Udupi Cafe



I went to Indy on Saturday to see the exhibition Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting and run some errands in the city--including lunch! After driving around and around an old shopping center, I finally got out of my car and found Udupi Cafe down a scary hall, tucked behind several stores. Luckily, the smell emanating from the restaurant was enticing, because the dirty hall was very discouraging.

Udupi Cafe serves south Indian vegetarian cuisine and at lunch has a pretty full buffet. I enjoyed the rasam and a pumpkin dal. The biryani was wonderful, slightly sweet but with a surprising and serious kick. They also do made-to-order dosas as part of the lunch service, served warm and crispy and filled with delicious potato masala studded with little seeds for a crunchy burst of flavor. Everything I sampled was very good and I'll definitely be back on subsequent visits to Indy.


Weekends of Eating Well

I had some fun dining adventures the past two weekends:

Weekend before last, I went to the Terre Haute farmer's market for the first time which was a nice surprise. There were quite a few purveyors selling tomatoes, squash, eggs and about everything you could expect this time of year. I bought tomatoes and squash, tossed them with pasta and the next day with fresh mozzarella. I was also glad to see a stand for a Terre Haute food co-op, which my pal Annie in Arcola had mentioned to me in an email. I signed up for their mailing list and hope to get involved this fall as they put things in motion.

Mom and Dad visited from Tulsa this past weekend, so we saw all the sights in the city that we could manage. Saturday morning we had breakfast at the Clabber Girl Bakeshop. Clabber Girl Baking Powder is produced in Terre Haute (Do you have some in your cupboard?) and was the signature product of the Hulman & Company Empire. They still own it as well as the Indy 500, and now have a bakeshop that serves breakfast, lunch and baked goods. We had a yummy breakfast and then perused their displays illustrating the history of the company and family.

Sunday morning, we headed to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (aka Our Lady of Scrambled Eggs) for brunch. After a stroll across campus for a peek at all the beautiful and historic building, we had a great meal in the dining hall, choosing from table after table of breakfast items, salads, desserts and pastries.

After mom and dad left, I drove over to Bloomington to meet my friend Stephanie from the Blanton in Austin (who is from Bloomington) for dinner. We had a great meal a FARM Bloomington, the new restaurant of Chef Daniel Orr who was executive chef at La Grenouille and Guastavino's in NY before opening his own place. FARM exemplifies the very hot 'eat local' philosophy by created an amazing menu sourced from the area. On Sunday night they have small plates and pizzas, so we sampled them all: a minted pea guacamole (sans any avocado at all) was spicy and delicious; pizza with goat cheese, spinach, walnuts and grapes; and possibly the best french fries ever, loaded with garlic and served with a turmeric aioli. It was all delicious.

Boo!

Still life with check.

Boo's Crossroads Cafe is in the corner between the new place and the Swope. It's called so because the proprietress is named (or nicknamed, I assume) Boo and her establishment is located at what was once the crossroads of America: the intersection of the old interstate Highways 41 and 40, Wabash Avenue and 7th street.

Boo's serves a great breakfast and lunch, including egg sandwiches, salads and soups. She also has a case of fresh baked goods from the kitchen that rotate through the week: baked donuts sanded with sugar; cinnamon rolls with or without nuts on Friday; and cakes, cookies and pies too numerous to note. (In the evening, Boo's nephew runs a pizza joint in the same space, call La Familia de Jeshua, but that is for another post.)

Although they don't serve breakfast tacos, I still enjoy stopping at Boo's in the morning. I like to get an egg sandwich (the Yankee equivalent to breakfast tacos?) with Swiss cheese and a little mayonnaise. The coffee flows like the river Jordan, and the whole environment makes for a perfect way to start the day.

Eat and Eat in Madison

Last weekend in Madison was filled, as always, with wonderful eats and delicious treats.

