I went to a birthday party today over brunch. A vegan and gluten-free feast. Some of the people I knew, and some of them not. I was anxious because I hate small talk, it makes me so uncomfortable. I feel like strangers ask me questions just to hear themselves talk. I feel boring when I tell people what I do and I feel stupid when I tell them that I’m not in school because I can’t afford it right now. I glued myself to Kevin and Honey Bucket until they had to leave and I mostly had to fend for myself. I was anxious because the house was very fancy. Lots of art and rugs. Alaskana. 

I went to the sitting room to put my card with the others and caught sight of the view out of the large windows. I pressed my forhead against the glass. The freezing Kenai Peninsula. It resembled the bluffs in Portland in some strange way. The window fogged with my breath. I thought of my mother. I remembered I was not in an appropriate place to cry. I wondered if the tree I was looking at was a black spruce. I wondered about the foot prints in the snow. I tried to picture where I was oriented on a map. I drew a heart in the condensation and then wondered if I shouldn’t have.

Back in the kitchen and breakfast nook I submitted to the dreaded small talk and it wasn’t that bad. Emiline showed up, my savior. We sunk into a big love seat and talked about teeth and jokes past lovers made at the expense of our sensitivities. We talked about Boycations and Man Rambles and male nudity in film. We talked about our health and highschool and the journeys we made in college, physically and emotionally.

Matthew and Sarah played the banjo and accordian on the fireplace. Sarah looks like Portland, I thought. Thin flannel, thick rimmed glasses, greasy boyish haircut. She may be the only one in all of Anchorage. It occurred to me that this brunch, this vegan brunch with young people playing covers of Hurray for the Riff Raff, the beards, the flannel, almost half of the people queer, this might be the best of what is here. If this was all there was, at least I had found it.

Later some of the guests left, some helped clean up. I watched the lady of the house scrape a bowl full of left over cream cheese and a whole stick of left over butter into the garbage disposal. I talked to one of the lingering guests about whether or not God has lips, or any erogenous zones for that matter. We talked about wanting to visit villages but not wanting to live there. I showed him my leg tattoos. I told him about my grandfather’s memorial and it seemed like maybe his eyes got wet for some secret reason. I felt attracted to him. I made up a rule that it was ok to get a crush on someone who was a gender different from ones you normally go for if it was over the holidays.

The birthday girl opened her gifts and cards. I gave her a patch with a bike on it, a tube of glitter glue and a pin that says “I <3 female orgasm”. Her parents gave her remote start for her car and $1000. I started to realize this friend of mine came from a very different class background from myself. I hadn’t thought much about her background before. I thought about what I could do with $1000. 

My tires spun in the deep snow as I maneuvered out of the suburban winter hideaway. I passed my old elementary school. Everything looked so different. All the trees cut and a shopping center I didn’t even know existed. I put on that Des Ark CD I’ve been trying to take a break from so I don’t stop liking it from listening too much. I sang along and my voice sounded raspy and I liked it. I thought about my Holiday Crush. I thought about hating feeling stuck up here. I started to get anxious about What I’m Doing With My Life and The Next Step. But then I thought about my mom, and was craddled by a sense of calm. I realized that I’m exactly where I need to be.

I love to entertain, but I don’t always take the safe route. Consider yourselves warned, if you are coming to my house for a meal, you are very likely to get served some new recipe that I’m playing with. I have kind of a “go for it” attitude where food is concerned, and my guests get subjected to this.

So, when we invited some friends over for brunch this morning, I decided to try something new: homemade granola.

If you are afraid to make things from scratch, may I recommend that you start with granola. It is the EASIEST thing ever, and you can adjust it to your specific likes and dislikes as well as what you happen to have on hand. I chopped up some pecans and threw them in because, I happened to have some leftover from Thanksgiving.

Here’s my recipe:

Cranberry Granola

• 3 cups oats (not quick-cooking)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Add all ingredients except cranberries to a bowl and stir until combined completely. *hint: measure the oil, then the honey using the same cup…the “pre-greased” measuring cup will allow the honey to slide right out
3. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spread mixture evenly over parchment.
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring the granola every ten minutes. (I went the full 30 minutes this time…thinking I’ll cut it back to 27 minutes next time)
5. Remove from oven, stir in cranberries and move to cooling rack.

