i've moved

if you're one of the 4 people reading this, you can now find me at:

vanderbubble.tumblr.com

sorry, blogger.

see you there!

care to join me in a 3-way?

many question why i chose to leave california and attend college in cincinnati, ohio. i wanted to experience something new, something completely different from my flip flop-clad existence in piedmont. miami u. in oxford, ohio did the trick - i was introduced to new kids, new political ideologies, and new foods to drunk eat.

i recall in a frustrated, homesick moment immediately following september 11th i hated everything about ohio. the kids are insensitive racist fucktards! it's too goddamn cold here! they eat their spaghetti with effing chili on it.

skyline chili was a staple in the diets of cincinnatians. i just didn't get it. i stayed far, far away from it for as long as possible, until my sophomore year roommate made me try it. upon ordering my first 3-way the clouds parted, a choir of angels appeared and did a quick rendition of the hallelujah chorus. i finally got it. not everyone was a homophobic hick. if i wore a jacket and socks, it wasn't really that cold. and this chili spaghetti nonsense wasn't nonsense at all - it was glorious. the chili had a sweetness to it (i've been told the secret ingredient is chocolate) and was more like a sauce than a chunky stew. the layers of finely shredded cheddar added sharpness while the spaghetti noodles soaked in the flavor. i also soon found that nothing cured a hangover like skyline's cheesy, oozy goodness - hence the reason their oxford location stayed open until 3am thursday through saturday.

tomorrow i'll be taking the 6am (god help me) flight out of SFO to Cincinnati for a long overdue reunion with my amazing sorority sisters. i can't wait to catch up on their masters programs, husbands, new jobs and new homes over a giant plate of skyline chili, spaghetti and cheese, complete with oyster crackers and hot sauce. that is, after i've already made a pit-stop at the location closest to the airport.

fidelity.

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

in keeping with 2009's theme of hope and change, there are still some asshole curmudgeons out there with prehistoric views on human rights. i urge you to watch this heartwrenchingly beautiful video from the courage campaign and sign the petition found here.

apparently i blog like once a year.

it's february 2009. the last time i blogged was february 2008. has much changed? hardly. still hopping on and off the diet bandwagon, still relishing in puréed fatty organ meats, still digging the east bay vibe, still navigating the interwebs so frequently i think i might have ocd.

yet a lot really has changed. our stone cold fox of a commander-in-chief has pumped us all up. we all want to change the world, change our country, change ourselves. and we really believe we can do it this time. last year at this time i didn't worry about job security or whether or not i really needed to watch my spending. last year at this time i figured my health was important, but not that important.

there's no time for procrastination anymore. health problems have crept up on my loved ones unexpectedly, our economy is in the toilet, and feeling complacent about my place in this world just isn't going to cut it anymore.

so here's to a truly new year. a truly new me. a truly new bank account. truly. here's to a blog post in february 2010 that isn't titled "apparently i blog like once a year."

spaghetti squash: the spaghetti noodle's older, vegan, living-in-a-vw-bus, tree-huggin' brother

during my vegetarian escapades i convinced myself i would make the effort to discover some new vegetables, as consuming all that is green was key to my new found diet and lifestyle. alas, i never did try a different veggie. i lived off bean and cheese burritos and baked rigatoni instead. good job.

just last week i finally introduced something new into my dinner repertoire. and wouldn't you know - it's the one vegetable that mimics pasta!

i picked up a beautiful 4-lb. locally grown spaghetti squash at the jack london square farmer's market and searched out a tasty recipe on epicurious (it's down there). spaghetti squash with parsley walnut pesto.

i don't know about you, but i always find that food i prepare myself never tastes as good as when it's prepared by someone else. maybe it's because i'm a newbie at this whole cooking thing. but this dish in particular was definitely doable and definitely edible (and obviously, worth posting here). however, the spaghetti squash just had this grass/cud/hay-like es essence that i could only stand for so long. it lacked the fatty goodness, the chunky carbs, the melt-in-your-mouthiness of traditional pasta dishes. which i guess is the whole point of a spaghetti squash dish. score one point for staying on the diet track.

the pesto is extremely easy to make, and although incredibly salty, it works perfectly when blended with the basic, "natural" quality of the squash. i used parmigiano in lieu of pecorino, which was a mistake in my book. next time i'll follow the recipe explicitly.

enjoy.