On Saturday we went to the farmer's market, which encircles the capital. There were amazing piles of vegetables, jams and jellies, and piles of baked goods. I bought a jar of blueberry jam and another of spiced tomato. I thought the tomato might be delicious on a grilled cheese with some Gouda or other delicious melty cheese. After our long walk around the square, we has a delicious meal at Himal Chuli, sitting outside on the sidewalk and watching the people go by. I started with a delicious dal, one of the best I have ever eaten, and finished with a seitan cooked in a spicy, yogurt sauce.

Of course, the most exciting part of the visit food wise was a trip to Vom Fass, Dave's new store, which means "from the keg." Vom Fass sells oils, vinegars, liqueurs and wines. You can taste and taste and taste all the varieties: fig vinegar, aged balsamic, grappa, citrus oils, nut oils and on and on and on. I bought some hazelnut oil that is more flavorful and delicious that any I have ever tasted. Vom Fass is poised to take the country by storm, so look for one near you sometime soon.

Missing Austin and craving tacos, we had lunch at Tex Tubb's Taco Palace--which our hosts described as a "faux Austin taqueria." I had a mushroom taco and a fried avocado--both delicious--and washed down with sangria. Pretty real to me. But what do I know about tacos? I live in Indiana...

It was Wisconsin, so of course there was cheese....glorious cheese!

And a little chocolate from the wonderful, amazing Belgian chocolatier, Leonidas.

Mangez!

Foods I miss in Austin....

....would be far, far too long. I did a similar list when I left Wichita, but for Austin, it will have to be a top ten.

1. Breakfast tacos--yes, I am addicted and just this morning suggested to my little diner on the corner that they add them to the menu. Particularly, from Elsi's.
2. Protein 2000 from Veggie Heaven.
3. Hot dogs from Dog Almighty.
4. Central Market. Sigh. Do I need to say more?
5. Vietnamese food, particularly Sunflower by my house.
6. The pastry case at Mandola's, particulary the angenetti (cakey, lemon cookies.)
7. The Steeping Room--if you haven't been, then get yourself there.
8. Boxes of vegetables from my CSA.
9. Having friends over for dinner.
10. The giant Asian market up the street.

Mangez!

bigYELLOWbowl has moved!


It's official, the bigYELLOWbowl corporate offices have moved to Terre Haute, IN. And yes, despite what you might think and Gertrude Stein might say: there is too a there, there. So, I'll still be reporting on food finds, dining out, recipes and all of things that make a kitchen so much fun. I've been very busy with the move, but promise to start posting again very soon. I know you can look forward to a 'foods I miss in Austin' list as well as places that making living in Indiana alright. Trader Joe's!

S'il vous mangez a la Terre Haute?

(I think I just asked if you would like to eat Terre Haute! But I meant, would you like to eat in Terre Haute? Stop on by...)

Simple, Delicious Pasta

I created this recipe a while back, inspired by what was left in the pantry. The sauce is creamy, nutty and delicious.

Recipe: Pasta with Tomatoes and Garbanzo Sauce

1 16-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 24-oz can diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 cloves garlic, crushed or coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil (lemon, if you have it)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Salt and Pepper to taste.
12 oz. penne or rotinni
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat a large pot of boiling water and cook the pasta according to the package directions.

In a food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, garlic, red pepper, olive oil and almonds. Drain the tomato liquid into the processor. Process for 2-3 minutes or until a creamy, sauce-like consistency is reached. Add additional water if necessary, but you can wait and add more water when you toss it with the pasta.

Put the sauce in a large bowl and add the diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and tomatoes, tossing with reserved pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce. Top each plate with additional Parmesan cheese at the table.

Serves 4-6 people.

Scones Can Make Monday's Bearable

I made some scones to take to work on Monday. This is one of my favorite recipes, and a favorite of my Pap-pa, so I was a little out of practice. I guess they turned out alright, because when I was out for lunch the custodial staff helped themselves to the delectables. They are picky too and don't just eat anything. I took it as high praise.

Recipe: Apricot-Cream Cheese Scones*
I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but the addition of cream cheese makes the crumb especially light and moist.

