there were a couple of 'pick-your-own' farms off the road that we were hoping to stop in at to see what was still growing... The peach trees were picked and all that was left were piles of moldy peaches on the ground. Still gorgeous, but not so delicious. Rows of overgrown cabbage, lettuce tall and flowering, and hundreds of blooming flowers, ready to be picked and taken home.

When we got back to the house, in addition to the bounty of the farmer's market, we had a collection of amazing finds we picked at the farm: peppers, broccoli floretts, pears and Italian prunes.

We were anxious to get cracking in the kitchen. On the menu: pimientos de Padrón, stuffed zucchini blossoms with ricotta, mozzarella and mint. Polenta with fresh corn, roasted peppers and jalapeno cheese curds from Rogue creamery that we bought at the Saturday market. Fresh mixed green salad with cukes and oat leaf lettuce from the market and finally for desert, blackberry crumble with brown sugar ice cream.
Take a look!

Ricotta was mixed with grated assiago, mozzarella, minced mint and an egg. Blossoms were stuffed with the mixture, dipped in egg then coated with Panko (Japanese bread crumbs).

Padrón peppers, a staple in Spanish tapas, are a rare find. L had picked up a little box of them the previous week and we were excited to try this fresh, green savory treat! Easy prep: heat up a hot pan, pour in some oil, throw in the baby green pepper and cook till browned and popping. When they are done, slide out of the pan and coat generously with sea-salt.

Finally, our amazing blackberry dessert. Simple butter, oats, sugar and flour to make a crumble topping. Nothing like eating the literal fruits of your labor with dozens of thorn scratches and stains on your fingers to show for it for days to follow.

Portland: Saturday Farmer's Market

2009-09-08T17:25:00.008-05:00

It is really not to believe that this abundance of farm fresh food happens here every week, March to December in the Rose City.
The Portland Famers Market circulates locations throughout the week culminating in the largest and most exciting one, the Saturday Market at PSU In addition to farm stand with the fare we are all used to seeing at markets across the country, this farmers market (like the rest of this city) has pop-up food stands serving everything from tamales to buttery baked goods to fresh crab legs in cocktail sauce.
In spite of the very persistent rain we hung out with all morning, we were able to eat our way through the stalls, buy up some amazing produce and plan our menu for that night's cooking project. Zucchini blossoms, tomatoes of all sorts and colors, amazing mushrooms, spring onions and herbs, greens and all kinds of goodies!

The most delicious breakfast biscuit I ever experienced was from a stand called Pinestate Biscuits. A tender, flaky buttermilk biscuit is cut in half, served with a piping hot smothering of creamy and savory vegetarian shitake mushroom gravy. I requested mine with an addition of egg and cheese (for protein, of course). We fought over who got the last bite.

The market has an endless roster of amazing things to eat and drink. A coffee stand rub by CAFE VELO professes: Each cup of coffee is individually ground and brewed to order in porcelain filter holders from a constantly changing selection of seasonal Stumptown single origin coffees. We also feature a French press for those who prefer fuller body press coffee. Pretty cool.

Also, the market features pepper growers who roast their own hot peppers over a giant turning metal cage rigged up to a propane tank (to wet to photograph!) and a super cool pizza booth making fresh pizza and breads in their brick oven.

We were too stuffed to taste it all - and of course wanted to save some for next week...

Cheers!

Portland: Beer, Coffee, Gardens and More Gardens.

2009-09-05T12:19:00.006-05:00

We are still thinking that we are in a dreamlike trance here on the West Coast. Everything we eat, everywhere we look, beauty and deliciousness abound. Coffee and beer are in arm's reach in every neighborhood. Food carts, food trucks with the strangest but most mouthwatering bites peek out behind almost every corner. A paradise indeed.
After our tummies were expanded to their maximum (we should have worn sweatpants), we walked around The Pearl neighborhood, peeked into some lovely shops, and found ourselves at the Rogue Brewpub and sidewalk sale. Yes. Cases and cases of Rogue beer - on sale! Tempting...

From beer, to coffee and mini cookies at Barista (delicious ices shots of Brazilian single source)
Just enough coffee to get us up and moving - not moving fast enough on account of the enormous size of our breakfast.

POWELL'S should be a blog entry all to itself. To rival The Strand, I think it's the biggest and most impressive book store I've ever been sucked into. We were so overwhelmed by not only the sheer volume of books to browse, but the friendly displays and staff pics. They even had the children's picture books organized by Caldecott Medal winners! $95, and a very heavy bag later, we were ready for some more sightseeing...

Portland: Breakfast.

2009-09-04T21:31:00.009-05:00

By now, you must all know how mch we love breakfast. In all forms and styles, breakfast is the meal of champions.
Nothing starts your day like splitting a platter of eggs, potatoes, biscuits (if you are lucky), maybe something green and a sticky sweet serving of French toast, or pancakes with REAL maple syrup.

Byways Cafe. Our first breakfast experience was beyond delicious. Everything about this little diner was fabulous. From the fresh, hot stumptown coffee and the platters of delicious and colorful vegies to the thrift-shop travel decor. Well worth the 20 minute wait (on a Friday morning!)

I ordered the Vegie Hash- a mountain of potatoes topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions and fresh spinach. Jack cheese melted atop, the plate was completed with a single egg, over medium. Served with sour cream and salsa. mmmm. R got her pancake fave - blue corn, pecan butter and piping hot maple syrup. Perfection.

Portland: Mini Farmers Market, First Thursdays...

2009-09-04T11:26:00.007-05:00

After our afternoon wanderings, we met up with L for a little taste of what is to come at Saturday's huge farmer's market. First a stroll around the Pearl district; beautiful buildings with magnificent landscaping. Then to the market for blackberries, pears, peaches and nectarines. Unbelievable produce and flowers.

First Thursdays Art walks featured hundreds of street artists selling and displaying their work and many studios and galleries open to all with snacks and wine to boot!

Portland: Croissants and Thai Iced Teas for a $1!!

2009-09-03T18:41:00.008-05:00

Arrival
Flying into Portland last night was on the list of wondrous space/ time travels. After a beer at the new JFK Terminal 5, we boarded the JetBlue flight and got sucked into the Direct TV vortex. 3 episodes of Top Chef, 2 rounds of Terra Blue chips and chocolate chip cookies later, we landed in the aqua blue geometric patterned wall to wall carpeting of the PDX airport. And it was only 11pm. We were welcomed into L's amazing, spacious NW apartment and promptly fell asleep.

Morningtime
The morning began with the famous Ken's Artisan Bakery, which to our delight was around the corner from the apartment. Fresh piping hot Stumptown Coffee and an amazing pastry with Oregon Blackberries no less! All served with a smile at the sunny and airy cafe. The Croissant- sweet, flaky pastry, yet crisp and caramelized on the bottom with huge juicy Blackberries and crystallized sugar. Yum-oh!

Afternoon Quench

We decided to explore the center of Portland first- SW and Downtown, which are undergoing a major revival. We hopped a bus (free fare zone!) and stopped first at stopped at the Portland Building on Salmon and SW 5th- you can find out about Parks & Rec. events, get your street vendor license, or pay a parking ticket. Great aquamarine tiled building.
We sighted more then one awesome municipal sculpture commission, walked along the waterfront park on the Willamette River, and beheld plenty of seemingly cheery homeless people and their dogs.

But, our real thirst quenching reward was on the corner Washington and 2nd Ave.- a cavalcade of street vendors from horchata & fresh burritos to arepas, to spring rolls and Thai iced tea for a buck to artisinal pizza with homemade soda in flavors like hibiscus to cucumber to fresh lemonade flavored with rose water. Discount for bringing your own cup! Plus, all kinds of vegan and vegetarian options. We were blown away by the sheer variety, quality, prices!

Everywhere we looked, there were parking lots filled with food vendors! We could very likely spend the next 6 days eating our way through each one. Hmmm, not a bad idea.

Miles of Books
Lastly, we made our way back to the #15 bus, stopping for a quick peak in Cameron's Books. A shady looking place with window that have likely not been washed in 50 plus years, their selection of used books and magazines is beyond extensive. Playboy Magazines from the 60's for $3! My kind of place! Check out some of the aisles:

Riding a Tidal Blog.