spaghetti squash with parsley walnut pesto

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) spaghetti squash
1/4 cup walnuts (3/4 oz)
1/2 garlic clove
1 1/3 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons finely grated pecorino
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

pierce squash all over with a paring knife. cook in a microwave oven 8 minutes, then turn over and microwave until squash gives when pressed gently, 8 to 10 minutes more. cool squash 5 minutes.

while squash is cooking, toast nuts in a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 6 minutes, then cool completely.

pulse nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely ground. add parsley, oil, cheese, water, salt, pepper, and zest and pulse until parsley is coarsely chopped.

while squash is still hot, cut off stem from squash and discard, then halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. scrape out squash flesh with a fork into a bowl, loosening and separating strands. toss with pesto in a bowl.

why, hello again

the holidays are always a challenge when it comes to dieting. everybody knows that. i luckily didn't fall too far off the weight loss bandwagon this december, although my goal of a svelte self is still far off in the distant future.

i did come to the conclusion that i really can't win at weight watchers. i've tried oh-so-hard to go to weekly meetings, diligently count my points, and clock in at fewer and fewer lbs. each month. but alas, no. so why spend the monthly fee.

before you call me a quitter, i must say that the general concept of ww is flawed from my foodie perspective. moderation is always key, but the points system which rewards members with more snacking abilities for consuming empty calories just doesn't fly. a plastic-wrapped weight watchers brand muffin is only two points. how convenient. but that locally-grown haas avocado is 9 points. i'm starving. of course i'll eat the weight watchers muffin - or seven.

with that said, i've determined that 2008 will be the year for me to slim down while beefing up my foodie repetoire. with the credo "everything in moderation," i will consume lamb shank, humboldt fog and duck confit. and i will go to the gym. often.

i've had several sessions with kristen, a wonderful personal trainer who from day one told me to eat real, local, organic, sustainable foods - eggs, almond butter, sprouted wheat breads, free range chicken...in small quantities. hey, i'd rather have a taste of something good than a stomach full of something bland.

so here's to 2008 - the year of ragout and treadmills.

why bad just tastes so good

do you ever get a hankering for chinese? sure, we all do. but i mean a real craving, one that seems to bubble up from the pits of your stomach only to overflow into your consciousness - a craving that won't cease until it's satiated by sodium-laced egg noodles?

well, i had one of those last night. it was imperative that i wash my car and deposit some checks after work. but the little white folding box fairy paid me a visit during my commute, and all my errands flew out the window. i was elated by the thought of sitting cross-legged on my couch in pajamas with a plate filled with chow mein and kung pao and watching the polar express. and don't forget the piping-hot bowl of hot and sour soup on the side...

since moving to the jack london square area not too long ago, i have yet to explore the takeout possibilities that await me in nearby chinatown. my hesitation stems not from laziness, but rather from fear. while i pride myself on being mostly adventurous in the culinary world, the authenticity of the dishes served at the establishments in oakland's chinatown district is a bit much for your average white girl-seeking-moo shu.

the americanization of chinese cuisine truly upsets some. search "chinese" near "94607" on yelp and you'll be faced with a flurry of reviews by local hipsters who are disgusted by the absence of culture in potstickers and crab rangoon. "it's so greasy!" exclaims one. "it was decent, i wouldn't call it authentic" writes another. "i'm looking for an upscale chinese restaurant. any ideas?" but what's missing from these yelp rants is the simple idea that this kind of chinese food tastes good. really good. as hard as it is to admit, there are people out there, even east bay foodies, who enjoy nothing more than an eggroll smothered in flourescent red dipping sauce.

i like a hot and sour soup whose contents are unrecognizable to me.

i like chicken chow mein with a noodle-to-vegetable ratio of about 56:1. and i like to drown it in soy sauce. and eat it cold the next day.

i know. but i'm a foodie!

before you completely discredit me, please know that i realize food from places like panda express is truly inedible. but that's mainly due to the fact that their pork nuggets and bok choy sit in steam trays for days on end, which cause them to harden and crystalize. and i do believe more upscale places, like berkeley's shen hua, do have a certain panache that is hard to resist.

sure, call me crazy. take away my "foodie card." but nothing is quite as satisfying as chinese food from a restaurant that gives you a free hanging wall calendar with your take out order.

note: some reviews state that shen hua falls under the category of "gross americanized chinese food." those yelpers - so picky!