2 ΒΌ cups cake flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
Β½ cup sugar
2 Β½ tsp. baking powder
Β½ tsp. salt
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, chilled
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, chilled
1 cup diced or slivered dried apricots
1 large egg
Β½ cup buttermilk plus more for brushing (it took about ΒΌ cup milk for brushing)
2 tsp. pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cream cheese and butter, using your fingers, a pastry blender, a fork or a miser, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.^ Stir in the dried apricots. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, Β½ cup buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the liquid and dry ingredients and stir until the dough becomes cohesive. Don’t mix and mix and mix: the more your work the dough, the tougher it will get.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and fold it over several times until it holds together. Pat the dough into a ΒΎ inch rectangle. Cut it eight rectangles and then cut each of those in half diagonally. Brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Place the scones about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the door closed, and bake for 8 minutes more, or until the scones are light golden brown. Serve warm. (It may take a little longer, just watch and make sure the bottoms don't burn.)

Mangez!

*I've tweeked this a little and the recipe now reflects changes as of June 2009.
^ I use a food processor: combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and give a whirl to combine. Add the cream cheese and butter, then pulse until it resembles meal. Then dump into a big yellow bowl and proceed.

Triple Threat

Triple Threat: \tri-pΙ™l thret\
1. Adjective. A performer who can act, sing and dance, e.g. Liza Minelli.
"I just love Cabaret, it proves that Liza is the consumate triple threat!"
2. Noun. A cookie containing cocoa, bittersweet chocolate chunks and cacao nibs.
"Wow, Liza really loves those triple threats! I think she ate two dozen without batting a seriously fake eyelash."

Recipe: Triple Threat
This cookie was inspired by a recipe by Dorie Greenspan, one of my favorite food writers.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (my favorite natural cocoa powder comes from Penzey's)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
16 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup cacao nibs

Preheat your over to 375 degrees.

In a big yellow bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa. Whisk to combine and aerate.

With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. On low, add your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. With a wooden spoon or spatula, add the chopped chocolate and cacao nibs.

Spoon the dough (about a tablespoon) onto baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. They may still be a little soft, but allow to cool on the pan for a minute before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Yields about 4 dozen cookies.

CΓ©rΓ©ales du Petit DΓ©jeuner

Vintage Tupperware cereal container, available on Ebay. Buy it now for $4.95.

Cereal had a special place in the home I grew up in, literally. Sam, my dad, had built drawers in the cabinets for easy access and one of those drawers was loaded with Tupperware containers filled with a variety of choices. Barbara would occasionally buy a sweet cereal, like Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries, but it had to be rationed against 'plain' cereal to which we added at least the same amount of sugar that was in the Captain. Probably more. Most likely, there was some secret equation or ratio, like one box of sweet cereal to every 4.25 boxes of unsweetened cereal, but I never cracked that code.

Perplexing cereal to children? Grape nuts. It was a like a never ending bowl that just kept sucking up and absorbing the milk. It probably takes at least a half-gallon of milk to eat one bowl of Grape Nuts. Who knows. Another secret equation.
  • Cereals I would eat as a child: Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies.
  • Cereals I would prefer not to eat: Grape Nuts, Bran Flakes, anything with raisins.
  • Cereal involved with disgusting story I will not repeat here: Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries
Cereal was really the only breakfast food I liked as a child. I always preferred it to a hot breakfast, but would of course indulge in pancakes or French toast on Saturday morning. When we would go on vacation, breakfast had to be at a restaurant with cereal on the menu. A little like Andy Warhol and his lunch of Campbell's tomato soup, I had to have cereal for breakfast. Of course, the morning meal was not free of family politics. As the only manic morning person in our family (I guess Sam is a morning person, but not as...talkative as myself?), I was always ready to begin the day with inquisitions and conversations. Sadly, my younger brother Eric was not, and refused to eat breakfast with me because I talked too much. Moi? I'm sure you believe, as I do, that he was simply being overly sensitive.