It’s that easy, and really yummy! I’m thinking my next batch will be vanilla, coconut and almond.

Whoever said playing with your food is bad was wrong. Try something new, if it doesn’t turn out you can always order a pizza Thanks so much to Andrew and Sharon for being willing to be my guinea pigs.

En sån här glad Ville, som dagen till ära hade klätt sig i rött helt själv, drog i mig i morse. Med orden.

- Mamma, idag kan vi äta pannkakor! Ja, det kan vi, och jag ska hjälpa till.

En väldigt trött mamma, som hade suttit uppe och nördat sig med skolböckerna svarade att visst kunde vi det. Men först måste din mamma ha kaffe. Är det ok?

- Ja, jag kan hjälpa dig med det också!

Draghjälpen i köket, som också går under namnet Ville, brukar innebära en hel del merjobb. Men han är entusiastisk och vill lära sig, och det vill jag ta till vara på.

Pannkakor på väg. Jag brukar göra amerikanska pannkakor, som brukar bli saftiga med en doft av vanilj i hela köket.

Börja med att blanda de torra ingredienserna i en bunke. (Detta för att bakpulvret löser sig lättare och smeten klumpar inte sig.)

• 5 dl vetemjöl
• 1 tsk bakpulver
• 1 tsk vaniljsocker
• ½ tsk salt
• 1 msk socker

Ta nu en ny bunke och blanda ihop

• 3 ägg
• 3 dl mjölk
• ½ dl olivolja

Blanda i det torra et voilá!

Börja steka

När pannkakan ser ut så här, är den redo att vändas…

Så blir det så här, sugen än?

Strö lite florsocker över och get it while it still hot!

Sage Deli in Hallandale, arguably the most authentic kosher NY-style bagel place in town, has kindly been making custom plain minis for our house smoked salmon dip with bagel chips, plated below by Sous Chef Prudent.  Also, second from top, Hedy’s homemade granola parfait with fresh berries (on the side, not pictured) and Greek yogurt.   And last but certainly not least, the delicious red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut.  The whole pastry gang, including assistants Amy and Thais, was in this morning churning out these beauties.  Thanks ladies!

First of all, I must sincerely apologise for the shocking lack of posts in the last two weeks. Planning R’s birthday present, meal and cake definitely took my (very) fickle mind a long time, but I was quite happy with how it all turned out. Will post about it sometime in the near future – I have a shocking backlog of posts like you would not believe. Eeep! This is precisely why I respect bloggers like Lorraine, she’s amazing and manages to find time to blog everyday – no easy feat, let me tell you.

But yes, let me stop rambling and introduce you to the yumminess of Upper Street. Now, I have to admit that I had never, ever eaten anywhere in Angel before this year. Shocking really, considering it’s actually not too far from where I’ve lived for.. well. Only five years. A friend who lived in the Highbury & Islington area was completely appalled by this, and thanks to her, I discovered some really interesting restaurants/cafes.

Fig & Olive is a pretty restaurant located halfway along Upper Street, which serves what they describe as “Modern European” cuisine. I’m a complete sucker for good decor, and Fig & Olive ticks all my boxes. Just look at those cool lamps!

[Please be forewarned that I could be making up the names of the following dishes as this meal took place quite a while ago.]

First up is the crabcake served on a bed of creamed spinach and mayo. I know crabcakes seem a tad boring, but this one was seriously good. The breadcrumbed exterior is beautifully crisp, and you are greeted with gooey crab goodness when you cut through it. The spinach (or what I remember to be spinach – please correct me if I’m mistaken) was a great pairing, as it had just the right amount of salt to complement the sweetness of crab meat.

The vodka flame grilled calamari salad is seriously good, and is one of my favourite ways to eat calamari. The salad itself is nothing special, but it’s worth a try for the calamari alone. There’s just the right amount of burnt-ness in the calamari, and although the you get a mild hint of the vodka, it’s by no means overwhelming.

