Date Newtons 22 May, 2013

Have I ever told you about that time when I was stuck? Not the type of stuck you get when you decide to venture out into a snow storm. I was stuck in life, in a place, in a job, with a boy, all things I didn't like. I was stuck so deep that I was unsure of how to get out. After a lot of self-reflecting and gin drinking, I dug myself out, moved forward, got an education, and left the boy. It was when I finally decided to grab the steering wheel, instead of riding in the back seat, that the car seemed to go in the right direction. Sometimes I look back at that time of my life, not with regret or shame, but as a point of reference. To remind myself of the person that I once was, and the person I am today. And although at the the time it seemed like a really terrifying decision, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

Huevos Rancheros with Scrambled Eggs 16 May, 2013

Growing up, my dad built the family a chicken coupe, complete with four rows of tiny individual chicken rooms, and a fancy zig-zagging staircase, so that the chickens could get to their rooms and out the front door whenever they wanted. We didn't eat them, we mostly just collected their eggs and tried to avoid stepping on their poop. We had a rooster named Lucy who was super annoying and woke me up every morning at the crack of dawn, a few ducks, and two geese - who were also really annoying and used to chase me around the back yard trying to bite my ankles. Each summer my parents grew a large vegetable garden with tomatoes, peas, beans, etc., and my grandma would come visit at the end of the summer and pickle the beets, cucumbers and make jam. She would also make us hike into the bush looking for fancy pieces of wood to put in her garden, which I never really understood. My family were modern day hippies. We lived in the country, far away from modern conveniences. I didn't have a lot of friends. I did however have chickens, and they were the best friends a girl could ask for. Each morning, I would put on my red rubber boots - as a preventative measure, and I would go out to the coop and feed them Cheerios, because clearly chickens like Cheerios. I would gather eggs, and my dad would scramble them up, or he would make French toast.

Now for all of you runny egg lovers out there, you should probably just skip to the last paragraph because I'm about to go on a rant. I wouldn't call myself a true lover of eggs. If you scramble them up, so that the white and the yellow mix to be a nice uniform consistency, with cheese, or top those scrambled eggs with hot sauce and queso fresco, sure, I can get behind that. I will basically eat scrambled eggs every day. I also have no reservations about using them in baking, and heck, I've even come around to the idea of quiche. I wont however eat eggs that have been poached, hard/soft boiled, or sunny side up. I can't even look at a picture of an egg sunny side up without gagging, which made it really difficult during that period of time, possibly last winter, when it was all the rage, bright green asparagus, pizza, everything that I love, ruined with a big old egg on top. Instead of runny eggs, can we just start putting avocado on everything? 

I usually shy away from huevos when I'm eating out, because they're often served with an egg, cooked in a particular way that I don't care for. If there's an option, I'll ask for scrambled, but most of the time I am assaulted with a dirty look, and then I have to remind myself that indeed there is no huevos rancheros god, and I am totally fine eating this dish the way that I like. Last month I went to a super fancy restaurant in Seattle, and ordered a ridiculously expensive dish, and then they put a tiny quail egg, sunny side up, on top. Just because the egg was tiny and cute, does not make it awesome.

Apple Fennel Salad, And A New-to-me Green Called Mâche 08 May, 2013

We've had some shocking weather, this month of May. I am really digging the fact that my tomato and strawberry plants are on the patio, and we can all bask in the sun together, but I am also a bit skeptical that the good weather is not here to stay, and mother nature is eventually going to slap us back into reality with a cold front and rain storm. Here in the Seattle, we cross our fingers and pray to the weather gods that there will be sunny skies and warm nights by the month of July. But lately, we've been going about our business with a spring in our step, fancy shades, and adorable shoes. Eating gelato for breakfast, swimming in the lake that is probably just a little too cold, and making s'mores on our fancy REI mini camp stoves. Also, drinking way to many margaritas. Temperatures have reached low 80's, and you won't hear me complaining about anything, except when people dump their left-over margaritas on my patio from the roof-top on Cinco de Mayo. Then I'm a little peeved - only because I wasn't invited. 

Don't Underestimate the Amount of Time it Takes to Ice a Cake 01 May, 2013

My two dearest friends got married this past Saturday. I had been helping them plan this wedding for the past few months. On Friday, they threw a pre-wedding party. A chance for people to mingle, eat good food, and drink way too much champagne. Mr. H and myself, with little self-control, are those two people who drank far too much. This put an interesting twist on the next days events. My 9:00 am hair appointment seemed like far more of a task than it should've been, and although I put on my finest smile the day of the wedding (by 'put-on' I mean literally painted it on with lipstick), I was hurting on the inside. Not the type of hurting you feel when you break up with a partner, in your soul. No, this was literal pain. In my digestive region. 

Vermicelli Tofu Noodle Bowl 24 April, 2013

I spent some time in Vietnam, back in 2010. At that moment, I had made a carefully thought-out decision to include chicken in my diet, with the intention to enjoy pho, a Vietnamese soup, as the whole process seemed like a culinary ritual worth experiencing. In Vietnam, people gather at sunrise for morning tai chi, an ancient art practiced with the intent to cultivate physical and psychological well being. Shortly after, street stalls and produce markets start popping up on street corners and in alleys. Quickly, streets become packed with people in search for their next meal. I assume that people have strong preferences towards the most delicious vendors. I used this theory as a basis for making my food decisions. As soon as I witnessed a line beginning to form, I took this as my cue to join in.

At each pho stand, a large pot of broth stands tall and sturdy, bubbling with deliciousness. For a pho based entrepreneur, mornings begin at 3 am. The broth needs to boil and absorb flavors from bones and other various animal bits.  It boils for at least 4 hours, developing flavors, which is why it's so delicious later on in the day. When you order pho in Vietnam, you'll receive a large bowl of broth, with rice noodles and your choice of meat. You must then be very aggressive when searching for a seat. Table and chairs come in one size: tiny. They are plastic, and in the colors red and blue, which seems to have no particular meaning. If you are 6 feet tall, I can guarantee you will find sitting a particular challenge. The tables will be stocked with peppers, spices and sauces. This is your opportunity to flavor up your pho as you like. I truly fell in love with this whole experience.