My grandmother, Ruth, also had an array of Tupperware cereal containers. (In fact, I think Ruth invested all of her mad money in Tupperware. When she finally acquiesced to an apartment close to my parents, Barbara told me that everyone had already gone through her collection, but I could look at the remainders. Three yard-size garbage bags left! After everyone had taken what they wanted!) She didn't see these cereal containers as simply a place to store cereal, but as a starting point and outlet for creativity. In each, Ruth would create a custom blend of cereals, every changing and always intriguing. You might find Cheerios combined with Raisin Bran or Corn Flakes mixed with your Rice Chex. If you wanted cereal straight, you had to get it from a fresh box opened from the pantry. Otherwise, it was take your chances with one of grandma's cereal cocktails.

Reader, you're probably wondering where Ruth kept her custom cereal blends. In a special sliding drawer built by my dad? No, she had those of course, but Ruth kept her cereals in an appliance above her stove that was either an old microwave or extra oven. It's true. It heald at least six containers of the magical, cereal potions easily. In her defense, I should say that my grandmother rarely fed her children or grandchildren cereal for breakfast. She would make waffles in an ancient waffle iron my uncle had saved his money to order from Sear's in the 1950s, my Aunt Sally's bran muffins (That, dear reader, is another story about aging and the demise of cooking skills.), or leftover blackberry cobbler my uncle would top with heavy cream and my mother with skim milk.

What is in my new cereal container? Kashi's Heart to Heart. What's in yours?

All of this to say, cereal is probably still my breakfast of choice, with breakfast tacos as a very close second.

Quick and Easy Dinner

This recipe was inspired by one from Everyday Food, the miniscule publication from Martha Stewart and PBS television program. I think both the magazine and TV show present simple ways to use whole foods in innovative ways. The portabello mushroom is delicious, easily assembled and simply popped in the oven. I came up with the bean mash after watching Nigella Lawson do something similar to cannellini beans last week. I brightened mine up with an olive oil flavored with lemon that really complements the deep mushroom flavor. The garbanzo beans also add a little protein to the plate. If I were stranded on a dessert island, garbanzo beans would be my food of choice!

Recipe: Portabello Mushrooms with Leeks and Goat Cheese
2 leeks
4 portobello mushroom caps
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon olive oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach (about 2 ounces)
8 oz fresh goat cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Trim the dark-green parts from leeks and slice into disks. Often I find leeks which don't have a speck of dirt in them, but its always best to wash them a bit. Place them in a bowl with cold water and move them around with your hand to loosen any dirt. Drain and repeat with fresh water until all of the grit is removed. Lift leek slices out of water, leaving grit behind; drain them thoroughly on paper towels and place in a bowl. Toss the leeks with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Lightly oil a foil-lined baked sheet. Place mushroom caps, gill sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with lemon olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Dived the leeks among the caps and bake until caps are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the and top with spinach and cheese; season again with salt and pepper. Bake until spinach wilts and cheese starts to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe: Lemony Garbanzo Mash
1 16-oz can of garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons lemon olive oil
1 tsp lemon pepper
Salt to taste

Rinse and drain the beans and place them in a microwave-safe dish. Add the olive oil and microwave on high for two minutes until both are warmed. Use a fork or potato masher and smash around until they are coarsely mashed. You may want to add a little water until you reach a desirable, slightly creamy consistency. Add the lemon pepper and salt to taste. Mix and rewarm before serving.

Shopping list:
2 leeks
4 portobello mushroom caps
Olive oil
Lemon olive oil
Rice wine vinegar (I really like the ginger rice vinegar from O.)
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
8 oz fresh goat cheese
1 16-oz can of garbanzo beans
Lemon pepper

Pantry Raid

Last week when Katie was over, I opened the pantry to offer her some tea and found a giant sausage sitting on the bottom shelf. Now, considering I haven't eaten meat in about twelve years or so, I don't think I placed the sausage there. Perhaps one of my cheeky friends? I'm sure no one is going to own up to this little prank, but if you would like to anonymously comment to this post and let me know how long the sausage has been there, I'd be very happy. That was the test right? How long will it take for Brian to notice the giant sausage in the pantry? I just want to know how I did...

