Description:
Before and After.. Gasicide.. Six Year Chart.. ..
Contents:
Before and After
Between the early burst of hot and steamy weather, followed by two weeks of on again-and-off again torrential downpours, the garden is flourishing. Here are a few before and after photos. The first set were taken in early May, the second set just this week.
Here's the garden in the front yard. I'm trying something a little different this year: separating small areas by bricks. This way I'll micro-manage it, hopefully keeping weeds at bay.
This is the first year I'm attempting corn. It's growing great! I have two small patches planted on either side of my front steps (about 36 plants in all). My plan is that by mid-summer I'll walk through a "cornfield" to enter the house. Someone I work with told me that corn should be "knee-high by July." I'm ahead of the game...some is thigh-high and it's only June.
Here's some of the plants before they were in the ground. The plants on the middle stairs are broccoli. Yesterday broccoli was one of the ingredients on my dinner table (and one of the first things--besides herbs--that I ate out of the garden this year).
There's also a garden in the back yard, but this year is the first year that I expanded into pots (I ran out of ground in my teeny city plot). The plants in pots are growing great. The problem is my two dogs...they seem to love these vegetables (their both pugs...they'll eat anything). The garden itself is fenced off with chicken wire, but the pots are within their reach...I've already lost a few vegetable plants this year.
The first pot in the photo has Swiss chard in it just after planting, the next one is how it looks now...a portion of which became my dinner.
The first (mini) harvest of the season, then dinner. I look forward to tomatoes and peppers.
Gasicide
Six Year Chart
Six years ago gas was a buck-and-a-half a gallon...and we thought that was pricey...better get that old bike out of the basement/garage...it'll be more fun than you can imagine.
An Open Letter To Gordon Ramsay
I tried, chef, I really did, and on numerous occasions. But I just can not sit through an entire episode of Hell’s Kitchen. Invariably, after or during one of your obscene and belittling rants, I tell you to shut the f#@k up, consciously using one of your favorite expletives. Why do you do it, I wonder? It can’t be the money and fame because you seem to have had both before these shows began. You’re an extremely accomplished chef whose restaurants carry a combined total of something like 12 Michelin stars, and you’ve trained under some of the greatest of our time: Albert Roux, Guy Savoy, Joël Robuchon…these names read like a who’s who list of the culinary world. And let’s not forget Marco Pierre White, the original enfant terrible of the kitchen. Don’t you see what you are doing? There will be a whole legion of young culinarians following behind you thinking this is how a chef is supposed to act, perpetuating the myth of the temperamental chef. This is a hard enough image to break in real life, but your on-screen persona takes it to a new level…you’ve become a caricature of a temperamental and belligerent chef. You’ve made a skewed reflection of our fine and noble profession. I really cannot believe that you don’t see this. On one recent show, after you nearly brought a cook to tears she apologized to you saying she was sorry. Your response was that you were sorry too…you were sorry she was there. I recently read this quote by the poet, Maya Angelou: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Years from now that cook may not remember the actual words that you screamed at her, but she will undoubtedly remember how you made her feel. I cannot believe that your heart is so hardened that you would say this to a person (on television, nonetheless) and mean it. Given the caliber of restaurants in which you’ve trained you know better than I the pressures a chef faces on a daily basis, and that we all “lose it” now and again, but you must also know that it is more effective to develop a strong team and teach and nurture, than it is to divide, intimidate, and pit one against the other. I’d guess that acting in a more caring and pedagogical manner probably would not bring high television ratings, but apparently screaming like a tyrannical lunatic does. Being classically trained I’m sure you’re aware of the reputation of August Escoffier, a Frenchman by birth he spent more of his life on your home turf than his own. His shadow is just behind you every step you take in your hometown. Not only did he develop the brigade system, which we of course now call line cooking (the very same system that you use on your show), but he was also said to be a true gentleman in the kitchen. Supposedly, when he felt like he was going to lose his temper he would go for a walk, lest he lose his composure in front of his staff. I recently saw a guy waiting in line in Starbucks actually wearing a chef’s jacket patterned after those on your show. My heart sank. It’s actually happening, I thought to myself…they’re idolizing him (you). Standing a few people behind him in queue I almost tapped him on the shoulder to ask him wear he worked, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. As you know, Marco Pierre White recently published a memoir, The Devil in the Kitchen, and he’s going to be starring in a British version of Hell’s Kitchen. I don’t know if hell exists or not, though you guys seem to be preoccupied with it. But if it does exist, I’m pretty sure it will entail working in your kitchen for all of eternity. Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Yield: 4 portions 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy filets
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup red wine
2 cups tomato purée
1/2 pound linguine
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepot. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until translucent but not browned. Add the anchovies and hot pepper; sauté for 1 minute, mashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon. Stir in the parsley, basil, salt, and red wine. Simmer the wine for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato puree. Simmer the sauce slowly fore about 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick thin it with a little water. While the sauce is simmering boil the pasta until al dente, rinse it and set aside. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pat the shrimp dry and carefully add them to the skillet. Stir and toss the shrimp in the hot oil for a minute or two, then add the sauce. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook the shrimp for just a couple minutes. Make sure the pasta is drained well and add it to the sauce. Cook just long enough to reheat the pasta.