2009-07-06T15:28:00.004-05:00

Ahoy!
I always say that the NYTimes is a bit behind the times. Sometimes even more than a bit. Often the trends or issues 'discovered' by the Times journalists are such afterthoughts by the time the paper runs, that you forgot that you had pondered very similar theories and 'relevant cultural musings' months ago, when they were still novel and thought provoking.

So, the genius trend followers wrote an article about Bloggers in the Sunday Style section back in beginning of June (and yes, in keeping with the above remarks, I too am demonstrating a remarkably slow response time to this article). The general gist of the article was about how millions of people start blogs but never get beyond the initially exciting first few posts before they give up and let the blog die a slow, slow death.

"...Mrs. Nichols speaks about her blog as if it were a diet or half-finished novel. 'I’m going to get back to it,” she swears. Her last entry, in December of last year, was curt and none too profound. Like Mrs. Nichols, many people start blogs with lofty aspirations — to build an audience and leave their day job, to land a book deal, or simply to share their genius with the world. Getting started is easy, since all it takes to maintain a blog is a little time and inspiration. So why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?"

Many blog abandoners were in it for the fame and fortune, thinking that once they started jabbering about something cool and trendy, someone would be there to pay them the big bucks. A book deal waiting to happen, (a la Julie and Julia) sponsors lining up to reward your hard coffee house Pulitzer worthy words. I can only speak for myself.

The article hypothesizes that 95% of all blogs are abandoned. Wow. That is hell of a lot of percents. (I've gone even farther than most bloggers, abandoning 2 previous blogs and leaving them to mold on the wayside.) The fact that there are countless blogs out there in the webisphere, unattended to and left to rot, made me think even more about why is is that I am even bothering with this seemingly purposeless task of talking to myself via an imaginary audience.

Blogging is a true self centered exercise. Those who know me know I am not a horn tooter or a fan of those who do. I am also not known as a keeper of journals or diaries and if I have ever attempted to be one, the books are many and the pages filled are few. (as attested to in a previous post on this blog...)
I'm no Times journalist, but if I had to really think about why I persevere with this exercise I would have to state the obvious. Writing deep thoughts and musings are simple, cheap therapy. Working out my thoughts in writing is helping the process of leaving one life in search of another. As I read back on the past 37 posts I have written since starting our life in exile, I've been able to see the journey a bit more clearly and objectively. It has been healing. And entertaining. A way of getting out of my head and thinking critically about the process. Who knows what the next step will bring - it's the adventure of not knowing that is so exciting.

From frozen lakes in Minnesota to mushroom boutiques in Montreal, to Ayrshire cows in Vermont.

So there, another meta meta blog about blogs.

Anchors Away!

THE Ultimate Slice

2009-06-12T12:30:00.006-05:00

If you know what's good for you, you know NY pizza is unparalleled in its deliciousness and diversity. When do we eat pizza? Let me count the ways. (feel free to contribute some of your own)

1) There is the ubiquitous early morning breakfast pizza - either leftover (I, sadly, rarely come home with leftovers - it's all eaten way before it makes it into cold storage!) or purchased on the street on the way to work. Rational: it is a complete meal! ...starch, veggies, protein, what a way to start the day.

2) The mid-day snack slice: or, the leisure slice. This is the slice that can be eaten anywhere and usually for me, it was on the go. Either heading to work, taking a break from work, or celebrating not being at work. Usually the mid-day slice is one that is easily accessible to whatever your current location is. So, if in the West Village, the slice would be from Bleecker St. Pizza (hot, oven fresh- delicious pizza, awful website) , or maybe Two Boots (if looking for some more sustenance and heavy toppings). When I was living and teaching on the UWS, Sal and Carmines was the destination. Even if it meant trekking up 15 blocks in the slushy snow for a hot salty slice.
On a very sad note: Sal, of Sal and Carmine's passed away last week. Read about it here and here such a loss in the world of artisan pizza makers...

3) Pizza For Dinner: on those nights when you I am either too lazy to cook, to hot to cook, to far from a kitchen to cook, too poor to eat for more than $5. That is when pizza for dinner comes to play. Usually pizza for dinner is 2 slices and some beer (real or root). Ordering from where ever is closest. Amazing hot pies from Sal and Carmines or moderately decent Cafe Viva Pizza back in the olden days of the UWS. Joes of Bleeker or the red vinyl booths and glass boots of Two Boots, Park Slope.

So the gist of the blog is really to tell you all about the best pizza in the world. And that is at Di Fara's on Ave. J.
I know I am slow to the game. I know I am about 10 years behind the pizza times and I also know that you told me so many times over. Oh well. Better late than never, right??

Yes, I've read the new Newsweek's (trying to hard to be a less fluffy weekly) short editorial piece about NY slices. The writer mentioned some key pizza masters and laments the imminent death of the pizza masters who are not passing down their legacies to the next generation. For a wonderful NYC pizza article, check out this wonderful photo journal on The Eaten Path)

Hot, salty, crispy, delectable everything. Crust, sauce, cheese, fresh herbs cut to order and sprinkled liberally on each slice. ahhhh. heaven, if I believed in it, would be a slice of Di Fara's.

If you haven't explored the wonders of Midwood, Bklyn. Head over. In addition to the above magic of Di Fara's (beware the long lines and secret society rules to getting a slice without pissing people off), there is a strange shnitzle bar called Shnizies and an outpost of the Pickle Guys of the LES. Food, glorious food.

Cheese Apologies

2009-06-12T12:15:00.004-05:00

Fellow readers, I know that I have not kept up with my cheesing as promised. I apologize for leading you all on and perhaps disappointing a few of you. Do not fret. I will be back with more from the depths of the caves and the cheese house, as soon as the muse of the keyboard comes a calling. Hopefully, tremendous inspiration will soon follow and reveal my inner cheese musings once again. Until then, enjoy the following posts...

Spring comes to VT. (part 2)

2009-06-02T17:27:00.005-05:00

Our heroes were last seen drinking endless mugs of diner coffee and enjoying the yellow vinyl booth benches at Henry's on Bank St. in Burlington... Our story continues:

After an hour's drive eastwards, to the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Greensboro (note the sarcasm), our visiting duo and their uber excited hostess crash. A nap for one, a walk to the lake for others. Breathing in the clean, green, less-toxic than-lungs-are-used-to air, the duo walk all the way down to the shores of the majestic Lake Caspian or Caspian Lake depending on formality. Lake Caspian, the reason hoards of locals and domestic travelers flock to this little hamlet in the North East Kingdom. The muse that beckons to boatloads of well-to-do orthodontists and accountants across the state to buy summer homes here and consequently jack up cost of real estate through the roof. Lake Caspian, (and when you google it, all you get are property listings...) a little slice of heaven, in the form of a lake.

After a good night's sleep, our trio were ready to hit the road, green mountain style! Into ye old reliable '01 Taurus, and off to Hardwick for delicious brunch with friends. Tummys full, bright eyed and rearing for adventure, their first stop was at bizarre and slightly frightening Bread and Puppet Theatre and Museum in Glover, VT. Picture it. Creaky old barn, slightly bent and looking precariously condemned. Rooms and rooms of huge papier-mache puppets all set up in various poses and eerily alive in the dark. The only sound is your footsteps, on the old creaking floorboards. Recipe for a really freaky horror movie. Here are some pics.

Spring comes to VT. Memorial Day Weekend (part 1)

2009-05-27T15:49:00.013-05:00

Having my very first guest over the Memorial Day weekend was a delight! I was able to play tour guide in a place I am just beginning to familiarize myself with. The multi-shaded green landscape was a perfect backdrop to the weekend, painting a most perfect pastoral setting to an adventure over the hills of the North East Kingdom.

The adventures were many and the sites visited varied. I think that I'll cut the blog in half and recount some of the highlights.

After an early morning shift at the cheesehouse, I was off to Burlington airport to pick up Jenine and Ruby. (Jet Blue rocks.) Our first stop after the pickup was City Hall Park in downtown Burlington. That Saturday was the first of the season when the artists and crafters would be coming to the weekly farmer's market to showcase and sell their art. Also, there would be a ton of food and I, big food fan, was ready for some springtime produce. There were some awesome food vendors selling all kinds of delights, from preserves to cheeses to (I think most of you will agree that root beer floats are not produce but we can make an exception)
The square in front of city hall was totally happening. Quite the hippie scene complete with dogs off leash, wild dreaded dudes and lots of grass lounging.