So, after the shaman left from the cleansing ritual I had to enact because of the presence of meat in my pantry (The shamanic cleansing cost $500, so if you ever own up to the sausage, expect an invoice.), and after I had done a personal smudging of the space, and after I had cleaned it from top to bottom with a mixture of Kaballah water and sea salt....I decided it was time for a reorganization! I mean, if someone can sneak a giant sausage through my front door and into my pantry right under my nose, I'm clearly not as organized as I should be.

This reorganization resulted in a complete paradigm shift. In the past, I had grouped together like foods by storage method and usage. In the spare spaces, I had stashed overflow utensils and other kitchen instruments. On top of these, odds and ends were crammed into nooks and crannies. While this was useful and worked for the most part, I thought a higher level of organization was possible. I decided to try and include aesthetic choices as part of the overall construction of the space. Pleased with the results, I thought some of the ideas might be useful to you, dear reader.

The first thing I did was group all of my wonderful pickled vegetables together on a single shelf for some strong visual impact. These are all tomatoes and okra that my dad put up from things grown in his garden. I actually didn't realize I had so much okra, so I am officially not rationing it any longer. On the shelf above, I arranged an array of colorful mugs more intentionally. I even weeded out three mugs that I have been moving around for about twenty years. Advice: do not becoming emotionally involved with coffee mugs. I also placed the coffee making tools very close and balanced three lovely, orange egg cups on the edge to add depth of field. The colors are bright, cheerful and the entire arrangement says 'I'm ready for breakfast at any time.' In front of the pickly things, I placed a plastic Kachina and an engraved Hindu goddess who had both been living in the pantry. Now that they are front and center, I officially charged them with oversight of the space in the future.

As I mention, some kitchen odds and ends are also grouped in the space. This vintage ice crusher had been crammed into the corner, but I placed it between the canned goods and the array of jams and jellies. (I have strawberry now, for those of you who have been following the jelly saga.) It's a fun object I don't use often, but do enjoy seeing.

Honestly, I was trying to weed out a little as I went through everything and came across two small platters I hadn't used in a coon's age. I was going to put them in the Goodwill pile, but then realized they would be perfect for storing vinegars, oils, honey, molasses and other items which have a tendency to drip onto the shelves. They not only add color, but make clean up simple.

I had my sugar and baking supplies in bags piled on the shelves to the side, while these three canisters my mother received as wedding gifts languished in the bottom of a cabinet. They're in use again and bring a strong metallic element to the palette of the pantry. Notice reader, I said palette. Think about color and texture as you decide what goes into your space.

Boxes and canisters of tea seem to multiply in the pantry. Where did all it come from? Likewise, packages of napkins from parties past and future grow and spill off the shelf. The solution? Container Store. They always have your back. I bought two baskets made from thinly rolled Asian newspaper that are chic and keep tea and napkins neatly contained. That way, next time someone wants tea (which was started this whole story in the first place), I can just grab the box and let them choose away. Simple.

Remember:
1. Organize not just for ease of use, but also for looks. You have to open the pantry a couple of times everyday, it might as well seem exciting.
2. Think color and texture. Eventually, I would like to paint the walls of the pantry a nice, soft orange and leave the shelves a clean, bright white. What is going on your shelves? What do your containers look like? Would some dark baskets spruce things up? What about some colorful pots that are in a closet? Could you put some rarely used utensils in them?
3. Decorate everything. Some vintage cookbooks, a small statue or a favorite item could easily add a little bit of life to your shelves. Magazines are always reminding you that bookshelves aren't just for books and I am saying that pantry shelves are not just for cans of beans.
4. Use trays to organize items and keep the place clean. If it goes on something, it's much less likely to wander.
5. Watch out for sausage!