The duck served with a cherry sauce and sauteed potatoes was interesting, but if I remember correctly – it was a little on the salty side. R felt that there were too many potatoes served on the side, and had to leave quite a bit behind.

The slow roasted pork leg with mash looked like a ridiculously huge dish, but in reality, there wasn’t too much meat on the bone (and I actually managed to clean my plate). Again, there may have been (possibly) too much mash, but I have never been one to say no to potatoes. Another thing to note that the sauce for this dish seemed remarkably similar to the sauce of the duck dish….

Fig & Olive does serve desserts, which are displayed beautifully by the entrance of the restaurant. However, we decided to not have dessert here as I had something else in mind…. cakes from Ottolenghi! This restaurant is serves simple yet delicious food with a Mediterranean influence. Now, I have never actually eaten the food at Ottolenghi as I have always been too hungry to wait it out in the long queues for a table, but I’ve had the cakes and pastries (taken away and slowly devoured at home), and I must say that they are absolutely gorgeous.

The pastries at Ottolenghi are displayed in the most beautiful fashion, with platters of delicious looking creations sitting atop colourful stools of varying heights. I didn’t manage to get a photo of the displays, but trust me when I say you’ll find it hard to not swoon if you’re a dessert lover such as myself. But it’s not just the way they display the desserts which has me constantly raving about Ottolenghi, it’s the yummy desserts….

Raspberry mascarpone tart, topped with a berry jam/coulis. The crumbly pastry crust was just delightful, especially when paired with the sweet mascarpone filling.

Vanilla cupcake, topped with a vanilla bean frosting and some blueberries. The cupcake was light and fluffy, and I really enjoyed this. I also liked that the frosting was not overly ’sickly’, which sometimes happens with some cupcake frostings.

Lemon semolina tart. I got this because I love polenta in cakes and muffins, and I figured that semolina would taste similar. I actually find that I prefer polenta to semolina when it comes to cakes as the texture of polenta is more evident (I hope that makes sense!). It doesn’t take anything away from this tart though, as it was very refreshing – a tad too much lemon sugar syrup over the top though.

Carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting. This was lovely – just the right amount of spices to balance out the sweetness of the carrots. I think they also used cardamom in their spice mix, which I’m not a huge fan of, so that meant the cake lost some of it’s appeal. The cream cheese frosting was awesome though.(which cream cheese frosting isn’t?)

Now this is where is gets tricky. I think this was a custard tart…. but I can’t say for sure. This is what happens when you buy too many desserts. I might have also semi-erased this from my mind as this was the pastry I liked the least. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t live up to my high expectations of Ottolenghi.

And whilst I’m on the subject of Ottolenghi, here are some photos of other sweet treats I’ve had here in the past: (I try something new everytime I go there, and they have such a wide selection that it’ll be a while before I revisit these)

Passionfruit custart tart, topped with a soft meringue frosting. Just look at this tart, it’s so beautiful that it was I knew I had to try it the moment I laid my eyes on it. How I wish I could pipe that well! The crumbly tart case is baked to perfection, and the passionfruit pips add texture to the soft meringue which is already delicious.

Lemon (I think) polenta cake, topped with a lovely simple sugar icing. This was the first time I had eaten polenta in a cake, and I fell in love almost instantly. I really enjoyed the textures in the cake, and I suspect there may have been some sort of ground nuts in it as well. This is a cake I would buy each time I visit Ottolenghi (unfortunately they didn’t have any the second time I dropped by, sniff).

Hazelnut meringue, with gooey caramel on the inside. I could not resist buying one of these giant meringues as they looked sooo inviting (I seriously think I have a problem). The meringue was beautifully crisp like how all meringues should be, with a great hazelnut aftertaste. The caramel slathered on the innards of the meringue was a pleasant surprise, but one I only enjoyed for a few mouthfuls as it got seriously too sweet (i.e. it hurt my teeth) after a while. Didn’t stop me from eating up the rest of the meringue though, I just left out the caramel-y bits.

So yes. These are two of my favourite places to eat in Islington, and I hope I’ve managed to convince you that they are worth a try if you happen to be in the area. If anyone has tried the (non-sweet) food at Ottolenghi, I would be very interested to hear what you think about it.