From the market, we wandered around Main and Church Streets in search of brunch. We had all had a long and early start to the day and were ready to chow down on some home cookin'. Big ass lines at brunch are not just a NY thing, as it turns out. We skipped the 35min wait at a recommended joint in town and took a chance at a super cute diner called Henry's. Good call. Henry's was awesome. The food, pipin hot and delicious, the decor gave me plenty of fabulous photo opportunities and the waitresses with their awesome uniforms were fantastic.

Thoughts and Musings about Farm Life.

2009-04-29T15:05:00.002-05:00

Back in '87, when I was but a shy and sheltered youngster in grade 7, endless jokes were made at my expense with regard to my parents' decision to move to the then sparsely populated former farm land in the West Island of Montreal. Was that your dad's tractor I saw pulling up to school this morning? Are you going home to feed the cows? Funny. Guess that farm talk got under my skin and into my blood stream and maybe, just maybe was a catalyst for this deep rooted desire to come to the farm, this one for real, and see what life here is all about.

Growing up in urban/suburban Montreal, a direct connection to the land was seasonal. We would go on an annual apple picking trip in elementary school and during the summer, at sleep-away camp, there would often be some animals and a mini-garden to tend. Later on, once I had moved out of my parents' home, my mother began to cultivate an amazing garden in her front and back yard. The care and love that she puts into the garden are reflected in the astonishing and vibrant array of plants and flowers that blossom as soon as the days become longer and the sun warms the ground.

On our drive back to Montreal this past Friday, my father was remarking how interesting it was that here I was, the fourth generation, renewing my connection to the land. Three out of four of my grandparents were born and lived in Poland before WWII and had come from families that at some point in their histories had large vegetable gardens, owned animals, farmed and had a reciprocal relationship with the land they lived on. "They would be proud of you," he remarked. "You have carried on the tradition of your family ancestry." I guess he is right. There is something really amazing about being a part of a system that functions with this inherent interconnectedness between parts. We tend to the land that feeds us and the animals we care for. We barter with others for the goods we don't produce ourselves and grow what we can to survive. We pray for rain, thank the earth for her bounty, recognize that we are but a small part of a very complex and timeless system that relies on each and every one to fill a role and a responsibility.

Off the Farm: Montpelier, VT

2009-04-20T17:15:00.004-05:00

According to the official website, Montpelier is the nations smallest capital city. Fancy that.
It was a rainy Saturday and a great day to spend indoors. I prepared myself for the big city field trip by packing up my trusty MacBook, charger, camera and coffee mug. Since I am car-less here, my bike still hiding from the cold country air, I am totally dependant on anyone who offers to drive me out for an adventure away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Greensboro. Though devastatingly hard to peel away from the beautiful trees and picturesque mountainous landscape, getting a breath of other humans and coffee is vital to my well being. When I was offered a lift to the big city capital, I leapt with excitement. Really. About an hour drive south west, we rolled up and down hills and drove by silos, old barns, odd junked out trailers and came into Montpelier.
First stop, Langdon St. Cafe. Occupying the bottom floor of a three story adorable house, the cafe was started as a cooperative and later was bought and run by two owners. Live music nightly, a fabulous and extensive food and beverage menu makes this place a cultural center and a very busy place - especially on a weekend afternoon. Hot egg and cheese on a bagel and a cafe au lait and I was set for the next few hours.

After warming up with a hot mug and catching up on my emails, I decided to take a stroll along Main St. (is there a town in this country that doesn't have a Main St.?) to check out the scene. The scene was adorable. Bookstores with awesome window displays, an old apothicary/museum of 19th century pharmacy items, more books, and a beautiful golden domed State Capital building that usually gives tours in the summer (which I found out doesn't actually begin till July).

Next on the mini tour was the famed Hunger Mountain Coop. I was super excited at the prospect of purchasing fresh produce as it had been close to a week of packaged, canned and refrigerated food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was ready to come to the inn with an armful of farm fresh greens and other much needed boosts of vitamin rich food. I took the long walk down the old railroad tracks that lead to the hidden coop and along the way spotted this really cool bike-meld sculpture. The coop was beautiful! everything looking so enticing and delicious. I filled up my little cart with produce, perusing the aisles and snatching up some goodies to take back to the horn of unplenty, Greensboro. The cheese counter alone was a plethera of bounty. Cheeses organized by region and state, small farms and well known favorites. Hunger Mountain was celebrating Earth Day with a great big member appreciation day complete with prizes and a cookout! There were samples galore and really intersting local artisanal product. I bought some local 10 grain bread, some Montpelier made chocoalte bars to send off to Brooklyn and the May edition of Saveur. Having gotten myself so accustomed to my beloved and dearly missed Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, I forgot how ridiculously expensive organic food can run you. Here's waiting for VT spring to show it's little tiny head and grace us with some fresh local produce! $103 dollars and 3 grocery bags later, I was still really happy to have my kale and eat it too.

First Days on the Farm. WASHING CHEESES

2009-04-18T09:40:00.007-05:00

Friday was pretty awesome in the Cellars at JH.

After the 7am staff meeting, we were divided into teams for morning and afternoon tasks. I was put on the cheese washing duty with a veteran Cellar employee. The goal for the morning was to get vault (cave) #2 tended to. Washing a number of racks of washed rind cheeses in a variety of brine solutions, meads, beers and other exciting fermentations, was the first order of business.

Vault 2 is where all of the washed rind cheeses live and grow. It is a high humidity vault and has a very distinct and often irritating ammonia odor. Jasper Hill Farm makes their own cheese called Winnemere which lives in vault 2. It is a delicious, spruce bark wrapped cheese. Creamy, meaty, musky, salty, gooey, melt in your mouth delicious. At Murray's, Winne was a winner. I never imagined, a year ago, that I would be there to watch the Winne's life cycle, from curd to shipping.

On Friday, I met intergenerational cheeses: from newborns that were just made next door at the cheese house (or shipped over from other farms) to toddlers growing a little bit of peachy fuzz in the vaults, to teens and young adults washed and turned for weeks or months to grown up cheeses, ready to be sent around the country to be enjoyed and consumed.

JHF has been aging cheeses for other cheesemakers in VT since they opened their humongous vaults a year ago. Cheeses from Dancing Cow (Bouree, Menuet), Crawford Family Farm (Vermont Ayr), Twig Farm (Goat Tomme, Soft Wheel) are just a few of the cheesemakers who send The Cellars at JH their cheeses to age (see previous post for affinage hyperlink).

OK. Back to the matter at hand, washing cheeses. We begin by sanitizing and cleaning all of the tools, buckets, carts, brushes and racks we'll be using throughout the course of the morning. Soaping, washing and bleaching everything before using and as we move through different batches of cheese and different kinds of cheeses. We have a detailed list of the specific racks of cheese that need tending to and pull them out of the vault. The photo below gives a little idea of the kinds of washes that are used for the vault 2 cheeses. There are brines, bacterial solutions, alcohol of all sorts.

The younger Winnemeres still need to be brushed with their bacterial solutions. The older ones are washed with beers. What is so cool about the Winne beer washing is that JHF uses regional specific beers to be sold to either the West, Central or East Coast markets. The beers infuse the cheese with amazing flavor. One of my goal is to sample different beer washed Winnes and see if I can detect the subtleties. We out out a rack of cheese and lay it out on the cart. Two small containers are filled with solution or beer. With a large paintbrush, we aggressively rub the cheese down and scrub of as much of the white mold that has developed on the cheese during the course of its live in the vault.
We go through the racks, gently turn and flip the cheese over and brush them down with solution. While they are in the vault, they dry out and drip a little, their orange sticky surfaces often adhering to the metal shelves they rest on. In order not to tear the thin rind, you have to carefully twist them off. Every rack of Winnemere is clearly marked with a date as well as the specific beer that we need to use.

When that task is completed, they get rolled back to their home. (Later that afternoon, we'll head back into the vault to find some matured Winnes to pull out and wrap up for immediate shipment.)

In the afternoon, we were going to receive a large shipment of 4 month old wheels from a local VT cheesemaker who ages her cheeses in vault 2. Like parents, we will tend to the cheese, wash it down weekly, then bi weekly, turn the cheese every couple of days to keep it from sticking to the pine boards it ages on. We will care for the cheese untill it is ripe and ready. JHF now ships all of the cheeses it ages directly from our very large and well stocked shipping warehouse.