Citrus Kind of Season

Right now is the time for citrus and the market is busting with all manner of shapes and colors, all sweet and delicious. I saw some unusual varieties at Central Market and encourage you to try something different. I bought sweet limes which I cut up and put in water for dinner last night. They had a subtle lime flavor with a wonderful fragrance. They are light yellow in color, but more spherically shaped than a lemon.

These Kishu Mandarins are tiny and lovely, but not as small as a kumquat. They would be fun for kids because they would be palm-sized, easy to peal and seedless.

These giants Etrog Citrons look like monster eggs!

There are so many varieties of lemons, but these caught my eye. It's difficult to tell in the photo, but they are pinkish and variegated. I plan on picking some up on my next visit to see what the flavor is like.

Choosy moms choose citrus!

Holiday 2007 Rehash

This year, we did the tour of the 'ahs' for the holidays--Wichit-ah, Omah-ah and Tuls-ah. Here are some dining highlights from the long, long....LONG (but fun) trip.

Wichit-ah
In Wichita, we saw lots of friends. It was a super-fast visit, but we squeezed every bit of friend-time in we could. Sorry if I missed you this visit, but you're top of the list next time I'm in town! Wednesday night we went to N&J Bakery which is one of the best Lebanese restaurants in the city--and there are many. I think they have the tastiest fattoush salads in Wichita, crisp and perfectly seasoned. Barb was planning on having a few people over on the following night and ordered their hummus, homemade pita and pistachio cookies. I love the pistachio cookies, but more on that later.

When we got back to Barb's, we kept her company as she began some of the prep for her Thursday night menu. One of the sweet treats was 'crispy crackers' which involves baking club crackers that have been topped with nuts and a buttery caramel. They are like crack, once you start you are hooked. Barb and I are carefully watching them in the over as they bake.

Thursday morning, Mitchell and I had breakfast at the Beacon Restaurant with an old friend from work and his new bride. The Beacon is the greasy spoon of all greasy spoons. It's located right next to the newspaper office (Which used to be the Eagle-Beacon back in the day) and is decorated with a lighthouse theme. Many of the very artistic items are for sale. If you eat meat and find yourself 'dining' at the Beacon, be sure and order the Beacon Traditional which is an open-face, lightly toasted English muffin topped with 2 eggs cooked to order, your choice of bacon or ham, and cheese melted over the top.

Thursday night at Barb's was fun and we got to hang out with many of our Wichita friends. I even got to have Molly sit in my lap, which is something I really miss being so far away from her. Barb made tons of delicious treats and served her wonderful mulled wine, but I think everyone enjoyed the pumpkin biscuits more than anything else. They're a classic and even better served with the maple pumpkin sauce which Barb had never tried before. Make them, but don't even think about serving them without the sauce!

Recipe: Barb's Pumpkin Biscuits with Pumpkin Maple Sauce
Biscuits 2 Β½ cups all-purpose baking mix (like Bisquick) 1/3 cup instant non fat dry milk ΒΌ cup packed brown sugar 1 ΒΌ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ΒΎ cup 100% pure pumpkin 1 tablespoon water

Sauce
1 cup maple syrup 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin ΒΌ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Combine baking mix, dry milk, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and water until just moistened.
  • Knead 10 times on lightly floured surface.
  • Roll dough to Β½ inch thickness; cut into 12 biscuits.
  • Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Heat syrup, pumpkin and cinnamon in a small saucepan until warm.
  • Spoon sauce over warm biscuits.

Of course, no visit to Wichita would be complete without a trip to the Nifty Nut House. They have all of my favorites, so I stocked up. Plus, it's always fun to be there during the holidays because there is so much electricity in the air. People are crazy for nuts! I bought:
  • Double-dipped chocolate covered peanuts (the size of gum balls)
  • Dark-chocolate covered pistachios
  • Bridge Mix (with fruits)
  • Yogurt-covered pretzel Christmas trees. (I swear their's are the best!)
Omah-ah
Old Town Omaha is filled with lots of great shops and restaurants, and we were sure to hit several of our favorites. We stayed at the Magnolia Hotel (which is in a converted office building and very nice if you're looking for a place to stay in Omaha) and it was easy walking to breakfast or dinner. Plus, the Magnolia has a complimentary continental breakfast, cocktails in the evening and a milk and cookie bar at night. Not kidding. Milk and cookie bar.