Don’t you just love the look of the stacked meringues? So pretty.

Ottolenghi
287 Upper Street
London N1 2TZ
http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Fig & Olive
151 Upper Street
London N1 1RA
020 7354 2605

Ritz förärades med ett besök på lördagskvällen. Det var som vanligt ett jävla drag och varannanhelgs-singlarna hade kopplat på knullblicken. DJ Demonika rattade skeppet enligt det enkla konceptet att spela låtar som folk känner igen och fanns det en kvadratmeter ledigt blev det dansgolv. 60 spänn i entrén (brukade det inte vara gratis?) och klockan tre är det dags att gå hem. Ensam?

Man blev lite sugen på 149-kronorsbrunchen som serveras här en bakfyllesöndag. Kanske kan önska mig en i julklapp?

My sister, mom, Patrick and I celebrated our goodbye with an amazing brunch at The Horseradish Grill – the place that’s quickly becoming our traditional “Our-Atlanta-Trip-is-Over” place

I guess Shannon and Patrick figure stuffing us with delicious food will make us feel less sad about leaving.

They know us well

We started with the HOT FRESH BAKERY BASKET which consisted of fresh biscuits, assorted fruit muffins, cinnamon roll, corn muffin, banana and apple breads

After perusing the menu and settling on BREAKFAST PLATTER OF TWO EGGS ANY STYLE, SAUSAGE, LOGAN TURNPIKE GRITS AND TOAST, the waiter came over and completely changed my mind with the specials!

He described the most delicious salmon salad that I just couldn’t pass it up.

Field greens with grilled salmon (which was grilled to perfection!), avocado, tomatoes, onions and a house vinaigrette

I put a corn muffin on the side, but never got to it -

Patrick ordered the SOUP OF THE DAY which was some sort of creamy clam thing…not my style, but he loved it!

He also got the POACHED EGGS AND CORNED BEEF HASH WITH A WHOLE GRAIN MUSTARD hollandaise and a SIDE of GRITS

My mom and Shannon stuck to the more traditional breakfast items.

Shannon ordered the BREAKFAST PLATTER OF TWO EGGS ANY STYLE, SAUSAGE, LOGAN TURNPIKE GRITS AND TOAST with pancakes instead of grits -

And my mom went with FRESH BLUEBERRY PANCAKES with apple wood smoked bacon and warm maple syrup and an egg -

It was all amazing and a perfect way to say goodbye!

one of the easiest brunches that I’ve ever made. *beams* doesn’t help that i love brie too. mmM. I replaced some of the ingredients cos I didn’t want to buy new jars of ingredients just for this recipe. Used Dijon mustard instead of getting wholegrain, and used butterloaf lettuce cos the leaves were smaller and suited the baguettes better.

i reckon they’d look really fancy for lunch. =D

category:

Visit our web-site Homestay Hong Saeng for more recipes.

Cheer up your BBQ party with a Grilled Banana Split

YIELD: Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

1. 1 large ripe firm banana
2. 1/2 teaspoon melted butter
3. 1/2 teaspoon liquer ( optional )
4. 1 cup sugar-free ice cream syrup
5. 2/3 cup sugar-free vanilla ice cream
6. 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

PREPARATION:

1. Spray grid with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare grill for direct cooking
2. Cut unpeeled bananas lengthwise; brush melted butter over cut sides. Grill bananas, cut side down, over medium-hot coals 2 minutes or until lightly browned; turn. Grill 2 minutes or until tender.
3. Combine syrup and liqueur, if desired, in small bow
4. Cut bananas in half crosswise; carefully remove peel. Place 2 pieces banana in each bowl; top with 1/3 cup ice cream, 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup and 1 tablespoon almonds; serve immediately

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Serving Size: 1/2 of total recipe

Fiber 2 g | Carbohydrate 33 g | Cholesterol 3 mg | Saturated Fat 1 g | Total Fat 5 g | Calories from Fat 22 % | Calories 198 | Protein 5 g | Sodium 59 mg

DIETARY EXCHANGE: Fruit 1-1/2 | Starch 1 | Fat 1

A few weeks ago I had Anna and our friend Sean over for brunch.  We had all had particularly fun Friday nights, which called for the perfect hangover cure: getting drunk again the Bloody Mary.  A few of these and we were all feeling great again, maybe TOO great because we ended up in the pub after we we finished eating.  

