A trend

Yes, at the end of this gastrovist I would like to write a book or two. I have always wanted to write books- for the past few years it's been non-fiction, but I did take a writing workshop in 10th grade. My story was more of a soap opera than a novel- which should give you a sense of why I haven't written anything. I don't like having to fill in all the details,  edit, proofread, make sure it makes sense.  It's the reluctance of sticking with the long-term goal.
I think I touch on ADD in a post. And most stories.

Skip here: I've been noticing many trends in turn-of-the-cenutry cookbooks, one of which is the inclusion of recipes for the sick. I have not taken any folklore classes, but I have taken anthropology ones and anyway friend who did told me what it was. Thus, a folkloric part of my brain wonders what happened.  Am I missing current versions of this or, as I suspect,  are we just too used to popping pills we don't notice or care?

There has been a backlash though,  you can get a fair amount of literature on our dependency on pills. Some of my friends have tried to decrease their drug intake. Then there's Eastern/ Alternative medicine.

On Saturday, Matt made a home remedy for headaches. I was shocked and awed, I thought it was really cool. I can't remember the last time I used a home remedy.  I have, however,  been using a lot of alternative techniques. But, we're talking about American folk home remedies through, and the only one I can think of is honey and lemon for a sore throat..

My mom has several home remedy books that I keep meaning to read. The problem is that pills can be much quicker and, lets face it, never rely on a disgusting concoction. 

Actually,  using chemicals might be more effective,  but at what cost? Yes, I do hear my environmentalist voice talking, but it applies to drugs in our bodies too. It takes time to mix up remedies of your house or your body,  but its always time vs money..or health. Some home remedies cost more, some cost less.  I also think that it says something about our society,like so many other things pushing us to go more and more a long the path of a individualistic society. 

An online farmer's market

 I was a few steps away from the local farmers market in Silver Spring on Saturday morning,  when I decided to stop for a promo girl waiving at me. She was from relayfoods.com, a site that sells local products that can be picked-up or delivered.

As a foodie, I was very excited about this, thinking I would find both local produce and awesome local spreads.  I was right! The local produce is, as always, doubley special because it's local, but kinda triple-ly special because you can get local delivered to your door.  You can get sufficient ingredients elsewhere, but I suggest buying one or two special ingredients from here. They also have bountyboxes and recipe kits.
I ordered Red Raspberry Jam, Regenald's Homemade Apple Cinnamon Peanut Butter,Bourbon Pecan Peanut Butter, local pears, Asian pears, asparagus and sweet potatoes. I have so excited when I went to pick them up in Tackoma Park because the whole downtown area, in addition to what I was doing felt very Obie. Even more nostalgic was the kind of people i encountered handing out the food, the glass milk cartons we always got at the co-op and the free veggies that they had.I got free ginger. I gotta do something with that. Maybe I can do a ginger cookbook so my slogan will be, and I can make-up T-shirts saying, FREE GINGER! Kinda already works. Promoting sharing recipes, spice use, medicinal uses, and the  abundance thing.

Bobby's Burger Palace

Bobby's burger Palace is a new establishment in Westfield Shopping Town- Montgomery.  The first thing I noticed was the decor, which was kinda cool really. Long tables in the front and wavy ones in the back (if you walk in from outside.) I'm not sure what I think about the visible kitchen feature.

So, I got in line and no one was there because it was three. Still one of the cashiers seemed to be talking to her friend.  The other one called me over, I ordered and sat down.

Pistachio milkshake: good. burger: good, very filling.  I had Bobby's Blue, the Bacon and Blue cheese.  Presented well, but I didn't like all the sesame seeds on the bun.

Here's the thing: didn't like the sweet potato fries. However, I didn't eat the dipping sauce. Sweet fries are hard to make because you really need to make them taste like sweet potato.  I promote Kraze burger and a burger joint in Georgetown I forget the name of. But they have pink sauce.

Service was ok. If you want to go, it might actually be really worthwhile in a month when they get their liquor license.  It is entirely possible that the alcoholic milkshakes could be to die for.

I'm a gastrovist

I recently got a job building digital anthologies for BiblioBoard. We're working on an Archives of the World project and I decided to create a culinary collection. It is still a work-in-progress of course, but I''m excited.

You really should've seen me nerd out the other night when I found cookbooks from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I was giddy about archaic spellings, hand painted covers and wondering how and when the format of cookbooks went from recipes in paragraphs to a scientific procedure. It seems the writers of turn of the century cookbooks expected you to know something, and figure it out if you didn't. Cookbooks today have lists of ingredients and step-by-step instructions hmmmmm.....

