Fête des Vendanges 🍷 Montmartre
2 hours ago
Saturday, March 22, 2008
We like obnoxious food, apparently
A lot of these are about food:
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Good local oysters
While on a recent visit to the Ocean State, I ate at this cute restaurant, Scales & Shells, on Thames Street in Newport and treated myself on a cold, cold March evening to some oysters. I was told they were Matunuck oysters, and as such, I assume they came from the Matunuck Oyster Farm in Peace Dale, R.I.
Anyway, these oysters were super tasty and fresh and I just wanted to give them a little shout-out because I think it's awesome that someone semi-locally is farming shellfish that I will presumably be able to eat lots more of.
Oysters aren't just awesome to eat, though. They do a pretty damn good job of cleaning water. For instance, they can help take care of excess nitrogen in wastewater, something that many municipalities spend millions to remove. Not that you'd want to eat the oysters that have done that, but still ... Read more (login required): In City Waters, Beds (and a Job) for Oysters, from the New York Times, Feb. 24.
Anyway, these oysters were super tasty and fresh and I just wanted to give them a little shout-out because I think it's awesome that someone semi-locally is farming shellfish that I will presumably be able to eat lots more of.
Oysters aren't just awesome to eat, though. They do a pretty damn good job of cleaning water. For instance, they can help take care of excess nitrogen in wastewater, something that many municipalities spend millions to remove. Not that you'd want to eat the oysters that have done that, but still ... Read more (login required): In City Waters, Beds (and a Job) for Oysters, from the New York Times, Feb. 24.
Monday, March 17, 2008
I'm Lovin It
When a girl who's 1/16 Irish is deciding what to eat for dinner on St. Patrick's Day, what does she choose?
Why, a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's, of course!
I have loved these things since I was a little kid. One year, when I was probably 10, I poured Shamrock Shake into Dixie cups and froze them to savor out of season. It worked. So awesome.
Back in June, I had a minty-chocolate shake at McDonald's. An entry in Wikipedia tells me this was called the "Minty Mudbath" shake and was a promotion in conjunction with the movie "Shrek the Third." (uh, because it's green, I guess. No word on whether Shrek actually tastes minty or chocolatey.) It was merely OK.
A couple of years ago, though, while licking Vanilla Mint ChapStick off of my lips, I figured out that Shamrock Shakes were really just vanilla milkshakes with green dye and mint flavor added. It was kind of disappointing, but also really liberating. It almost makes me not want to freeze some.
The Wikipedia entry also says that Shamrock Shakes are available year-round in Ireland, but I am not sure if this is bad reporting based on a 1997 report: "Sinn Fein Leaders Demand Year-Round Shamrock Shake Availability."
Why, a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's, of course!
I have loved these things since I was a little kid. One year, when I was probably 10, I poured Shamrock Shake into Dixie cups and froze them to savor out of season. It worked. So awesome.
Back in June, I had a minty-chocolate shake at McDonald's. An entry in Wikipedia tells me this was called the "Minty Mudbath" shake and was a promotion in conjunction with the movie "Shrek the Third." (uh, because it's green, I guess. No word on whether Shrek actually tastes minty or chocolatey.) It was merely OK.
A couple of years ago, though, while licking Vanilla Mint ChapStick off of my lips, I figured out that Shamrock Shakes were really just vanilla milkshakes with green dye and mint flavor added. It was kind of disappointing, but also really liberating. It almost makes me not want to freeze some.
The Wikipedia entry also says that Shamrock Shakes are available year-round in Ireland, but I am not sure if this is bad reporting based on a 1997 report: "Sinn Fein Leaders Demand Year-Round Shamrock Shake Availability."
Sunday, March 16, 2008
'tis the season ...
... for the annual Making of the Bailey's Cake.
Those who have known me for a while probably have eaten my Bailey's Irish Cream Cake. By "my," I mean, a cake that was made by me, not a cake that was invented by me. I can lay no such claim to this recipe, but I can attest to the fact that it is universally acclaimed by all who taste it.
Except, presumably, by vegans.
That there are eggs in the cake seem to be no big problem to overcome; The Vegans have figured out many such ways to imitate their binding qualities. But the Irish cream presents another quandary altogether. So when I brought a cake to a gathering this weekend a vegan friend, who partook in the cake in her pre-vegan days and was an enthusiastic distributor of this recipe throughout the Midwest, said the next recipe she was going to Veganize was this one. (Expect a full report here when the mission is accomplished.)
Here is the recipe in its loves-me-some-animal-products form. While I might like to keep it a secret, alas, since it came to me through the good grace of others, I too shall pass it along.
Irish Cream Cake
for the cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 cup vodka
3/4 cup veg oil
4 eggs
1/8 cup water
1 box chocolate instant pudding
3/8 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
for the glaze:
more Bailey’s
confectioner’s sugar
Mix all the ingredients together. Grease or spray the bundt pan thoroughly with Pam for Baking. Dump the cake in. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. To make the glaze, mix about a cup of confectioner’s sugar with some Bailey’s until it makes a smooth, very thick glaze. Drizzle it all over the top of the cooled cake. Enjoy!
Those who have known me for a while probably have eaten my Bailey's Irish Cream Cake. By "my," I mean, a cake that was made by me, not a cake that was invented by me. I can lay no such claim to this recipe, but I can attest to the fact that it is universally acclaimed by all who taste it.
Except, presumably, by vegans.
That there are eggs in the cake seem to be no big problem to overcome; The Vegans have figured out many such ways to imitate their binding qualities. But the Irish cream presents another quandary altogether. So when I brought a cake to a gathering this weekend a vegan friend, who partook in the cake in her pre-vegan days and was an enthusiastic distributor of this recipe throughout the Midwest, said the next recipe she was going to Veganize was this one. (Expect a full report here when the mission is accomplished.)
Here is the recipe in its loves-me-some-animal-products form. While I might like to keep it a secret, alas, since it came to me through the good grace of others, I too shall pass it along.
Irish Cream Cake
for the cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 cup vodka
3/4 cup veg oil
4 eggs
1/8 cup water
1 box chocolate instant pudding
3/8 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
for the glaze:
more Bailey’s
confectioner’s sugar
Mix all the ingredients together. Grease or spray the bundt pan thoroughly with Pam for Baking. Dump the cake in. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. To make the glaze, mix about a cup of confectioner’s sugar with some Bailey’s until it makes a smooth, very thick glaze. Drizzle it all over the top of the cooled cake. Enjoy!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Screw-top wines: Not just for breakfast anymore
Funny story. At a birthday dinner with three of my dearest friends, we ordered a bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. The waiter brings it out and asks who wants to taste it. I say "Me, but it's not like it's going to be corked or anything, ha ha."
Get it? Because New Zealand wines are generally screw-topped? Ha ha ha!
Of course, he didn't know that I know about the Screwcap Initiative. He thought I was just making a comment like "ha, screw tops are only for the cheap, crappy stuff."
So, for those of you who think screw tops are only for Boone's Farm, think again. As I like to say (and I really have said this, to the embarrassment of my companion): Why do we rely on 13th-century technology when it comes to sealing our wine?
Get it? Because New Zealand wines are generally screw-topped? Ha ha ha!
Of course, he didn't know that I know about the Screwcap Initiative. He thought I was just making a comment like "ha, screw tops are only for the cheap, crappy stuff."
So, for those of you who think screw tops are only for Boone's Farm, think again. As I like to say (and I really have said this, to the embarrassment of my companion): Why do we rely on 13th-century technology when it comes to sealing our wine?
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