Zio's pizza is always a special treat and by the slice. You can order whatever toppings you wish and they're happy to oblige with piping hot slices right to your table. We had broccoli and onion (I won't apologize. I love broccoli on pizza.) and tomato and spinach. They have so many topping choices it will boggle your mind.

Even though we live right smack dab in the epicenter of Indian culture in Austin, TX, that doesn't keep us from ordering it when we're out of town. The Indian Oven, also in Old Town, serves all of your favorite Indian treats and has a great wine list to boot. Cold night? Fresh curries and a glass of wine will warm you right up.

Reader, are you eating your lunch at your desk while you catch up on my blog? Are you using a plastic spoon? I thought so! Do you know how it's made? Well a visit to the Omaha Children's Museum will cure you of that ignorance. Push a single button and moments later, a fresh plastic spoon emerges from the injection machine. Like magic.

Sammy and Jakalee (two and three respectively) were more interested in the car and the balls and the millions of other things you can do at the Museum.

Of course, I had to stop and pay me respects to Quan Yin while I was in Omaha. Driving down the Sorrenson Parkway, you just kind of come across her, perched on a hill and surveying the white, snowy world. The gate was locked, but I hopped it easily and trudged up the snow-covered steps to the top. I guess there were rabbits nesting behind because when I reached the top they ran quickly away in that breathy, panicked rabbit sort of way. I left Quan Yin an offering of four pistachio cookies that Barb had sent us away with, piled at the base of her feet. I didn't stay long because I thought since the gate was locked, some angry Buddhists might come after me from the temple in the distance. I spent the rest of the day with the Smith's song Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before running through my head. "And the pain was enough to make a shy, bald Buddhist reflect and plan a mass murder."

Tuls-ah

In Tulsa we ate and gorged ourselves on Christmas fare at the parents, including our traditional dinner of fried chicken. It's a long story, but tasty nonetheless. We still found time to join Paula, Brennan and Loren for a little pizza at the Hideaway. Probably the best pizza in Oklahoma, the Hideaway is a Stillwater/OSU tradition, but we don't hold that against them. Good pizza is good pizza!

Blue Dahlia and Mandola's

Yesterday I met Molly for lunch at the relatively new Blue Dahlia Bistro on east 12th street. It was a lovely warm January day, so we dined al fresco on their beautiful patio. The menu is primarily sandwiches and salads, but presented in a truly elegant fashion with wonderful bread. They also serve breakfast, and I'll certainly be back to try that at some point.

I had a black bean salad which was studded with lovely pieces of avocado, mango and covered in a citrus and cumin scented dressing. Molly had a turkey sandwich topped with a chutney and presented open faced on a board. It was a delicious and relaxing lunch.

In the afternoon, I had a work appointment at Mandola's and treated myself to some of the sweets from their pastry case. They have some many to choose from, plus gelato, fresh cheeses and many other wonderful items in their grocery. I selected an agnetti cookie (which I almost always get) which are the little donut shaped ones in the middle of the case. They're covered in a lemony icing and are just the right texture: not too soft, not too hard. I also had a small sfogliatelle, which is a filled with a citrus-flavored ricotta with a shell of filo or some other think pasty. WON-derful.

Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78702
512.542.9542

Mandola's
4700 W Guadalupe St # 12
Austin, TX 78751
512.419.9700

The Venn Diagram of My Blogs

I have two blogs on two fairly different subjects, but a little bit of an overlap pops up every once in a while. For instance, you often see my wonderful dish finds from MTSS displaying my cooking or food finds on bYb.

