A Life Less Ordinary

Tea

by Helen

I am a big tea drinker.  I have been drinking tea for as long as I can remember. I like it black, with no sugar and not very strong, so I tend to take the bag out pretty fast after I put it. 

I own many tea cups, a pretty flowery tea set, a tea box, a tea bag squeezer thing, etc. What I have not been a fun of until recently has been herbal tea or even accented black tea. 

However, not too long ago I discovered Mango Black Tea as courtesy of a client who sent me a holiday gift. And recently, I have actually been drinking hot herbal tea and letting it steep.  I actually find it quite comforting and relaxing, which has never been the purpose of the black tea for me, since it's just part of the daily routine for me.  I am also pretty excited that there are several tea places near the place where we will, so I look forward to trying those. 

I never thought this would change about me, but I am glad I am expanding my taste palette. 

Hungry Girl vs. French Women Don't Get Fat

by Helen

Since I am unable to work out for a couple of weeks, I decided that the least I can do is watch how much I eat to make up for lack of physical activity. 

A friend recommended Hungry Girl because it has many guilt-free recipes that are all under 200 calories per serving. I really like the idea of knowing how much a whole meal has per serving as well as that the book really seems to be made for cooking for one.  However, I don't really like all the substitutes in the book - like the use of liquid egg substitute or excessive use of splenda. 

My preference is the approach of French Women Don't Get Fat - use good ingredients and eat in moderation. The latter promotes shopping at farmers markets and using more fruits and vegetables and less fake replacements and sugar in general. 

So I actually think I am going to return a book for the first time.  You live and learn I guess.  

Julie & Julia

By Helen 

Can't wait to see this on August 7!

Portland, How I Love Thee

by Helen

Portland Auto Show brought me back to Portland this week and I got to explore some great local, organic cuisine.

First, we tried to go to Le Pigeon but unfortunately it was closed for a private wine dinner.  Then we went to option two which was the Farm Cafe - an organic, local restaurant that serves Northwest cuisine.  It is hard for me to have a meal without protein, but I actually opted for a goat cheese salad (with the fried cover on the cheese, which I really enjoy) and the wild mushroom gnocchi which were really good (though a little salty). 

For dessert, I had the dolce de leche cheesecake and my colleague had a really tasty chocolate souffle made from scratch. 

We had a local Pinot Noir from Patricia Green's Estate in Oregon, which was outstanding after it breathed a little bit. 

All and all, the meal cost under $120 for two, which considering the quality of it and the inclusion of a bottle of wine, I thought was really good.

Best Left Overs Ever

by Helen

A couple of days ago we had taco night in my apartment.  Can I just say - I love taco nights! I know it's not authentic and I should probably be offended by the whole thing since I'm from Los Angeles and my boyfriend is from San Diego. But alas, something about the crispy taco shells that we make and the salt that I sprinkle it with makes it really appealing to me.

Anyway, we had left overs from taco night - some cooked ground beef, rice roni (clearly not part of mexican cuisine, but it's a favorite side dish), and a little bit of salsa. So I mixed the rice and the meat and microwaved it and added shredded cheddar cheese to it, the rest of salsa and a little bit of sour cream.  Then I ate it with tortilla chips. 

It was awesome! 

Candy cane party

I am preparing for the Candy Cane party tonight.

Friends are coming over and there will be a warm fireplace, a decorated tree, eggnog, lasagna, wine and candy cane making.

Let the holiday season begin!

Kitchen Utensils

by Helen

There are very few things about me that are not American today. But some things definitely still hold.  For example, it took me a long time to accept the use of measuring cups - I used to just estimate.  I also don't really need peelers for potatoes and carrots.  Really, a knife is just fine.  In fact I always thought it was weird that a lot of my American friends can't peel a potato without a peeler. I mean millions of people have been doing it before the invention of the peeler.

Anyway, awhile ago I gave in and bought colorful peelers at William and Sonoma.

Then the other day, I realized that I didn't have a meat tenderizer and I did have that one in Russia, so I figured it was ok to get that one.  So at Sur La Table, I got one. 

I have also invested in various appropriate baking dishes like racks, cookie sheets, cake pan, pound cake pan and a muffin pan.

I even bought a cheese grater because well, I love cheese.

Unfortunately, when we had Taco night, it turned out that I didn't have tongs.  We solved that problem by using pliers.  I thought that was a pretty good solution (I had a photo of it too but then my computer crashed).  In addition, I don't have a garlic press - apparently another crucial aspect of cooking. 

Yesterday, we were making stuffed peppers and that called for a steamer, so we made a home made one by raising a colander in a stock pot and boiling water in that.  I have to say, it was pretty effective.

But today, I did go to a much less glamorous store (Wal-Mart) and bought tongs and a garlic press. 

So I now have a running list of items that I'm missing and I am slowly purchasing them.  The list includes:

-Rice cooker/deep fryer
-Mortar and Pestle
-Wooden spoons
-Steamer
-Food processor
-Wok

Salt of the Earth

By Helen

I have been staring at my spice rack the other day and realized that through various recipes, I have acquired multiple types of salt - sea salt, kosher salt, regular salt and of course lawry's seasoning salt.  While the later is easy to understand, I don't quite know why so many recipes call for this variety of salts.

Then yesterday, I was at a friend's house and she sprinkled edamame with kosher salt and it tasted really good.  But then we made popcorn and apparently, the proper salt for that was regular salt because kosher salt doesn't stick as well. 

I definitely went home puzzled, but thank god for the cooking network. 

Below is their explanation:

One of My Favorite Things...

By Helen

Is definitely trying new restaurants based on other people's recommendations and reviews. I did not grow up going out to dinner many times a week, but instead I was raised with it being a pretty special occasion.  So I try not to go just for the sake of eating, since I can cook food on my own for that.

Yesterday, Adam and I followed Kate's recommendation, and tried Ocho in Ballard.  It's a tapas place that seems to be trying to stick to the Spanish cuisine pretty rigorously.  All the wine on the menu was Spanish, the menu was written on the wall and tapas themselves weren't terribly expensive while being quite tasty. 

We had the pimientos de padron (the peppers), the cured pork, spicy prawns, potatoes, and chorizo. 

Adam had a glass of Castillo de Monseran, Garnacha, '05 Carinena and I had a glass of Casteller Brut Cava NV.

All and all, it came to $41 and we were full.  I can't wait to go back and try more stuff.

On a separate note, my sister will be joining this blog so I am looking forward to her adventures in Berkeley and in the Bay Area in general.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Helen

So I have been exploring the whole baking idea. And I have tried a few things and was not all that successful.

I have definitely learned that baking is a formula sport.� Proportions matter, order of ingredients matter and generally following instructions is important.� All of this is completely counter intuitive to me and the school of cooking I come from, but I am definitely trying to adjust.

I read a blog the other day that referenced the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that ran in the NYT and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try it.

I found the blog's recommendations and analysis of the recipe very helpful too.

July 9, 2008

Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.