Anna brought the bloody, Sean brought the Mary.

Along with round after round of bloody Marys, we had bacon*, eggs and a southern speciality: cheese grits.  The cheese grits were far too salty and oily (they did call for a half pound of cheese and a quarter of butter), but I found another recipe to serve with rabbit stew which was more restrained.  Grits are a lot like polenta and although they are traditionally breakfast fare, they can certainly be adapted and served with dinner.

Bacon and Cheese Grits

Just what the Doctor ordered... if the Doctor was a fat alcoholic

*The bacon came from the local butcher.  I was surprised that there wasn’t much difference in price from that purchased in major supermarkets, but the quality was vastly superior.

BACON!

- Ryan

http://www.homestayhongsaeng.com

Coming to the end of the year, is time to add a bit of flash and color to your food.

The skies are in your country perhaps low-hanging and weepy. The days are short, getting shorter.

Each fall and winter, there is a must for all manners of dried fruits, juicy citrus, and rosy pomegranates. They work beautifully in salads, including this jewel-inspired ensemble.

Mixed leafy salad greens, wild rice, toasted hazelnuts, dried figs and pluots are combined in a big bowl and then tossed with a simple ginger juice vinaigrette spiked with just a hint of jalapeno. It’s festive with enough going on flavor-wise to keep people guessing.

The key to an amazing salad is seeking out the very best lettuce you can find. In this instance a blend of red romaine and little gem lettuces is great. Avoid bagged, pre-washed lettuce – it often smells off. I baby my lettuce all the way home, making sure other groceries don’t smash or bruise it.

To clean it; tear the lettuce into manageable, bite-sized pieces, wash it gently in cold water, and then spin it dry. If not using it immediately, re-bag it with a clean (lightweight) dish towel and place it back in the crisper until I’m ready to toss the salad.

Ginger Jeweled Salad Recipe

Feel free to substitute other dried fruit if it is more convenient. Just try to imagine if it will pair nicely with ginger and go from there. I also do my best to seek out unsulphured dried fruit when we are shopping in our ” Tesco Lotus ” superstore in Ubon Ratchathani. As mentioned before, in this instance use a festive combination of leafy red romaine lettuce along with some little gem lettuce, but buy whatever lettuce looks the most vibrant at the store.

Feel free to make the vinaigrette the day before.

1. 1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice, made by grating a 4-5-inch piece of ginger into a pile and then pressing it against a strainer to extract the ginger juice
2. 2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar
3. fine grain sea salt
4. 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, very finely chopped
5. 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6. 2/3 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, quartered
7. 1/3 cup dried pluots, chopped
8. 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, loosely chopped
9. 1 1/3 cup cooked wild rice, room temperature
10. 5 big handfuls of leafy salad greens (see headnotes), washed and dried

In a mason jar or medium bowl make the ginger vinaigrette by whisking together the ginger juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and a couple big pinches of salt. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the jar whisking all the while. Stop when the dressing takes on a slightly creamy appearance. Taste and adjust the flavors if needed. Set aside.

Hold off dressing the salad until just before you are ready to serve it. This will help to keep the lettuce vibrant and lively. In a large bowl toss the figs, pluots, hazelnuts and wild rice with a generous splash of the dressing. Once they are nicely coated, add the lettuce, a bit more vinaigrette, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss until the lettuce is evenly coated. Taste and adjust if needed. The little bits of fruit and nuts tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so before serving scoop them back up from the bottom so you end up with plenty of rice and fruit on top.

Serves about 6.