Below is a photo of the new cheeses being unwrapped and shelved. Under that image is one of those same cheeses, older and orange, being turned on the boards.

At the end of the day, we had a little cheese tasting. A delicious Winnemere (had a crack running through the top and was deemed unsellable.) A super yummy - ('like a combination of peanuts and bacon' as a fellow intern noted) Dancing Cow Bouree.

Cheers! Ready for the weekend!

Next post: Greetings from Montpelier, VT.
Stay tuned!

First Days on the Farm. CHEDDAR.

2009-04-16T05:45:00.009-05:00

Wednesday, April 15th marked the beginning of my internship at Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, VT. On Tuesday afternoon, the mini-van was packed with enough t-shirts and socks, my bike, cheese books, camera, art supplies and snacks. My delighted and slightly nervous parents and I arrived at the Lakeview Inn on Breezy Point Rd. at 3pm.

After climbing up to the 3rd floor, unpacking some bags, scoping out the joint and getting acquainted with my new abode, we stopped at the library (free wireless and awesome book collection) and the Willey's Market down the road (the only game in town, and open only until 5:30pm) to check out the downtown scene. No signs of farm produce yet, but I'm crossing my fingers for spring ramps and fiddleheads. Evening came, parents drove off into the dirt road sunset and I waved and thought about the months to come... This is what I wanted, a once in a lifetime learning opportunity on one of the most innovative and exciting cheese making and aging facilities in the country.
Day one began with the sunrise above. I was up at 6, headed to the farm (about 2 miles from the inn) for the 7am morning meeting. There is a lot to do, needless to say. My internship will some days in the cheese house and some in the cellars (cheese caves). Most of the work is serious manual labor, as you will note in the posts to come. The first day was cheddar centered. The Cellars at Jasper Hill age Cabot's award winning Clothbound Cheddar in vault #6. A humongous hangar sized concrete structure housing hundreds of 35 lb wheels of cheddar aging in various stages of readiness. The Cheddars are usually ready at 12 months but will need a lot of tending and care throughout their stay. Caring for cheese at the aging stage of their development or affinage, (hyperlink worth reading!!) is a full time job. Like little babies, cheeses need to be washed, cleaned, patted down, turned and snuggled. Really. Each cheese is unique and requires a different and distinct routine.
So, after a brief training on operating the mini lift (used to reach those 30 ft shelved in the vaults) and a demo on correct hand washing and Cellars hygiene and sanitizing, I was taken into vault 6, aka The Great Kingdom of Cheddar. Jasper Hill needed to ship out 192 wheels of Cabot Clothbound that day so our job was to take down the ready cheddars, dust them of mites (which I will talk about next post) and get them ready for shipment.

After lunch, I was put on Larding duty. I hate to be the one to break the really bad news for all of you non-porcine eaters and vegetarians. Many cloth bound cheddars (not the rectangles from the grocery store) are rubbed down with lard. The lard promotes a strong and mite-less rind, provides a barrier for air which would create unwanted mold and dryness. All that to lead up to the next job, re-larding the cheddars.

From larding, we went to packing and wrapping the cheeses for shipment. First, counting 140 sticker labels to put into the packages with the cheese, wrapping the huge mothers in giant waxed butcher paper, weighing each one (34-36lbs) and boxing them up.

Cleaning up the cellars means washing down everything that was in contact with cheese. Sanitizing with a dilution of chlorine bleach, squeegeeing the concrete floors, walls and surfaces and putting all tools, gloves, racks, shelves and other supplies to dry. And that was day one. Day one. Shit. I should have brought along my masseuse.

Life on the Farm...

2009-04-15T17:03:00.003-05:00

I know that many of you are concerned that we've bailed on our mission to inform and educate about our year in exile...
Fear not!
Pending internet service in Greensboro, VT, I will begin to chronicle my 3+ months at Jasper Hill Farm working in the cheese house and the cheese cellars.
Photos and stories will follow soon.
Stay tuned.

-miya

To Market, To Market...

2009-03-15T18:18:00.008-05:00

Mid-March, just that much closer to April! Sunday was a beautiful mild sunny day. A perfect afternoon to pile into the car, camera in tow, and head to Jean-Talon Market.

JTM is one of four large public indoor/outdoor year-round farmer's markets in Montreal. Though much of the produce is sourced from all over North America, I noticed that a majority of vendors sell local produce and products made and grown in Quebec. We sampled a fine selection of fresh produce, from plums and nectarines (not local), to hot-house tomatoes and maple syrup (local and delicious!).

At the height of the maple syrup harvest season, many syrup sellers set up little tables covered in a layer of snowy shaved ice. In the style of the sugar shack, they heat up syrup, pour it onto the shaved ice, then roll a popsicle stick over the now hardened syrup to make a maple lollipop.
Tis the end of the season for my favorite root vegetables: beets, turnips and rutabagas and the anticipated start of the asparagus harvest. There was lots to look at and loads of people crowding the narrow isles of the indoor promenade.

We checked out some local Quebec cheeses at the unfriendly and paltry sampled 'Qui Lait Cru!' and walked into an amazing spice and olive oil emporium aptly called 'Olive et Epice'. The spice selection was impressive. In addition to carrying $3 Madagascar vanilla pods and 7 other varieties of vanilla, this crowded little storefront sells their own house made blends of curries, rubs and aromatic smoked salts. Sadly, they don't have a website!

Duck, quail and chicken eggs, farm fresh were being sold by Steve Finklestein, a 3rd generation farmer. A minor celebrity who recently was written up in the local paper.

The afternoon came to a close with some coffee and pastries at Premier Moisson, a high quality, local bakery chain. (the website features a soundtrack- don't be scared when it starts up!) We sampled a maple pecan roll with a melty buttery center, a plain croissant (I always like to use that as a base for comparaison) and a walnut raisin brioche with butter. mmm. Good times!

1983: Tales of a Long Lost Diary.

2009-03-12T19:36:00.007-05:00

As I was busying myself in the basement, digging around for something to read while trying to solve the mystery of the unreliable router, I happened upon my Little Twin Stars diary, given to my by my beloved Safta Tilly on my birthday, June 1983.

I knew I still had this magical Sanrio treasure somewhere in the piles of stuff my parents keep undisturbed in hidden places but had not seen it in quite some time. I wrote from June of 1983 to April of 1993 having only filled a mere 20 pages of the diary, and gotten through half of the pink pages with blue, green and yellow still left untouched. Just goes to show... Flipping through the pages and reading select entries aloud to my father, I realized 3 things about my 9 year old self that still ring true today:

1) I am still a lousy speller and when not making an effort have illegible handwriting. and also I don't know my commas.
2) Food and food related stories occupy most of my brain activity.
3) My days, now, and then, are not really that newsworthy.

I thought that you might enjoy the following excerpts:
DATE July 4 1983 Today at six we went to my uncle for a cookout... we went for ice cream at Dave's me and netta had oreo. She had m&ms on top I had peanut butter cups. And then we went home.
DATE July 6 1983 today we for lunch at friendlys after we finished eating we droped off my grand mother and we went to the movie to see Superman III.
DATE July 8 1983 Today we went to George's Island on a boat and back on a boat. then we came home.
DATE July 9 1983 Today we went to a market wheire there were fruits + vegetables. After that we went to have pizza at a restaurant that had no extra cheese or stras to drink with. after the pizza we went to Qinsie Market.

Myco-what? (and more from l'Ile de Montreal)

2009-03-12T19:26:00.007-05:00

Friends,
This week, as our story unfolds, the explorations of the Island of Montreal grow ever more exciting. In my research, I have learned that Montreal is the largest island in the Hochelaga Archipelago, and in fact in the entire Saint Lawrence River. Who would have thought there were other islands on the St. Lawrence? Thanks to Wiki I've learned that there are 74 islands in the Hochelaga Archipelago. I learn something new each day. So much for grade 8 geography retention.