Chives: A Sign of Renewal
It's an exciting time: I recently planted most of my garden, and despite the cold spring this year some of the herbs from last year are flourishing nicely. Besides the usual suspects (tomatoes, peppers, zucchini) I try to mix it up a little bit each year. Thus, I was so excited when I came across little corn plants at the market. I planted two dozen of them, most in my front yard. Their progress is noticeable just in the last few days. I've taken photos, and will photo document them as they grow...but stupidly I cannot find the cable to upload them to my computer...eventually.
Here's an article with a few recipes that I recently wrote for Artvoice:
Sitting on my front porch sipping a glass of wine on one of the first truly s pring evenings of the season, I find myself staring in amazement. No, I’m not looking at the beautiful sunset or anything hokey like that, I’m contemplating a tiny chive plant that has survived yet another difficult Buffalo winter. It’s one of the first herbs I planted when I moved into this house six summers ago. It was originally just a few shoots connected to a small clump of root when I pushed it into the ground, but now each year it grows so large that I have to cut it back, lest it intrude on valuable real estate in my teeny garden. Each winter its roots hibernate under a blanket of snow, ice, and frozen ground, yet without fail the following spring it pushes back through the soil reaching for the sun, and grows bright green with beautiful purple blossoms. The sixteenth century French monk, Brother Lawrence (born Nicholas Herman), had such a profound experience while staring at a barren tree on a bleak winter’s day — knowing that the tree stripped of it’s leaves and seemingly dead, would be renewed and blossom in the spring — that he had a religious vision, a conversion. He was eventually accepted into a monastery where he spent many years as head cook, and is said to have never lost that sense of awe. Now I am in no way implying that I had such an intense revelation while staring at my little cluster of chives, nor is this what lead me to a life in the kitchen, but I couldn't help but consider this: that even after the most brutal winters, each spring these delicate little shoots push through the hard soil and reach for the sun as if it’s their only purpose on this earth. Along with onions, garlic, and other pungent shoots and bulbs (oddly including asparagus), chives are part of the allium, or lily family. Plants from this botanical family have had as much lore and controversy surrounding them as a film star: they’ve been said to be everything from a natural antibiotic, to hair growth tonic, and even vampire repellent. And while their more pungent cousins, garlic and onions, have been used as folk medicine for eons, chives are more often considered the refined, or subtle, family member. According to the late food writer, Waverley Root, in his encyclopedic book simply titled, Food, one John Randolph, “a gentleman of Virginia” (circa 1770), was a proponent of chives instead of onions. In his book, A Treatise on Gardening, he spoke of them surviving the harsh winters and also that unlike garlic and onions, “chives left no trace on the breath.” But the best part, I think (besides the fact that they don’t make you cry when you cut them), is their delicate onion flavor. Chive and White Bean Hummus Yield: 4 cups 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup minced chives 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups white beans, canned or cooked and rinsed 1 cup tahini Combine the lemon juice, water, chives, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for a couple minutes. Add the beans and tahini and process until smooth. Transfer the hummus to a plate or shallow bowl and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Just prior to serving sprinkle with paprika and extra virgin olive oil. Pan Roast Salmon with Chive Beurre Blanc Yield: 4 Servings 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 portions salmon 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 minced chives 1/4 pound chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes thin slices of lemon for garnish Preheat an oven to 350F. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot carefully place the salmon in the skillet skin-side up. Cook the salmon for a minute or so, until it begins to brown, then turn it over and place the skillet in the oven. Roast the fish for about 7 minutes. In a separate smaller skillet, combine the wine, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until just a couple tablespoons of liquid remains. Stir in the chives and remove the pan from the heat. Remove the fish from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Return the sauce skillet to the heat and swirl in the butter a couple pieces at a time. When the last of the butter is almost melted, pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with lemon slices. This is best served immediately.