Last week while I was shopping at Half-Price Books, my blog worlds collided when I found a copy of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's The Physiology of Taste , first published in 1825. The edition I found was the 1949 translation by M.F.K. Fisher, herself arguably one of the most important food writers of the twentieth century, with delightful illustrations by Sylvain Sauvage. The book is inscribed "Darling, I hope you enjoy this delightful gentleman & his world as much as I have done. Love & happy birthday, Mother. 1990."

Some important quotes by Brillat-Savarin:

Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are.

The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a star.

A dinner which ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye. (My favorite. Bring on the cheese!)

M.F.K. Fisher, a pretty woman with two eyes!

And a quote from M.F.K. Fisher
People ask me: "Why do you write about food, and eating, and drinking? Why don't you write about the struggle for power and security, and about love, the way the others do?" . . . The easiest answer is to say that, like most other humans, I am hungry. (I concur.)

You can read more about Fisher is the biography Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher by Joan Reardon. You can also pick up a paperback version of Fisher's translation of the Physiology of Taste at Amazon.

I Hate to Cook....

...not really!
Over the break, I was perusing Barbara's (aka my mother) cookbook shelf which is located in one of the kitchen cupboards, when I found a long lost treasure: Peg Bracken's I Hate to Cook Book. This tiny tome, a mainstay from the 1960s convenience kitchen, is probably the beginning of my cookbook collection. My grandmother gave it to me when I was in high school or college, but I had misplaced it and couldn't find it anywhere. How it ended up in Tulsa, I'll never know.

The book was originally a gift to my grandmother from my mom's cousin Annie during a stay in Pecos, TX during the summer of 1964. Strangely enough, the New York Times published a story about Peg Bracken, her four marriages and the success of this strange little book just a couple of weeks ago. Ms. Bracken just passed late last year, her obituary is here.

Menu, Week of January 5

My new feature for bYb is a weekly menu update. I plan on listing what I'm preparing at home as well as what's left in the fridge that needs to be eaten along with some recipes for the week. The purpose is to inspire you with a new flavor or ideas, but also as a personal focus on what I'm consuming or need to include in my dietary thoughts.

On the menu:
  • Mududara (lentils & rice or lentil pilaf)--more on this and a recipe later
  • Chickpea Salad (photo above, recipe below)
  • Curried Cauliflower Soup with white beans
  • BBQ Riblets
  • Smoked Apple Sage Field Roast 'Sausage' with onions and butter lettuce
To be eaten:
  • Assorted soups (tomato, tom ka & butternut squash)
  • Snapea Crisps (I think I have recommended these before, so forgive the repetition, but they are so good. They're tasty, nutritious, low in cars and high in protein. And tasty. You can find them at Whole Foods or Cost Plus World Market. There's also a Caesar flavor, but I'm not as found of that.)
  • Almonds
  • Citrus (we bought Texas oranges which were ugly, but tasted sweet. Remember, it's what's on the inside that counts!)
  • One huge Honeycrisp apple
Recipe: Chickpea Salad
This recipe comes from Jeanne Lemlin's Simple Vegetarian Pleasure, which was one of the first vegetarian cookbooks I owned. It's filled with many great recipes I return to frequently. If you have a vinaigrette recipe you like, feel free to substitute it for the one below. I find that salad dressings are the perfect place to sneak in a little healthy twist. Here, you can substitute flax seed oil for all or some of the olive oil in the dressing and it will still be delicious.

1 can of chickpeas, drained a rinsed
1 small fennel bulk, stems and fronds removed, halved a thinly sliced
10-12 black olives of your choice, coarsely chopped (I used niçoise, which are one of my favorites.)
1/2 cup, thinly sliced red onion
3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
10-15 large, cherry tomatoes halved or quartered

Dressing:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp flax seed oil, olive oil or a mixture
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a big yellow bowl. For the dressing, combine the mustard, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine and then drizzle in oil as you continue to whisk. Pour the dressing over the combined ingredients and allow to mix and mingle for about an hour. Serves three as a main course, or more as a side.


Update: Here's the smoked apple sage 'sausage' in a salad with onion and tomato. It wasn't over meaty, but very delicious!