In the frigged streets of Montreal. Left to my own devises, I discovered some magic. Camera in hand, roving the streets of Mile End and The Main (Blv. St. Laurent), curtains opened to reveal a store straight out of the Land of Make-Believe... The Mycoboutique on Rachel below St. Laurent, veritable mushroom emporium. All mushrooms all the time. Live, frozen, dried, embroidered, sculpted, carved... So awesome, I put myself on the mailing list. They specialize in fresh local wild mushrooms from the forests of Quebec and Ontario and since we are not in season for local mushrooms, they are selling fresh fungi from Oregon and British Columbia.

Purim: Signs of Spring??

2009-03-10T10:03:00.008-05:00

After the past sunny weekend adventures, I began to get excited about long walks with no mittens. trading in my tights and salt encrusted insulated winter shoes for anything else and sitting outside with a cheese plate and The New Yorker. Looking out the window, there is still no doubt in my mind that the spring I long for is still weeks away. Regardless, signs of spring poke out tiny antennae, very very tiny.

Purim is not a holiday I have fond feelings for. Kids, noise, costumes and shul. Enough said. Last year on Purim, R and I were in Israel where Purim is like Carnival. Costumed people flooding the streets and hamantashen available and on display at cafes and bakeries all over the country. Purim to me means Passover on the way which means spring. A bit of an indirect and circuitous path to spring- but one none the less.

Yesterday, my Ema and I took to the task of baking up holiday treats. To make things more interesting, Ema thought it would be fun to bake tiny little hamantashen, bite sized.

The crisp, buttery dough recipe came from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America. I added lemon zest and vanilla. The age old Prune vs. Poppy (moon) filling was had. I favor the former, my mother the latter. Seeing as we had no prunes or prune paste from the Kosher bakery, I improvised a fig paste filling using a Lebanese fig jam and adding to it oranges, orange zest and tangerine juice. The results are pictured below and were consumed to rave reviews.

Canadiana: Sunny Montreal Weekned

2009-03-09T15:57:00.009-05:00

The exile continues through March as I brave the seems-like-forever-winter solo in Montreal. My days consist of listening to CBC radio, watching lone flakes of snow fluttering through big bay windows, cooking up food projects and snapping pictures of different landscapes. With cheese making on my mind I fantasize about change. Upcoming adventures and the spring season to come...

Yesterday was an exceptionally beautiful day. After spending the night in Mile End (home of Mordechai Richler, Leonard Cohen and Schwartz's Deli) and lamenting the loss of an hour of sleep, my 2 locally based sisters and their gentlemen, planned a brunch adventure and neighborhood jaunt. Here are some of the highlights:

The day begins with my favorite meal. Breakfast. Drinking cup after cup of mediocre coffee we reread the menu, taking forever to figure out what to order. In typical Rotstein fashion, the sisters are debating who will share what with whom and who gets the sweet vs. savory meal. Omelet? Blintzes? French toast or pancakes?
[There is nothing better than the smell of frying onions.]

After a starchy Following the starchy beige breakfast (delicious but lacking in any fresh vegetables or fruits), we head out to explore, bright sun pouring into the street. A plethora of vintage clothing stores and funky boutiques line the hopping side streets along Mount Royal Avenue. I spotted (for when the $$ returns) some fabulous Montreal t-shirts decked out with awesome graphic depictions of the Orange Julep, Poutine, and various Mtl street scenes.

Bagels. I won't go into the long drawn out and uninteresting 'fight of the bagels'. (not to be confused with 'flight of the bagels'). I am a Montreal raised lady but personally prefer my bagels from the ovens of Absolute Bagels, Bergen Bagels or yes, La Bagel Delight. Sorry.

Murals of Williamsburg, Bklyn

2009-03-05T17:14:00.003-06:00

I can't help myself. Even on a gray and cloudy day, I must click a photo when I happen upon a mural. It's a disease. Thankfully there is no film to develop. I can't afford that anymore.

Post Past: Ricotta stuffed French Toast

2009-02-24T10:09:00.004-06:00

So we are landed immigrants in NYC for the next week or so. Strange feeling to be back here with a 3 month lag. The good news is that nothing really changes.
Crowds, tourists, stalled subways? Check. Four random people blessed me when I sneezed. Feeling the love.
******************
Post past: Ricotta French Toast

Char had been inspired by a food network treat and recreated it for us the Sunday before we left MN. I have had visions of French toast since then... This is my adapted version of the delightful brunch treat:

2 slices of bread per person (brioche, Challah, cinnamon raisin bread...)
2-3 eggs beaten in a bowl with a cup of milk or half&half, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar to taste.
fresh ricotta, raw honey, berries (fresh preferable) or other seasonal fruit.
Frying pan, butter or canola oil for frying.

1) Make a sandwich of the bread, ricotta, berries. Spread with raw honey if preferred.
2) Beat egg mixture till frothy and all ingredients are well blended.
3) Heat and grease pan.
4) Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture and coat well.
5) Fry french toast on both sides till crisp.
6) Serve with additional fruit, dust with powdered sugar.

Post Past: Isles Buns...

2009-02-18T14:22:00.002-06:00

We flew back to NYC this morning, a little vacation from our exile.
Sitting at a crowded cafe, feeling a little out of sorts, sleepless night, 6am flight, cloudy afternoon, lots to reflect on since we left here back in November...

The next few posts are some reflections of posts past and other thoughts:

Isles Buns!
We love this place and sadly only got to make it over twice over our 3 month stay in the Twin Cities. If you ever have late night fantasies of hot cinnamon buns, sticky buns, endless tubs of cream cheese frosting and hot coffee after partaking in a brisk 2.8 mile walk around the glorious and magical Lake of the Isles, this will be beyond your wildest...

We were shown the way to Isles buns back in January when I vocalized my deep desire to spend an afternoon baking up sticky buns (tempted by hours of reading back issues of Saveur and Gourmet mags at the Washburn Public Library). Our bun guide, Marilyn, told me not to waste precious time on that project because the sticky buns here would be the most delicious ever. Their signature $1 creation is the Puppy Dog Tail. Sounds like a PETA nightmare but is in fact a delicious little twisty cinnamon dough, frosted of course, just enough to not make your tummy turn in sugary pain.
Though truth be told, the real fun in Isles really begins and ends with the big tub of fresh, whipped creamy-cheesy frosting that sits right by the coffee station... yes, you heard correctly, endless frosting.

The Breakfasts of Winter: Part 2 - Sticky Bun Pancakes

2009-02-10T15:13:00.006-06:00

Yesterday morning I awoke to no direct sunlight and it felt like the middle of the night even though the clock by the bedside read 11:05am.

There was nothing keeping either one of us from continuing to slumber through Monday except for the promise of breakfast. Victor's 1959 definitely planted the pancake seed in our gastronomic memories. Thinking about brewing up some strong coffee and flippin a batch of pancakes was incentive enough to get out of bed and welcome a dreary February morning.

The concept of these pancakes began when we took a trip to United Noodles, the self described "Largest Oriental Grocery Store in the Midwest!" It was. Huge warehouse of strange food and non-food products from around the 'Orient'. We snagged some interesting products for use in later culinary inspired times.

The time was now.

One of our prize finds was a can of red bean paste direct from Taiwan. Another was ready-made taro pancake mix from the oriental country of Hawaii (the taro root is used in Polynesian cuisine and is commonly used to make Poi) - It was a match made in breakfast heaven. Taro pancakes and red bean paste. Sticky Bun Pancakes, Ruby's idea. Add in some sweet, condensed milk and some flaky shredded coconut, serve with some tangy mineola orange or sections of tangerines, pineapple or other seasonal fruit.

A reason to get out of bed!

The Breakfasts of Winter: Part 1 - Victor's 1959

2009-02-09T19:38:00.005-06:00

Breakfast. Hands down our favorite collective meal. A great breakfast sets the course for the rest of the day. Hot, filling, cup brimming over with coffee, protein, sugar, I can go on and on...

What is better than breakfast? Breakfast on a weekday! Imagine that, no wait for a seat, no lines around the corner, no waitress giving you the stink-eye because you have sat at your booth for longer than the time it should take for a grown person to inhale two eggs, toast and a side of vegie sausage. Breakfast on a weekday also means chatting with the staff who are chatting with the regulars, reading the paper, writing a postcard. Breakfast on the weekend is what we all dream about when the alarm goes off at 6:25am reminding us that no, we will not have time for leisure this morning.