Kibbee and Rice
Kibbee is a traditional Lebanese dish that can be eaten baked, fried, or (yikes!) raw. It's a mixture of lamb (sometimes I use beef), bulgar wheat and spices. When I was a kid I would gobble this stuff down raw...not any more...too risky today with food born illness. Anyhow, I did my own variation by forming the mixture into meatballs and cooking it with rice and toasted spaghetti (the original rice-a-roni. I love cooking rice with these seasonings because the aroma permeates the whole house. Here's How I made it:
Soak a handful of bulgar in warm water for 1/2 hour, then squeeze it out. Add it to a bowl with either lean ground beef or lamb, minced onion, garlic, hot pepper, and a pinch each of ground cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper.
Then mix in some chopped flat leaf parsley and fresh mint. Here's an image of the first thing I was able to pick from my garden this year: mint (and it's only May in Buffalo).
Shape the mixture into meatballs.
Heat a large skillet with olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides.
Heat a separate pan with olive oil, then add broken pieces of uncooked spaghetti, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook until everything begins to brown (take care not to burn the garlic). When things just begin to brown add a pinch each of cumin, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir it then add a cup of rice. Stir the rice to coat it with the oil and spices. Then add two cups of chicken broth. Lower the heat to a simmer then add the meatballs to the liquid. Cover the pan and simmer the rice for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
New Chinese Trike
I found this used Chinese trike on craigslist about a week ago and bought it on the spot. It's more of a novelty than anything, but it's a real workhorse. It's geared low and the maximum speed is probably like 5mph, but that's not a bad thing because the brake system sucks, to put it mildly (one of the photos shows this...a leather strap that is pulled tight around a drum on the axle). It's precarious to ride, and takes some getting used to...the looks and comments I get are interesting. As one might expect it can really carry stuff...here's some pictures: one is with a weeks worth of groceries (with plenty of room to spare), one is where I have it loaded with 4 bags of topsoil (40 pounds each), and yet another loaded down with bricks for my garden. The real problem with the brakes (or lack there of) comes to full reality when trying to stop a trike loaded with bricks or 160 pounds of dirt. But that's also what makes it interesting...it's a fun bike to ride. This trike is just one more reason not to use my gas guzzling vehicle.
 
  
Stuff
 I was in St. Paul, Minnesota this past week again (thankfully no airline
delays like the last time). I arrived early enough that I had time to walk around one evening, and it's difficult not to be drawn to stare at the St. Paul's Cathedral wh ich sits up a hill. As I walked up the hill towards it... almost drawn to it...I tried to imagine what the city of St. Paul looked like a hundred years ago before there were modern and tall buildings. As it is the Cathedral is an imposing figure in the city's skyline; back then it must have dominated it.
When I arrived up the hill, and stood in awe of the building before me, I saw on a sign that evening mass was at 5:15. I looked at my watch and it was 5:00 on the dot. While I am not a Cat holic I am a practicing Christian, thus said it would have been more difficult for me not to enter this church than to enter it.
It was beautiful. I felt like I was in Europe. And as I sat there, barely twenty minutes in the city, I wondered how I had arrived here, not just at the St. Paul Cathedral, but here in life.
On a different note: Similarly to my last visit to the twin cities, I was very impressed with their bike culture. At one point I saw this guy barreling down a hill on a Surly Big Dummy, and then come to a screeching halt at a red light right in front of me. I say to him, "how long have you had the big dummy," "it's my first ride he replies," how's it ride," I ask him back. With that, the light turns green, he gives me a big ear-to-ear grin and barrels off again. The bike looked pretty cool.