Once I opened the can of pumpkin puree, I started to look for other ways of using pumpkin. I love the combination of cinnamon and pumpkin, so this was a natural muffin to make. I got a few cookbooks on squash from the public library and was drawn to this recipe. I found it in Pumpkin and Squash: Recipes from Canada’s Best Chefs by Elaine Elliot and Virginia Lee. The recipe was submitted by the now-closed Jakobstettel Inn in St. Jacob’s, Ontario (which still looks like a gorgeous place for a rural retreat and close to the wonderful St Jacob’s market), who promised moist, delicious muffins. The recipe was modified to include less sugar and less oil, and it was spot-on: a flavourful, unassuming moist muffin.  I had to beg my mom not to eat too many before I could take a quick photo one morning. I actually have to give credit to my mom, who made the muffins for me as a surprise after a long day at work.

Lots of spices work well with squash (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves) and I still have a few more recipes to share with the remainder of my pumpkin puree. In the meantime, go here to enter to win a slew of wonderful spices. Another giveaway can be found here.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/2 cup oil
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Slowly beat in pumpkin and oil. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix until smooth but do not overmix. Stir in cranberries.

3. Spoon into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins

Hey there Toronto breakfast joints, I have some news for you:

When someone orders Huevos Rancheros for breakfast they want to be filled to the brim with starchey, protein-filled deliciousness. 

There should be no white showing on the plate.  There should be guacamole [not avocado chunks], and there should be plenty o’ full-fat sour cream. There should be no capability to eat another meal, post-huevos.  In fact, there should be a bit of a  strain to stand, post-huevos.

Universal Grill:  understands the  huevos concept and has pretty much mastered it, AND has the loveliest servers ever.

Sunrise Grill & Crepe: not so much with the huevo-understanding-thing, nor the decent-service-thing.

Both restaurants have delicious homefries, though… just so you know.

Make something fall-fresh with your leftover turkey– salad! Try serving this with butter lettuce. It is mild and crisp, making a perfect contrast to the rich flavor of roasted turkey. Also great as a wrap, cut and served as tea sandwiches, or dress up your after-holiday-party relish tray!

2 Cups chopped left over turkey
2 green apples, diced
1 Cup chopped pecans
1 Cup shredded cheddar, Organic Valley is awesome!
1/3 Cup mayo or plain yogurt
2 TB apple cider vinegar
1 tsp each dill, thyme, black pepper
salt to taste

Mix dried herbs with vinegar and mayo/yogurt. Set aside while you chop the other ingredients. This will give the dressing time to develop its flavors. Toss chopped ingredients together and mix dressing in well.

This can be served immediately or chilled.

*** Double the dressing and toss in 1 lb cooked penne or gluten-free pasta for an awesome pasta salad.

In my review of the first season of The Simpsons, I mentioned that “Life on the Fast Lane,” was the season’s only episode that contended for a spot in the series’ pantheon. In “Simpsons Classics,” I’ll do my best to explain why “Life on the Fast Lane” and episodes like it belong in said pantheon.

The first great episode of The Simpsons, “Life on the Fast Lane” deals with Marge’s temptation to cheat on Homer with Jacques, a French bowler impeccably voiced by Albert Brooks.

Most Simpsons episodes that consider extramarital temptation in later years do so from Homer’s perspective. Homer is wooed by country star Lurleen Lumpkin, has trouble resisting coworker Mindy Simmons, and even gets married to a second woman in Las Vegas. Each of these episodes places moral culpability on Homer; in other words, it’s never anything Marge does that leaves Homer vulnerable to outside affairs.

“Life on the Fast Lane” is very different. Marge is driven away from her husband by Homer’s own selfishness, illustrated first by his forgetting her birthday (thinking momentarily that it was his own) and then presenting her with a bowling ball—with “Homer” engraved on it—as her present. This reprehensible act of husbandry isn’t even isolated; as Patty/Selma detail earlier in the episode, Homer’s past birthday gifts to Marge include a tackle box and a Connie Chung calendar.

It’s easy, then, to sympathize with Marge’s view that perhaps destiny has brought her to Barney’s Bowl-A-Rama, where she meets Jacques. Jacques is more attractive than Homer, he is wittier than Homer, and he is more caring than Homer; he is obviously an upgrade. The second time he meets Marge, he presents her with a bowling glove: “You got it in my size, and it has my name on it; it’s really for me!” Marge responds. Indeed, getting a gift all her own seems a first for Marge.