Victor's 1959 is a local favorite. We read about it in countless Minne foodie blogs and articles. It is the real deal for a cheap and filling breakfast, Cuban style. The restaurant is housed in a mural-adorned, small shack-like house at the corner of Grand and 38th street. Niki, the Greek owner, has been serving Cuban style cuisine since 1999 (not sure what the 1959 is about as nowhere on their website does that date appear as a milestone of any important event). Walls are adorned with patrons' Sharpie markings and little shrines of knickknacks, photos and Cuban paraphernalia.

The food was fresh and tasty, coffee was refilled whenever it got below half full (though the beans are their own special fair trade brew, the joe was weak and lacking completely in flavor) and since we were three, we ordered many plates to share: One huge corn pancake (with soft kernels of yellow corn embedded within), a huge mango pancake (with walnuts and a decorative drizzle of mango sauce), Ranchero Cubano (2 corn tortillas with melted cheddar, topped with 2 eggs & covered in a creole sauce) and finally 2 eggs over medium, potatoes and Cuban toast (white roll smushed till flat on the grill, buttered and served with guava paste). Total bill was $25. Not bad.

Great Pizza in Minnesota?

2009-02-02T13:13:00.010-06:00

Ruby has, for as long as I've known her, sung the praises of Jakeeno's Pizza in South Mpls., founded by good old Jack Keegan in 1975. It's a total dive, but the pizza will blow you away! She actually grew up across the street from smells of the pizza shop and Jack would always donate free coupons to her school events. She's tried all kinds of pizza, but claims that Jakeeno's is still the best pizza she's ever had. Is it nostalgia or is Minnesota pizza really something to be reckoned with?

R: You know how NY pizza makers scrimp on their sauce and cheese, right? Well Jakeeno's is known for its generous portion of sweet delicious red sauce, a tangy flavor like no other sauce I have ever sampled, plus a plentiful dose of gooey oozing-hot cheese on a cracker thin crust. The cheese is so gooey that they cut their thin-style pizza in 2x2 squares that you eat with a knife and fork (the "Minnesota way") or just fold in half and stick in your mouth. Today Jakeeno's actually bottles and sells their sauce and Jack's daughters have taken over the biz.

M: I had my doubts. As I tend to. I know I love my pizza and have yet to find a slice worthy of any praise. NY pizza is the real deal. From Sal and Carmine's on Bway /103rd to Bleecker Street Pizza to Di Fara's on Ave. J, Bklyn. Also, slices here are $5?! what kind of a 'cheap' lunch is that? So when Ruby and Char decided that it was time for Jakeeno's, I was ready to take the plunge. It has been almost 3.5 months with no good pizza. What choice did I have??
One word. Delcious. Not NY but damn close. little cute bite sized squares, hot, melts, thin crust, sweet and tangy tomato sauce. Great topping combos. We ordered a half potato/rosemary half spinach, mushroom, ricotta. mmm. Take a look!

Open Book

2009-01-30T12:53:00.001-06:00

For this blog post, I'm going to rely mostly on photos. We spent last Wednesday afternoon at the Open Book, a printmaking and letterpress studio, center for writing and bookmaking, and gallery space for prints and fine arts. It is a beautiful facility; spacious and roomy, the concrete, brick and steel structures fit so perfectly into the downtown urban/industrial look of the neighborhood. The whole space is 'open' which meant that we could tour around every nook and cranny of the 3 floor building. We visited the basement, with dozens of printing presses and letter press machines. We were so impressed with the space and were ogling the woodblocks and letters that were sitting in trays. I couldn't help but take many pictures...

Festivals on Ice, St. Paul Style

2009-01-24T21:18:00.010-06:00

Another leisure Saturday, another trip over to the State Capital, St. Paul. We were invited by Ruby's aunt and uncle to experience the first day of the Winter Carnival. We learned as the day progressed, that the St. Paul Winter Carnival was started back in the day, in 1886 and has been a huge community festival ever since. According to my research about the beginnings of this tradition, business leaders of the burgeoning city wanted to, "...disprove a New York newspaper reporter who had described their beloved city as 'another Siberia, unfit for human habitation in the winter.'” Hysterical.

As we have described on numerous occasions on the blog, Minnesotans are anything but wimpy winterizers. Bikers, skiers, nude pedestrians, dog walkers; all in sub zero temperatures with wind-chill! Carnival was no exception. Today was an especially brutal winter morning. We were out of the house by 9:30am and by 10am we were sipping sweet, hot coffee and partaking in delicious baked goodness at Swede Hollow on E.7th St. We enjoyed some delicious coffee; I had a Cubano coffee which was 2 shots of espresso, brown sugar and steamed milk. Coffees were served with a bitter-sweet chocolate stir stick. Artichoke Strata (picture a savory crustless quiche flecked with red peppers, artichokes and shallots, topped with finely grated cheese). My fellow eaters had an assortment of pastries ranging from cherry almond scones to pecan buns to sweet cinnamon bread pudding. Breakfast of champions.

Ice sculptures were being carved as we walked through the amazing display. Day one of the Winter Festival was underway... (if you have a hard time making out the sculptures, the one on the right is called 'School of Fish' Complete with Mr. Wally Eye, teaching up front, and little dunce-cap fish sitting on a conch shell beside him. Below, a scenic tiki beach, hammock, palm trees and tropical temptations...)

From there we hopped back in the car and jetted of to Rice Park - not so much a park but a little green area opposite the Landmark Center, an amazing architectural structure built in 1802 complete with St. Paul lore and historical significance. We learned all about the history of the building, from its heyday at the turn of the century, to its transformation into USPS central station, to 1930's New Deal headquarters. A national landmark, today it serves as a cultural center for music, dance, theater, exhibitions, and can be rented for kick ass parties.
Fun times. Cold, but definitely worth waking up for delicious breakfast and supporting sub-zero ice carving aficionados.

We gave the Winter Carnival a whirl. What would you do with 6 months of winter??

The Other Twin (City, that is)

2009-01-22T15:34:00.007-06:00

Growing up in Minneapolis I was pretty much clueless when it came to St. Paul. This is how it works in the Twin Cities, there's a divide, you are either from one side of the Mississippi river or the other. So, MLK Day we were given a golden opportunity to get an insider's tour of good old St. Paul- hometown to one of the last American Ford plants, Garrison Keillor, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

St. Paul is the MN State Capitol and is much more stately and grand than punky artsy Minneapolis. Yeah, it's cool to have a whole other city to explore once we get sick of Mpls.!

Friends Benjamin and Jesse who went to Midwest Ivy Macalester College and are fellow foodies started the day off right by bringing us to the "best coffee in the twin cities"- Kopplin's. They have one of those high-tech "clover" machines that makes coffee to order one perfect cup at a time. It created this finely tuned coffee cowpie grounds, (you'd have to see it) which makes your coffee just so creamy and sweet. Miya even drank it black! [Consequently, Starbucks just bought Clover out, so now you have to give Starbucks your money to get a machine. Another reason to boycott!]

After the pilgrimage to the sacred Kopplin's site, we went over to the Como area to Abu Nader's Market - Home made fresh pita, delicious spicy fool (fava bean salad), crisp and flavorful falafel and lemony garlicy humus. Delicious!

Next up, Common Good Books, Garrison's cavernous and plentiful bookstore. A vast and assorted collection of everything you would ever desire to read about. A large local section of non-fiction and food writing. Made us want to spend the last of our dollars on some good reads!

From the bookstore, we went on a drive along Summit Ave. (glorious old blue-hair mansions). The James J. Hill House is a great museum for all to check out and get a sense of St. Paul history.

The weekend before we took a leisurely Sunday drive on Grand Street- a great strip with local coffee shops, bookstores, and shops. The Golden Fig is a wonderful shop specializing in locally made foods, cheeses, preserves, etc. The local food movement is strong here! St. Paul is actually really happening! I have to say that I have been converted. Happy, Benjamin??

Obama at the Parkway!

2009-01-21T19:03:00.004-06:00

Change has finally come to our country! We could not be more elated at the thought that perhaps things are going to start to look up for us. Being out of work has been horribly depressing. Thinking about the potential to turn the country 360 from where it is- that is keeping us looking up.

We went to the Parkway Theater along with 400 other Minnesotans to view live CNN coverage of the inauguration... The theater had been abandoned and was in need of some TLC.In the summer of 2008, it was bought by a local Mexican-American restaurateur and revived as an indie/ art house theater. It was a really amazing community gathering.