Surly's Big Dummy is one of three new all-in-one "long bikes" that are currently available. The other two are the Kona Ute, and the Mundo Yuba. I really see one of these cargo bikes in my near future.
  
Lastly, here's an easy vegetable fritatta recipe...makes a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner: Slice or chop some vegetables (I used onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers, cooked spinach, cooked potatoes, and tomatoes). Saute them in a hot skillet. Add some eggs. Top it with cheese, and bake it in a 400F preheated oven for 5 or ten minute. Quick, easy, nutritious...and delicious.
 
Four Cheese Pizza with Shrimp and Spinach on Honey-Whole Wheat Sourdough Crust
How's that for a title? Now here's how to make it: The first thing is to have ready a batch of sourdough or other bread dough of your choice (see previous posts).
For the topping, start by sauteing some chopped onion, peppers (I used sweet and hot peppers) raw chopped shrimp, and garlic. Do this in a hot pan using virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
 When the shrimp is cooked and the peppers and onions are translucent but not browned (be careful not to burn the garlic) transfer it to a plate and set aside.
 Wipe the pan out, add a little more olive oil, along with some chopped spinach (that has been washed and dried), and a little more garlic (sorry...I like a lot of garlic) and some hot pepper flakes.
 When the spinach is wilted add some diced tomatoes and cook it for a few minutes while stirring.
 Rub a pizza pan with some olive oil, place the dough on it, and rather than using a rolling pin...push and mold the dough to the pan using your fingers.
 Spread a thin coating of tomato sauce across the dough, and sprinkle it with the spinach/tomato mixture.
Add some shredded mozzarella, and then the shrimp/pepper mixture.
Top with cheddar, Colby, and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
 Bake in a 450F preheated oven for about 10 minutes (maybe 15, depending on your oven). Let it cool for about ten minutes before slicing
Bike Stuff
I'm always so inspired when I am in another city and see bike commuters in huge numbers...people riding bikes as an everyday mode of transportation, no special cloths, no big deal...just get on your bike and ride. Minneapolis/St. Paul are two cities that fit that category. I was there for just a few days this past week and was really impressed with their bike culture...bikes were everywhere...I visited this awesome foods co-op, and they had something like thirty bike posts to lock up your bike (most were full, too); it was like a bike parking lot. I actually saw a guy riding a bike with a sidecar (wish I had my camera), not like a children's sidecar either...this was meant for carrying another adult...couldn't make out if it was home-built or not, and didn't want to gawk too much...though I probably was.
Buffalo is a good city to commute in, too, in that it is relatively flat and small enough that you can bike from one end to the other in a half hour or less. But we don't have the same kind of numbers that other cities have, and the idea of using a bike as regular transportation is not fully accepted. I know, this is a vast, general, and sweeping statement, and I also know that this is not true for everyone...but it gets a little discouraging sometimes when motorists treat bicyclists as a nuisance and sometimes drive or turn right in front of you making you slam on your brakes, even when they are looking directly at you while they do it, treating the bicyclist like they are on a lesser or non-vehicle. This is exactly what happen to me here, here, here, and here, in the past week. Alright...I'll get of my little soapbox now.
This past week I also had to pick up my son from his mom's house. I had to bring his bike to his mom's house and transport him and his large backpack back to my house. It was a beautiful day and I was determined to do this by bike. I've seen pictures of people in eastern countries carrying everything from bales of hay to mobile restaurants on bikes, so I knew it could be done. I've also seen these websites: here, here, here, and here, of people in the States and Canada doing entire household moves by bike. I own five bikes and a trailer...I knew I could move another bike, a 12 year old child and his backpack a mere 2 miles. This is how I did it, and it was actually pretty simple. I hooked my bikerev trailer to the tandem, and wedged the front wheel of my son's bike into the trailer with the lid off, creating a sort of bike train (note the plank I use to walk the tandem, which weighs a ton, down my front stairs). It was a little precarious, and I'm sure people thought I was a little nuts, but it rode fine (my son's bike only tipped over once when it hit a pot hole (a Buffalo-just-after-the-winter -thaw-pothole). After removing my son's bike (which was staying at his mom's house) his backpack fit nicely into the trailer leaving plenty of room for dinner from my favorite local pizzeria.
