Action!

Fifty million years after the rest of the world has embraced digital photography and turns everyday iphone shots of their awkward feet and pastry of the day into cutesy vintage-y digital ephemera I have discovered Photoshop actions.

bloor street, with a suspicious lack of cars, Polaroid-style

Recent Reads (in order of preference)

Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue is a read-it-in-one-seater. I loved this book; this is one of those books you think about when other people are trying to talk to you, get you to work, etc. 

Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey is another readable book. Peter Carey is great, if you've never read anything by him this is an amusing place to start. His writing is just fun, and clever, and I do love a book set in olden times . . . this book explores the tale of two unlikely friends, art and democracy in 1830s America.

Faithful Place: A Novel by Tana French is a good old fashioned page turner of a mystery, even if I did guess who done it a bit early and at times was reminded too much of French's first book In the Woods (which I also liked).

Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen was a compelling read, although I did regularly feel like punching any number of the characters. I also enjoyed learning about the native song birds of the US, what plagues them and how cats wearing bibs is not only good for laughs.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan read like a movie to me; I guess HBO has picked up the rights and is going to turn it into a TV show instead. In any case, this book was a sparse and modern look at a loosely connected crew of characters coming of age and getting old; an interesting meditation on the passage of time and friendship.

Skippy Dies: A Novel by Paul Murray is a great book; it was a little slow to absorb me, but absorb me it did. The dialogue between the adolescent characters is indeed hilarious, but the fact that this novel is pitched as comic really threw me off. In the end (actually on the first page), Skippy does die, and it's a sad, messed-up story.

Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel by Gary Shteyngart is not memorable. Literally, I can not remember much of it, only that I liked it enough to finish it but not enough to form an opinion I guess. No, on second thought . . . it was a bit annoying, but made me want to visit New York.

etsy love

I love etsy; indulge you consumerist instincts and give yourself a pat on the pat while doing so . . . you are supporting artists, artisans, and small businesses by buying handmade.  Search by location if you want to keep your money in the hood.  Or just obsess over your favorites list like I do, rarely buy anything and get inspired (I could totally make that!). 

1. Leather flag necklace by Scout Holiday
2. Bamboo Activated (?!) Charcoal Soap by Rocky Top Soap Shop
3. Acrylic Dahlia Pendant by Untamed Menagerie 
4. Marlow, an adorable (organic) Monkey friend by Sewn Natural
5. Snooty Superhero Doll (well, wouldn't you be?) by Stay Home
6. A yummy blue bag by Valhalla Brooklyn
7. Perfect leather flats by Luna Shoes
8. Ashley G's collection of postcards; a mini art collection!

Baked

Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renalto Poliafito is full of delicious sounding recipes and beautiful (but not enough) photos.  I deduct points because they are Whoopie Pie Haters (although they still include a recipe which of course I ignored) but give them big points for their "Millionaire Bars" which perfectly replicate the treats I became addicted to at the Starbucks down the street from my sister's house in London last year.  I should have photographed those little beauties but there were none left by the time the sun came up and I can not be bothered to take food-photos unless the sun is out.

Their Baked Brownies are what they're famous for though; go ahead and google it if you want to find out how weirdly obsessed people are with what I will from this point out call Baked Blobbies.   According to Cakespy "there's definitely something wrong with you if you don't think that the Baked Brownie is the finest brownie of all" and Oprah and America's Test Kitchen's agree - this Blobbie is the best.  So I made some for Dexter night.

I changed only one detail; I did not have Valrhona cocoa lying around ($12 cocoa is not a pantry staple for me) so I used my Black Cocoa instead (because yes Black Cocoa is a pantry staple, I have a penchant for home made Oreos).  The brownies came out dense, smooth, intensely chocolatey and rich tasting . . . a tasty Blobbie to be sure, perhaps the perfect base for a big scoop of vanilla ice cream; but the best of all?  Meh.  They were a little too Blobbie for my taste; I like a cakier brownie I guess, not cakey but just a little more crumb than velvety smooth. 

Behold the Baked Blobbie

Dear Paulette,

 

Now I have one less reason to return to Paris.  (Thankfully, I still have plenty of reasons left.)  

In the name of thankless wedding-related baked goods tasting a friend and I sampled the beautiful macarons from Paulette in Beverly Hills and found them to be as tasty as they are beautiful.  I was considering making a wedding "cake" out of these little gems; the Sweet Wedding Almond was especially delicious but not as colorful, so I'd have to mix in another flavor.  Green Pistachio?  Purple Violet Cassis?

New Plants

 

I started some new plants a couple of weeks ago with old seeds I found at the back of my closet.  So far, kale and radishes are the only ones showing any life.  According to my gardening books, radishes are "easy enough for a child!" so I am especially looking forward to those plants since I am a little bit of a lazy gardener and easy enough for a child=suitable for a lazy-ish adult.

In library news, I am reading a book which I can barely muster the enthusiasm to finish, Everything Is Illuminated: A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer.  In fact, I think I will return it . . . unfinished!

I have a couple of cook books out right now that are much better reading, and rather good eating as well.  One is The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living by Mark Bittman, author of many fabulous cook books including one of my all-time favorites, the aptly named The Best Recipes in the World.  I love Mark Bittman's recipes because he offers about a million variations on every recipe so you can almost always make some version of whatever recipe catches your eye.  In addition, he is fairly casual about measurements and tossing in extras which is kind of my style anyways.

I tried a few recipes before I was forced to return the book to the library, and photocopied a few to try in the future.  The Bean Fritters did not photograph well (they look like little turds) but tasted delicious with a salad and "light" cheese sauce (that is, not made with cream, and not too thick - almost like cheese dressing?  That sounds kind of gross but really it was very good; vegetarian cooking often involves some trickery at my home in an effort to give the meal the "heft" that carnivores often miss).  The fritters are a little like falafel, but because it's a Bittman recipe you can use whatever beans and whatever seasoning you like.

Bean Fritters from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman 

(posted with permission)

1 3/4 cups dried beans (any kinds), lentils, or split peas, rinsed and picked over

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 small onion, quartered

1 cup chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or cooked squeezed dry spinach

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice, or to taste

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 to 4 inches; soak for 24 hours or longer for larger beans or 12 hours for lentils and split peas.  Add water if necessary. 
2. Drain the beans well and transfer them to a food processor; add everything else (except oil) and pulse until pureed.  Add water if necessary but keep the mixture as dry as possible.
3. Heat at least two inches of oil in a deep saucepan to 350 degrees F.  Drop heaping tablespoons of the bean mixture and fry in batches, without crowding, until browned (less than 5 minutes).
4. Drain on towels; serve immediately.

Variations:

1. Add 1/2 cup of nuts before processing
2. Reduce dried beans to 1 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup rolled oats
3. Add zest; lemon, lime, or orange
4. Add one tablespoon any seasoning blend
5. Add up to 1/2 cup grated cheese
6. Substitute scallions for the onion
7. Add 1 fresh hot chile
8. Add a 1 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped

Tuna Bird

This is my neighbor's new puppy, Tuna Bird.  I adore dogs and live more or less in the middle of an entire pack; surrounded on all sides by dog-loving neighbors.  This photo was taken by friend Kory, he takes pretty pictures of just about everything.