We were so impressed by the crowd's booing and hissing whenever George, Dick or Rick Warren were up on the screen. Standing ovations for Barak and Joe... It felt just like being at home. (We did find out today that there is a big Pro-Life march scheduled to happen in the Capital, St. Paul. Ugh)

Winter Lovers or How to Try to Hate Winter Less...

2009-01-12T18:33:00.004-06:00

So we have spoken at great lengths about the resilience and the insanity of life in the cold. If you are a native of the cold climate, I imagine it is no big deal to spend 6 out of 12 months in below freezing temperatures. I suppose you embrace the inevitable. Here, we have witnessed insane winter behavior. Winter biking: aka ski-mask wearing, head lamp sporting, nails-in-your-tires driving crazy folks. Regardless of the mass amounts of blowing snow, ice and sleet, these people are out in the streets with no fear. The ride so fast, this quick snap photographer was unable to get a shot of the action for the blog.
Another interesting phenomenon of the winter folks is the snow jogger, x-country skier, ice fisher and snowshoer. These people mean business. There is no nap time for winter vacation. The Winter Lover will go on with their day to day activity as if nothing was wrong. As though the temperature outside was actually fit for human beings with functioning nerve endings. (see blog post on nude walker for more on that.)

This weekend, Lake Harriet held the annual Winter Kite Festival. Lake. Kit flying. Crazy, no?
It was sweet and neighborhoody and fun for all ages. There was an MC who played some big band tunes and called out on the microphone about a found lone glove. There were many dogs and many kites.
I imagine that if we lost our bitterness about winter and our malaise about the cold, maybe we could actually make it through another 2 months of this shit. Maybe not.

Holding out for Springtime and our own Manhattan Skyline

2009-01-06T17:51:00.009-06:00

The winter is no time for a vacation in Minneapolis.
We are realizing this fact the hard way. The sun in the sky is not an indicator of a lovely day for a walk. The sunniest days have been the coldest. Though we are trying to get out of the house and have at least one adventure a day, it seems like it's easier to stay put. Sunset at 5:20, dinner at 7. Depressing thoughts.
We left the house yesterday, computer and novels a-tow.
We parked the car on 24th street and as I got out I noticed the house with the flowerbox. Sweet. Still holding out for springtime??
I know I am.

Cross the street to Nicollet. Arrive at Spyhouse. Surly baristas, average coffee, stale food, dirty tables, packed 24/7, strange collection of students, chess playing weird old men, loafers and grimy furniture. Ahhhh... feels like home!! We miss you, NY! Feels like the Tea Lounge on Union St. Brooklyn minus the babies and stroller brigade. The sweet part of the evening was taking pictures of the cafe and realizing how many of the kitchy 50's era art was of the Manhattan skyline! Check it out:

Mom and Pop lives on...

2009-01-04T20:03:00.010-06:00

As I have noted on this blog and in early entries on presenceofcolor, Minneapolis is a great city for indie businesses. In terms of coffee shops, bookstores and boutiques, there is a plethora of non-chain stores and specialty stores all over town competing but not overrunning each other. On Lyndale alone (main thoroughfare) there are at least 6 non-Starbucks, non-Caribou Coffee shops. We can take the laptop to a new place each morning and we haven't even explored St. Paul! We are huge fans. That is definitely a noteworthy and important plus for this town. +++!

On this night, the last official day of winter vacation, Ruby, Char and I went out on the town. First a stop at the Electric Fetus, a local record/gift/music/book emporium - a hotbed of a head store since 1968. After seeing Slumdog Millionaire on Friday night, Char vowed to get the soundtrack asap and she thought that a trip out to the Fetus would make for a great authentic Minneapolis experience. Plants keeping watch in the windows; the smell of patchouli fragrantly whacking you in the face like bare feet on ice. Lots of pipes, incense and rows and rows of vinyl.

From there, we drove down off of Nicollet Ave. to Char's old art-days haunting grounds and winter comfort restaurant: The Black Forest Inn. We had dined there a few years back and were excited to make ourselves comfortable under the taxidermied deer heads and German Beer garden ambiance. It was a quiet night, a few tables of quiet diners, huddled over their sauerkraut, spaetzle and geschnitzeltes, sipping hot Apfelwein (AppleWine) and dark wheat beer. It was heavenly. I had a hot veggie-pot pie, shared some spaetzle with gravy and cooked sweet and sour red cabbage salad. Apple streudle with cinnamon whipped cream for desert.

Only in NYC? or so we thought...

2008-12-28T15:24:00.008-06:00

A couple of gleanings about the title above:

Only in NYC- Last month, snow still minimal and temperatures still bearable, we found a reputable piece of furniture/trash on the street! An amazing find for those of you who do not know the wonders of living out of other people's refuse but for those of you from NY- this is no big deal and definitely nothing to write home about. We have embraced our little custom built 1950's green leather business chair made by a local company- Fritz-Cross. What a find! We made her feel at home in our mini bedroom on the 2nd floor of 5532 Emerson.

Only in NYC- Today was a beautiful sunny Sunday and Ruby and I were out for our walk around Lake Calhoun. (We are trying very hard to make it a daily activity because otherwise we will too easily slip into that hibernating squirrel mode of eating acorns and watching HBO.) So we are beginning our 3.1 mile walk, getting warmed up, trying not to slip on the icy path. Coming towards us around the bend is a young woman with long hair who appears to be wearing a nude colored ski suit. Or so we thought. As she approached on our left, it was quite evident that she was not only not wearing a nude colored ski suit, she was not wearing anything at all. Bear footed, bear breasted, muff triangle intact, seemingly trance-like in her focus, she marched past us. Hmm. It was as if she was performing the reverse of the hot-coal meditative circus act. We thought, are we in NY? The only reason we knew were were not in NY is because we were only 2 of 4 people on the path who had witnessed the bizarre nude walker. Had we been home, there would have also been tourists with cameras at the ready. It wasn't the nudity that was perturbing - rather the 20 degree weather and the barefootedness that made us shake in our boots. Literally. Minutes later, as we looked back, a Minneapolis police car had made an about-turn and picked up our lady. A couple of runners on the path were finding articles of her clothing and running back with them. Alls well. We hope.
-m&r

DEAR DIARY: Where oh where art thou, NY?

2008-12-24T19:13:00.007-06:00

Wow, this is way harder then I thought it would be. I miss NYC so much, it physically hurts. I guess NYC is really in my blood, the intimate relationship with every street, corners where I've met people for the first time, parks where I fell in love. None of that is here. I'm trying to stay positive and find out about all the cool things here in Mpls., but woah winter kind of halts that. Well, at least you can still buy a 3-bedroom house here for under $100,000. And, there are retail store fronts galore with for rent signs. Maybe, I really am a New Yorker? It took leaving for me to finally come to terms. -Ruby

I know what you mean. I miss New York like I miss a dear friend. I too feel like NY is a place like no other. Though it was so easy for us to complain bitterly and endlessly about how much our lives sucked and how terribly annoying our day to day routines were becoming - I think that it has begun to set in that we are really NY girls through and through. I know that there are awesome places out there, great outdoor spaces, lots of giant rat free streets with no urine stained walls and funky smelling people crowding the already over populated street-scapes. I know that no one should have to live check to check, live without insurance ('cause it costs way to much to afford with the $2000 we pay in rent each month), cram themselves into closet sized rooms to save $ and never turn on the heat in the winter if heat is not included in the building costs. It's insane. But there are so many NY moments that will just never survive outside of the 5 borough confines. Those are the things I miss. List to follow. -miya

Cooking in the Cold (part 2): Fish Tacos

2008-12-17T12:32:00.008-06:00

In an attempt to stay warm and keep from remembering the fact that we are far away from our friends and loved ones, I decided to cook up some fish tacos. Our favorite burrito take out, La Taqueria in Park Slope, was our go-to for any meal we were not interested in cooking but totally craving. In hopes of bringing back memories, that was what I decided to make for dinner...

Fish Tacos with Garlic Black Beans, Lemon Cole Slaw and Ancho-Lime Crema
Makes plenty for 2 people with leftovers for later...