Other than driving my vehicle to the airport this past week, I haven't used it for transportation for more than two weeks...and this makes me happy.
Bio-Fruit
Scary stuff...enough said.
Toronto Trip
I took a couple days to "chill out" this weekend and go to Toronto...need to do this now and again. One of the reasons I went this past weekend was to see Dr. Wayne Dyer, he spoke at the Metropolitan Convention Centre. The talk he gave was based on his new book regarding the Tao Te Ching. The talk was ok, but I felt like it was a lot of the same stuff that I've seen him speak about on his PBS specials. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself and it was a nice time.
One of the (many) things that I've always loved about Toronto is it's incredible bike culture. Bikes in the city of Toronto are a way of life. You see people of all ages and all walks of life riding bikes as everyday transportation...and in all kinds of weather. This past weekend it was -2c (which I take as being around 30F), and the streets were packed with bicycle commuters.
Before I left Buffalo I contemplated taking a Greyhound bus, something I haven't done in years. I could have taken my sweet little Dahon Vitesse and zipped around the city. But no..stupid arrogant me had to drive my old inefficient vehicle all by myself just for the convenience of driving when I wanted. Here's the equation I come up with:
Driving:
$40.00 in gas (and it's only gonna get worse) plus $46.00 to park ($23.00 a night) = $86.00
Bus:
$32.00 round trip, no parking but it would take about twice as long to get there (3 hours instead of 1 1/2) and I'd have to go at their schedule.
...next time I'm taking the bus.
Anyhow, here's a few photos:
I came across this bike on Yonge Street. It's a Bakfiets. It's a Dutch bike company that also produces various cargo bikes...you don't see too many of these this side of the Atlantic.
This bike was on a quiet street just north of the Kensington Market. There's nothing too notable about the bike other than the sign that it is locked to (click on the picture if you can't read it). I wish I had one of those in front of my house.
Just down the street was this sign nailed to someones front porch...just one more reason to be thankful I live on the Canadian border.
I came across this pile of locked up and rusted bikes in the Kensington Market (click on the photo for a larger view). Note the old French delivery bike, and the bicycle rickshaw.
Almost directly behind this pile of bikes, and down a short alley, was this bike company...wonder if it was an advertisement of sorts.
Upon returning home to comfy old Buffalo I was greeted by these flowers pushing through the weeds, leaves, and garbage in my neighbor's front yard...a sure sign of spring.
Jack Black Kerouac 1996-2008
 It's a sad day. After a rough year I finally made the difficult decision to have my loyal dog, Jack, euthanized. He was loyal right to the end. As big as he was all he wanted was my affection. The picture above is him in better days, but that gaze, that look of love only a dog can give to his owner, was there right 'till the end (albeit with cloudy eyes). I held his head in my hands while he labored for breath and told him what a good boy he was, this seemed to relax him a little. The doctor gave him a lethal injection, and until his eyes closed he had that same look of devotion, loyalty, and love in his cloudy eyes. He was such a good dog. It is a sad day indeed.
Peace, Jack, peace.
Lebanese Flavored Chicken and Brown Rice
This is an easy recipe with many variations. It's a variation of Lebanese Chicken-And-Rice I grew up eating as a kid.
Start by searing a couple chicken breasts until they are golden brown. Use a heav y skillet, sear it in olive oil with the skin-side down first, and make sure that the oil is nearly smoking hot before the chicken goes in the pan. When it is golden brown, remove it to a plate and set aside.