Marge is drawn to Jacques, who is perhaps the finest of Brooks’ many characters on The Simpsons.* His wit plays well off of Marge’s naïveté, even if his definition of brunch—“You don’t get completely what you want, but you get a good meal!”—strikes me as inadequate. Marge blushes when he asks if she wants a mimosa, thinking it’s a pet name he has for her. Jacques explains it’s just orange juice and champagne before adding, “You’re so wonderful that you thought it was something offensive.” Later, after infamous gadabout Helen Lovejoy spots Marge with Jacques, he says, “You’ve got a lovely friend there. Let’s hope something runs her over.”

*You can make a case for Hank Scorpio, but I’d stick with Jacques for two reasons: 1. He’s not a clear parody of a Bond villain; 2. Brooks’ voice for Jacques is unique, and he doesn’t use it again and again for various characters as he does with Scorpio’s (which is the same as the voice for Russ Cargill in The Simpsons Movie, among others).

This is all to say that BOTH Marge’s attraction to Jacques and her considerations of leaving Homer are justified in the episode. That’s different from Homer’s temptations, where although we could understand why he wanted to be with Lurleen/Mindy,* it’s hard for him to justify leaving Marge. I mean, the worst thing Marge does in “The Last Temptation of Homer” is get a cold. The way these episodes operate also speaks to the implicit assumption all viewers of The Simpsons have: that Homer is lucky to be with Marge, and not vice versa. “Life on the Fast Lane” helps cement that perception in the series’ first season.

*And especially Mindy. She’s the ideal woman.

While Jacques attempts to woo Marge, we see the effect her absence has on her family’s home life. She herself overcompensates by offering the kids oversized lunches, Lisa and Bart endure various stages of grief, and Homer is completely resigned to losing his wife (best shown when he glumly puts away the glove Jacques gave her—he won’t be the one to bring it up—and by his game of “catch” with Bart, when he doesn’t even say “Ow” as a baseball at full speed hits him in the head). Throw in the fact that Marge contemplates the affair right after her birthday—a time of increased introspection for a woman—and “Life on the Fast Lane” possesses a tone of distinct realism, where almost all of the characters’ actions are both in character and understandable.

In the end, it’s a small compliment from Homer about how Marge makes his peanut butter and jelly sandwich that saves his marriage. The way Homer (or Dan Castellaneta) delivers the line is evocative of the line that initially won Marge’s heart in high school: “I’ve got a problem. Once you stop this car, I’m going to hug you, and kiss you, and then I’ll never be able to let you go.”

The episodes that deal with Homer and Marge’s marriage always strike me as some of the series’ most realistic and best. And it all starts with “Life on the Fast Lane.”

And so do college students write papers and study dismally-long hours in the library – running on caffeine and satisfied junk-food cravings, or the occasional crepe at Cafe Bonaparte when you have the time/money for brunch!

Both are savory; must come back for a sweet crepe some day.

My Florentine crepe – Roma tomatoes, pine nuts and pesto, caramelized onions, parsley, Ricotta cheese:

Rachel’s Wellington crepe, with black forest ham and cheddar cheese:

… die man für Geld bekommt (Albert Einstein)

Fährt man vom Frankfurter Tor die Karl-Marx-Allee Richtung Alexanderplatz, tritt man eine Zeitreise durch die Architekturgeschichte der DDR an. Kühl, sachlich und eckig – das ist der vorherrschende Eindruck, den die Plattenbauten und stalinistischen Wohnkomplexe hinterlassen. Und doch zählt der Boulevard – übrigens der einzige, der in Europa nach dem 2. Weltkrieg gebaut wurde – zu den schönsten und eindruckvollsten Straßen Berlins. Viele der Bauten stehen unter Denkmalschutz und einige davon sind großartige Zeugnisse der Ostberliner Ausgehkultur, so das Café Mockba und das Kino International.