The FISH part:

Take a nice filet or 2 Talapia or other white flaky fish.
Marinate in lemon, herbs, s&p, garlic powder and any other flavor enhancers.
After marination, dredge in flour (whole wheat) or a combo of flour and cornmeal (for a nice crunch).
Fry up fish in 1/2 an inch of canola oil.
Flip when ready and dry out on paper towel. Keep warm in a 250 degree oven...

The BEANS part:

Crack open a can of black beans (or any other bean of your choice), drain beans but don't rinse.
In a small pot or deep pan, saute 3 cloves of garlic and 1/2 onion in some olive oil with seasonings to taste. Cumin, chili, garlic powder or adobo, s&p...
Once onions are soft and spices are fragrant, take about 1/4 of the beans and dump 'em into the pot and mash them into a saucy paste.
Add the rest of the can of beans to the pot with a little water.

The LEMONY SLAW part:
Easy.

Shred some red or white cabbage very thin. Sprinkle with a little salt to wilt.
After about 10 minutes, mix and soften the cabbage with your hands or with a more sanitary utensil.
If too salty, rinse under water and strain out in the sink.
Add lemon and/or lime juice (fresh is best). Add some olive oil, pepper, cumin seeds, vinegar and stir up.

The CREMA!

Soak 2 ancho chilis (Goya sells them dried in most grocery 'ethnic' aisles) in hot water. Cover with a plate. When reconstituted, remove seeds (if you want a milder chili) and put in a medium sized bowl or blender.
To the bowl, add 1 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream.
For a creamier version, add some mayonnaise.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lime and add some of the zest.
Season with s&p
If you have a hand mixer, blend it up in the bowl or in the blender.
Voila. Crema!

Heat up some corn (or as we did - blue corn) tortillas in a warm pan.
assemble your tacos or eat 'em all in a big pile.
Serve with fresh salsa, pickled jalapeno slices and avocado.
Report back once you've made it and let me know what you think!

-miya

Snow + staying indoors in sweats = cooking up a storm! (part 1)

2008-12-16T22:08:00.005-06:00

In spite of or because of my negatively twinged post earlier this evening, I decided that I should turn it all around, find the love in the cold...

We spent all day indoors. 5532 Emerson. All day (minus the 1/2 hour shoveling).
You all know me to be the queen of queens of procrastination, right? So instead of scouring the want-ads and thinking about making some much needed money for the team, I decided that I needed to cook. It all started because we spent Saturday afternoon at The Wedge Coop (fabulous though not nearly close to our sorely missed Park Slope co-op) and to a pretty huge and lushly carpeted grocery chain that caries a huge assortment of imported foods, kosher meats and fresh fish called Byerly's. As super domesticatingly unexciting I'm sure this news is for most of you, as you also know, we love to cook almost as much as we love to eat. So needless to say, the food shopping part of our exile in MN is about as exciting as it gets. Minus the coffee part.

Long story short, I decided to make use of my procrastination and cook up a storm. After wishing my sweet baby sister Myrite a happy 25th and hearing about her carrot soup, I thought of a brilliant idea for lunch...

Squash Curry Soup!

I fished out an acorn squash that was resting soundly at the back of the fridge with his buddy sweet potato and popped them in the oven to roast. Roast at 350 for an hour or till soft. Once the veggies are done and cooled enough to handle, start step 2
I sauteed onion and garlic with some canola oil. Added curry powder, salt, pepper, some weird Jamaican seasoning from the coop (I think it was a cinnamon, chili, garlic combo). After the onions are soft and seasoned, added a cup of water.
Crank open a can of lite coconut milk and pour it into the pot. Fill the can up with water to get the rest of the milk out of the can and pour into the pot.
If the squash and potato are cool enough to handle, scrape the softened veggies into the pot. Get your trusty handblender and blend up the soup to your liking. Season to taste!

-miya

DEAR DIARY, The Snow.

2008-12-16T17:21:00.002-06:00

There is not much that needs to be added to the title above to describe in full the experience of shoveling snow and watching it fall right back down and undo all of the aforementioned shoveling. As in the leaf raking task, snow shoveling serves no real purpose but to keep kids and the unemployed constantly at task. The only good that comes out of laboring in the snow- is when it is over and you can come back into the warm house and watch the food network. -miya

Oooh Miya isn't she funny! Yeah, having a whole house in which the landlord doesn't do everything for you is a truly new phenomenon for us. Wooh! And, then on top of it what is up with Mpls. Recycling. Every darn thing has to be separated. That means glass in one bag, tin cans- another, aluminum- yet another bag. How would a tiny NYC apt. have room to do this separation? Dairy tubs, plastics- nope they don't take any of it. Apparently, this means that Mpls. recyclables are super clean and pure, but I think it means a lot of people don't even bother. -Ruby

Hidden Art

2008-12-12T10:25:00.009-06:00

The week before Thanksgiving, before the mounds of icy snow hit us in Minneapolis, we were still adventure seekers in exploratory mode. We had picked up every free events paper in town and hungrily scoured the ads and columns in search of something interesting to discover. First stop on Saturday morning was the open studios/ craft show at Casket Arts in Northeast Minneapolis. Literally a former casket making factory building that had been transformed into artist studios. Back home, we were serious groupies of every neighborhood open studios weekend - from Gowanus to DUMBO - so naturally, we were excited to discover this NE Mpls art neighborhood. We took our little Geo Prism, Ruby at the wheel, to the undiscovered country.
We found ourselves among hundreds of hungry shoppers, wine and chocolates in hand, going in and out of studios admiring (or not quite admiring) the canvases, sculptures and 'art pieces' on display and for sale.
Next stop was the MCAD's (Mpls College of Art and Design) annual student art show - where everything was for sale - cheap! Money collected was going back to the school and most of the art was very reasonably priced.

All in all a good day for explorers and art seekers.
Of course, no day is complete without coffee. After our all of our traipsing, we needed a good, hot cup and a snack. And who doesn't after a day like that!!? Did Vasco de Gama sail off to Africa without his thermos full of hot buttered rum? I think not. We settled on one of our favorite spots: Barbette. (Shout out to Jessica!) Barbette is perhaps the taste-of-Paris of coffee scene. Except that the wait staff is superbly sweet and friendly and coffee doesn't cost $12 US. Their live music, awesome decor and generally lovely ambiance makes it a place we love to come back to. A great end to a fabulously colorful day!
Till next time!
-miya

DEAR DIARY: R.I.P. NYC

2008-12-08T18:13:00.002-06:00

What changes when you leave NYC? A helluva lot!

I can't get over how surreal my day was today people! A few weeks ago I was like a dykey NYC hipster with my skinny jeans, Nikes, and bed-head haircut, the next I'm literally in some snow pants and moon boots, sweating over scraping some iced on snow off the front of my car windshield. The snow here is no joke! Then I get into the car and I’m getting ready to pull out my latest novel from my messenger bag like I always do on the train, but wait I’m driving a car, I have to merge and conquer traffic. I can't even describe how weird this feels people! –Ruby

This week was spent shoveling and clearing snow in an endless and maddening Sisyphean challenge. I suppose that if this was NY, the snow would already be black, sooty, muddy and sprayed all over my coat as taxis jet past me on my walk home from the train. -miya

Yeah, I’ve literally been having a week long anxiety attack. One minute I’m like, “oh local coffee shops and bookstores on every corner- how cool is that!” The next minute, it’s hard to describe...I get all nauseous and teary-eyed thinking about how much I actually miss riding the subway, getting out at Christopher St. in The Village and walking to my favorite café. Always surrounded by amazing-looking people, sitting down next to the writer Malcolm Gladwell, overhearing some outrageous conversation tidbit. I know NYC like the back of my hand and now I’m finding myself stuck in a cul-de-sac trying to remember that one street, I forgot the name of over the years, that takes us back to my mom's house. -Ruby

It is really nice to get a table at a coffee shop. Any coffee shop. I don't miss those days (and there were countless) when I would be hovering over some poor guy, giving him the stink-eye and hoping that he would vacate his busted up seat by the broken table before I finish my $5 latte. Here in Mpls there are dozens of non-Starbucks coffee shops with dozens of seats at dozens of tables. Working lights, pretty awesome local Peace Coffee, surly (in their own Midwestern way) servers and local loafers and loiterers. I guess if I close my eyes, I can pretend we are still on the East Coast, even for a minute. -miya