Remove the pan from the heat, add about 8 ounces or so of ground beef or lamb (I prefer lamb, but used grass-fed organic beef because that's what I had on hand). Also add about 1/2 c up of water. Return the pan to the burner and bring it to a boil. Mash the beef with a wooden spoon, while scraping any crispy pieces from the bottom of the pan (the crispy bits are pure flavor). Simmer the beef until the water reduces and it starts to fry in it's own fat (which was rendered out while boiling). Continue to cook the meat until it begins to brown, scraping the bottom with the wooden spoon all the while. Transfer the meat to a plate, set it aside, but leave a small amount of fat in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
Crumble a couple ounces of dried spaghetti into 1-inch pieces and drop them directly into the pan. Add some diced red pepper (normally I would also add onion, but had none in the house...bummer). If necessary, add a little olive oil. Return the pan to the heat and cook the pasta and pepper while stirring and scraping. When it begins to brown add a couple cloves of minced garlic; cook for a minute longer.  Add the beef back to the pan, then add about a 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, allspice, cumin, and black pepper; stir the spices over the heat for just a minute or so. Add a cup of long grain brown rice to the pan and stir it over the heat to coat it with the oil and spices. 
Stir in about 3 cups of simmering chicken broth or vegetable broth, bring it to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Stir it just once, then taste the broth. If using canned broth you probably won't need to add any salt, if using homemade and a little kosher salt, possibly 1 /2 teaspoon. Add the chicken breasts to the broth, bone-side down, pushing the chicken down into the broth and rice.
Cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes. It will take about 40-45 minutes for the rice to cook, but after about thirty minutes check to make sure that there is enough liquid (in th e event the lid was not tightly fitted, or it was simmering to high and too much liquid evaporated). At any rate, add more liquid if needed, but re-cover the pan and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Ad this point remove it from the heat, and let it rest undisturbed for another 5-10 minutes before serving (this allows for the rice to finish steaming and all the flavors to dissipate evenly.
Middle Aged Guy (and his son) on a Bike
 Buffalo Spree's most recent issue is their green issue. I wrote a couple articles for it. One is about growing victory gardens, the other is on biking, more specifically about being a middle aged guy using bikes as an everyday transportation vehicle. The picture to the right is yours truly with my son, Isaac, on our tandem. Here's a link to the article.
Pasta Recipe
 Another "clean out the 'fridge" for dinner night. I made this vegetable pasta dish, and here's how it goes:
Put a pot of water on to boil. While the water is heating dice a half of an onion, a half of a red pepper, and two tomatoes. Chop a small head of broccoli and mince two cloves of garlic.
Heat a few tablespoons of virgin olive oil in a skillet, then add the onion and pepper; saute until translucent but not browned. Add the garlic with a little crushed red pepper, fennel seed, and some basil and oregano. Saute for a minute or two longer. Stir in the broccoli and tomato, saute for a minute or two to bring out flavor, then add a cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for about ten minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
Boil the pasta and drain it. Add it to the pan and cook over low heat for a minute or so (to absorb some of the flavors of the sauce). Season with a little salt. Shred some cheddar into the pan, add a little Parmesan if you like. Stir to melt the cheese, and enjoy.
9-Hour Sourdough and Huevos Rancheros
Day off and as usual I'm tempted to cook/bake...even in the midst of attempting to accomplish weekly errands...resurrected my sourdough starter...started feeding it two days ago. Made a dough this morning, and baked it this evening. The rear of my house is cold (unless the stove is on), something like 50F, so I left the dough to rise slowly for 9 hours before baking it. The bread is a little dense (not unlike me at times) but it is delicious. The flavor character is incredible. It contains no commercial yeast...just flour, water, salt, and starter (9-year old starter). Here it is in photos: the initial dough, then at three hours, then at about 8, then fully baked.
    I still have not gone grocery shopping. I really think it has something to do with working in a grocery store...I have developed an aversion to shopping. Here I am a chef and I have almost no food in the house. What is up with that? But I am a master at turning leftovers or very few ingredients into something good. So after taking inventory of my meager ingredients I came up with this plate of huevos rancheros...vegetarian rice and beans (it's still Lent), homemade guacamole (found in the freezer), salsa, and still-warm sourdough bread. The rice is seasoned with vegetable stock, tons of caramelized onions and garlic, cumin, ancho chili powder, and a pinch of saffron. When the (brown) rice was almost cooked I added the cooked beans and a few frozen peas I came across. Topped off with a fried egg and glass of wine (ok, glasses of wine...I'm still sipping one as I type these words), I am one satiated camper.