There were also archaic measurements. About 10 minutes ago, my mom went silly about a archaic measurement in a New England cookbook: A Suggestion of white sugar.

So...I need to explore this further for I cannot believe the sheer amazingness of what is on my computer screen right now. If I believe what my eyes are perceiving, I am looking at a digitization project of mass extent. It is a digital archives of cookbooks- handwritten cookbooks- from 1760, the 1900, prob earlier. And this project-tagline"have you ever tried to read your great-grandmother's hand-written recipes'- is a project brought to you by the library of- no, not New York or Boston or Berkley- IOWA. IOWA. Well, there are geniuses all over! Hallelujah! Someone has their head on straight.

http://diyhistory.lib.uiowa.edu/transcribe/collections/show/7

Here are some old cocktail books:

http://goldenagebartending.com/library/

It is imperative to document how different cultures have interacted with food over the years. We must preserve, and we must teach our children to preserve, for there is no way to have a historical party without preparing the food they ate. Right? Right.

The best way to learn some of these traditions is through primary sources. For example, The New York Public Library has a digital database of its city's menus throughout the centuries. This effort parallels other efforts I have recently seen of community involvement in archives. These types of projects rely on volunteers to transcribe text from hand-written or typed recipes or menus into a more legible format.

Christmas presents!

I was seriously interested in canning for about a week. I still am somewhat, but I shouldn't start projects I don't finish. I still have a guitar I never played. Luckily my mom already had the SLR, but not the accessories. Through if it has to do with culinary, it might stick.

So, when I ordered my Ball jars, I'm sure my roommates rolled their eyes. BUT, never fear because I decided on a not-so daunting task. While talking about frugality with a friend, I decided I was just going to candy nuts for Christmas. That idea has been paired with something else:

A few days ago I went to buy some drinks. I got the stuff I wanted, but I thought I'd better use the vanilla vodka for more than one cocktail. I had apple schnapps at home, so...apple and vanilla..apple and..apple pie? But, I needed spice! I went to the local barkeep to learn how to infuse the vodka. He brought forth information that had been swimming in the further recesses of my brain and taught me some stuff I didn't know. So, I'm infusing vanilla vodka with cinnamon and nutmeg. It'll take two weeks, and then I'll mix with apple schnapps and apple cider.

The combo of these ideas lead to my resolve to candy nuts and infuse vodka for all my friends. I urge you to do the same.

Right now I am working from two candied nut recipes to candy walnuts, almonds and pecans. For almonds there's Cinnamon Roasted ones from Barbara Bakes (my original title of course) and of Pecans and walnuts Taste of Home. Now, the almonds are fine as is, but the pecans ans walnuts are going to be a bit sticky and if your gonna give them as presents, you should take them off the sheet, while their still hot, and toss them in some brown sugar. If you do wanna leave them alone on the first run, they're good for salads.

On the vodka front, I have made the nutmeg-cinnamon vodka and some Georgia vodka. Neither of these took two weeks.

(I've been reading Kitchen Confidential and thanks to watching No Reservation marathons, I hear Tony while I'm reading as well as while I'm writing this post.

Ti amo tony, anch'io ho trovato che una vita felice è piena di manipolare carne, formaggi e alcolici. Manipolarla al massimo!)

Homemade Rav a la Matt and Babs

So, one night we decided to make fresh pasta. I really think that's the full story. We'll be putting up more soon-Matt made a really good soup, I just have to get the rights.

 Shrimp mix:
5 shrimp
1/2 cup ricotta
1 teaspoon dill

Pork mix:
Pork sausage
ball pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary

1. Prep pasta, shrimp, and pork mixtures.

To prep pasta dough: Divide pasta dough in fourths. Use two fourths at a time, one lump for the bottom sheet and one for the top, roll it out into 1/8 inch of roll it in a professional pasta roller.

To prep shrimp mixture:Cook and chop shrimp, crumble ricotta and crush fresh dill.

To prep pork mixture: Crop peppers and rosemary, mix mix sausage using oil, cook.

2.Scoop shrimp mix in 1/2 teaspoonfuls about 1/2 inch apart on bottom sheet, cover with top sheet.
3. Repeat with Pork mix.
4. place 2-3 rav in boiling water at  a time in order not to crowd. They aren't done until they rise to the top.

Ginger Lemon Kefir

2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon curd
2 tablespoons ginger preserves

1. Your standup mixer, combine all ingredients and whisk until drinkable.
2. Enjoy!