In der Nähe des Kinos liegt das Alberts – vielbesuchtes Café und Restaurant, mit angeschlossenem Szene-Club, der A-Lounge, wo am Wochenende Berlins cooles Partyvolk feiert und tanzt, bis der Morgen längst gegraut hat. Der Gästemix im Alberts ist vielfältig; Freunde treffen sich zum Frühstück, Touristen erholen sich nachmittags auf der Sonnenterasse von den Strapazen des Sightseeings und am Wochenende kommen Familien zum Brunch. Damit die Eltern auch entspannt schlemmen können, bietet das Alberts ein buntes Kinderprogramm. Übrigens findet für die Kids am 6. Dezember 2009 wieder Weihnachtsbäckerei statt – Kekse backen für die Kleinen, denen das Ganze richtg Spaß macht.

Neben Brunch gibt es das ganze Jahr über jeden Mittwoch Salsa meets BBQ mit heißen Live-Rythmen und deftigen Fleischspezialitäten vom Grill. Bei Salsa-Fans ist das Tanz- und Genuss-Event längst fest im Terminplan eingetragen, zählt es doch zu einem der besten der Stadt. By the way, dieses Angebot gibt es auch gelegentlich bei dinner-auction zu ersteigern.  Wir geben Bescheid, wenn es wieder soweit ist. Aber eine weitere ganz besondere Auktion versteigert das Alberts an unsere Mitglieder: 2 Flaniertickets für die nächste Sylvesterparty, einer Party, bei der die Post abgeht! Neben toller Stimmungsmusik und spaßvollem Abtanzen gibt es ein opulentes Buffet, das in diesem Jahr unter dem Motto”Typische Berliner Gerichte” steht. Den perfekten Übertritt ins Jahr 2010 besiegeln dann das besondere Rahmenprogramm und die große Auswahl an  Getränken, alles im Preis inbegriffen.

Umgeben von der tollen Architektur der Straße und mit einem außergewöhnlichen gastronomischen Gesamtkonzept verleihen wir dem Alberts das “gewisse Ess-Was” und befinden es uneingeschränkt einen Besuch wert .

which is why i had to make them today. i used my new mushroom brush-what a great little device! i sauteed brussels sprouts, one onion, shitake & crimini mushrooms in butter & topped with smoked gouda cheese. i whipped the eggs up with some light cream, salted it & gave it a shot. i expected it to turn into a scramble-the way it usually goes for me when i attempt to prepare an omelet. they were SO good the colonel actually ate 2! that’s 6 eggs! i guess i AM good at making omelets

Menu

Omelets made to order

Carving station – Ham

Scrambled eggs

Home fries

Corn beef hash

Mac and cheese

Bacon

Sausage

Waffles

Pancakes

Shrimp

New burg

Soups

Salad

Turkey pot pie

Lasagna

Cheese and crackers

Beams

Beef tips

Fresh fruit

Muffins

Cereals

Hot oatmeal

Fruit sauces

Blueberry Cake

Coffee Cake

Cost:

Adults $15.95

Children under 12 $7.95

Children under 5 FREE

]]> http://umumpire.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/happy-thanksgiving/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:30:55 +0000 umumpire http://umumpire.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/happy-thanksgiving/

I am not preaching this week but I am looking forward to the Advent Season where we will explore what being prepared for Christ means in our lives. Enjoy any time you get with your family this Thanksgiving break and the delicious food at the Advent Brunch this coming Sunday (Nov. 29 @ 8:15 AM). The service of The Hanging of The Greens to follow at 9:45 AM with the confirmands, Mark Reinard and Susan Moseley leading.

Also, if you are available please stop by the church on Saturday at 8 AM to help decorate for the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Season.
Blessings ~ Pastor Ryan

This morning was great! We woke up at my parents and had coffee while chatting on the couch. Then we got ready for the day. I went to the basement and did the elliptical for a quick 28 minutes then jumped in the shower while my egg white casserole was overcooking in the oven (bummer!).

Then Brady and I headed to his grandparents – they live 15 minutes from my parents house- for brunch and my parents and brother went to Chautauqua.

We had a great brunch with lots of yummy treats to get the morning started.

There was fruit

Pineapple/French Toast casserole

My coffeecake

My egg white spinach and artichoke strata

Nut bread

Everything was great. It was really nice to catch up with Brady’s cousins and family. After breakfast we relaxed, looked through black friday adds, and played Wii!

Then we took off to go to Chautauqua.