Whole Wheat-Honey Bread/Brocccoli-Onion Pizza
Had the day off today and felt like having pizza...looked in the fridge and found some tomato sauce, broccoli, and cheese. Had a few onions, too. When making dough it's just as easy to make enough for two things as it is one, so I made enough to bake a loaf of bread as well. The basic recipe is so easy. Here's the recipe:
In a small bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups room temperature water, and two teaspoons instant yeast. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and set aside for 1 to 12 hours. It makes a sort of paste, this will later turn into what is called a "sponge" (or what the French refer to as a "poolish"), here's what it initally looked like:
 This is what it looks like after 2 hours. The difference in size is easily visible, but if you look close (click on the photo for a larger picture) you can see that it is full of bubbles too. The yeast is fully activated and it is in the process of fermenting the flour.
 Now transfer the sponge to an upright mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Add about 2 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour, a couple tablespoons of honey, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, two more teaspoons of yeast, and a couple teaspoons of salt.
 Run the mixer on low until the ingredients are mixed together, then turn it to medium and knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes.
 Shut the mixer off, dust the dough with a little flour (so it's easy to handle), remove it from the mixing bowl, give it a few quick kneads on a countertop, shape it into a ball, and place it in a bowl that has been lightly oiled.
 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid to keep it moist (I use a clear lid from a pot...it fits the bowl pretty good and I can see its progress.
 Leave the dough to rest and ferment for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until it is doubled in size. Here it is pressing against the lid (should have used a larger bowl).
 At this point the dough should be light and airy. When you (gently) fress a finger into the dough the indentation should remain. If it springs back it means the dough is still "too young" (aka, not risen enough).
 This is enough dough for two small loaves of bread or one small loaf and a 12-inch pizza. So at this point flour a work surface and gently turn the dough out of the bowl (try not to entirely deflate it). And then cut it into two pieces.
 Shape one piece into a loaf and place it in an oiled loaf pan, and place the other piece on an oiled pizza pan and gently push and form it to the pan. Cover the bread dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rise. At this point you should also preheat an oven to 450F.
 Spread tomato sauce across the pizza dough.
 Then add cheese, broccoli, and sliced onion.
  
Place it in the preheated oven, initially on the pan, then after 10 minutes remove it from the pan and place it directly on the pizza stone (if you have one). If you don't have a pizza stone just leave it on the pan. Here it is at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and twenty minutes. Yum! It was/is delicious.
  
And let's not forget about the bread. Buy now that should be fully risen. Turn the oven down to 425F and bake the bread for about 20 minutes, or until it is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with an index finger.
 
Snow Biking and Mud Cookies
Alright, I'm done bitching about the snow (yes, I know, I live in Buffalo...but this is a late blast even for us). Today was a brilliantly beautiful day full of at least a foot of newly fallen white stuff...it was pristine, even on this March day. I chose to drive my vehicle to church this morning (it's the truck buried in snow a couple entries below). Bad mistake. I got stuck twice, but both times a fellow Buffalonian pushed me out without batting an eye (it's what we Buffalonians  do during/after a storm). Later I drove to the JCC for a swim and a steam, and had a chance to push someone else out who was stuck. All the while I kept thinking that I would be having more fun if I were on a bike, so that's just what I did...went home, plowed my truck into a snowbank for safe keeping, and hopped on my bike.
I had a book group to attend and had to stop at my son's mother's house prior. The entire round trip was only a few miles but it felt like about ten. There were points (side streets mostly) where I had to walk the bike because the snow was simply too deep to pedal through, and there were other times were I'd see a patch of ice and have to use my patented stand-and-coast method, lest I fall. But it was a blast. I felt a real sense of accomplishment, and got some exercise at the same time. The biggest problem actually came when I left the book group to go home (after leaving the bike parked in knee-deep snow for two hours). The cable leading from the shifter to the derailleur must have had water built up in it and froze solid. This is the first time that this has ever happened. For the first half mile or so I was stuck in first gear, but with some effort I was able to free it. If that is the worst of my problems I have no problems at all.
On a different note, I recently came across a recipe that as a chef of more than 25 years never thought I would. It's this article where it talks about some Haitians that are so poor and so hungry they actually eat cookies whose main ingredient is mud! Yup, you read it correctly, mud! Apparently they use a specific dirt that is rich in minerals and vitamins. Nonetheless, it's still mud. I cannot process the thought that I could be so desperate and hungry that all that was left to do was eat mud. It makes me feel guilty.
I also came across this article that states that the war in Iraq costs us 12 billion dollars a month. Yes, here too, you did not read wrong...that's $12,000,000,000 a month (is that the correct amount of zeros?)! I wonder how much it would cost to feed those hungry Haitians that are eating mud? But at the same time, here I am sitting on my high horse ranting about the war and hungry Haitians, yet I have a full belly, food in the fridge, and a nice full glass of wine sitting next to me as I type. So how does that make me any better than the people (?) behind the war as I sit here drinking wine, typing about such mundane things as biking in the snow, yet doing nothing. I'm not sure it does, but I'm sure it's something to ponder.
Buffalo ReUse
This morning while reading the New York Times online I came across this article (slide show, actually). The Magazine section in the Times this week is focusing on philanthropists of all kinds, and one of the people they highlight is this guy , Michael Gainer, of Buffalo's own Buffalo ReUse. Pretty Cool.
Basta Already (again)!
We're in our second day of almost non-stop snowing...another one to go (says the weather report). It's really starting to get me down. I know that in the middle of a humid summer's day I'll be pining for nights like this...but right now I crave the sun, I crave a warm summer's night breeze.
 The excitement of baking bread never leaves me...I'm still amazed at the juxtaposition of it's simplicity and complexity at the same time (it's simple complexity?). And on a cold night like this I find solace in its process. Here's a couple of beautiful sourdough twins in the oven...no commercial yeast, and 50% whole wheat!
Enough Already
Ok, I love winter...but by the second week of March I'm a little tire of the snow. Within the next two days we may get another foot of the white stuff dumped on us. It makes it a little difficult to bike to work. On the flip side, my son and I went to the Market Arcade Theater tonight to see the movie, 10,000 BC (It was just ok...not great...pretty hokey, actually). At any rate, we walked downtown in the snow and took our usual shortcut through the passageway next to St. Louis Church...it was beautiful.
 On an entirely different note, if you feel like getting a little scared or depressed about the future of our earth read this article from British paper, The Guardian.
Snowy Buffalo
Day Off Ramblings
My (somewhat) new job offers me to have a weekday off, something I haven't done in years. I really enjoy having a weekday off. It's a day for me to do nothing or do errands at my own pace.
One errand that I accomplished today was apply for a new passport. My old one was outdated by at least a decade and I wanted a new one for many reasons, but mostly so it's still relatively easy to cross over into Canada. It was a painless process and I had a chance to walk downtown on a beautiful winter day and take in some of Buffalo's architecture, which is something you'll miss if your trapped in a car.
I really had a nice walk...leisurely and inspired. I said my mantra, silently, for most of the walk.
After having passport photos taken at city hall I left through the back entrance in search of the new post office. I knew it's general location but not the exact address. I asked a woman, as I passed her on the street, if she knew where it was. When she pointed I could see it, it was a few blocks away. She said, "It's a bit of a walk, how far's your car?" Was she joking, I wondered? By the time I got in a car and warmed it up I'd be there.
Afterwards I went to the JCC for a quick steam and swim, then came home and made dinner.
I've given up meat for lent, which is actually a little more difficult than I thought it would be. I don't eat a great deal of meat, but I'm realizing that I unconsciously eat more of it than I thought. On my way home from my walk downtown today I was really hankerin' for a gyro sandwich when I remembered the whole meat abstinence thing (came home and had a vegetable burger instead).
It's not really that difficult to give up meat when you work in a whole foods store, which makes me question myself. Is it really a sacrifice if it's not that difficult?
Then I justify it by the fact that when I eat, and consciously do not eat meat (because it still is a conscious act), I am remembering that I am not eating meat and thus remembering (tuning into) the divine in my usually busy day (even if it is for just a brief moment.
At any rate, I came home from my swim famished. I did what I often do, and that is rummage around in my refrigerator, see what I have, chop it up, saute it in olive oil, garlic, and hot peppers, and toss it with pasta.
Here's the recipe in pictures:
 
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