Wild rice sald

It's been raining almost non-stop for what feels like weeks. The trees have burst into green and the grass is deliciously lush, but the humans aren't feeling so happy. Even the dogs at the park are glum.

To shake us out of some London-esque spring blues, I concocted a hearty and savory wild rice salad this weekend. It was one of those recipes I wake up with, as my final dream of the morning, giving subconscious direction to my culinary moves for the day. The same thing happened earlier this spring when I awoke with the NEED for a watercress and radish salad. I've never eaten watercress and I don't care for radishes, but on that morning, I knew it was the right thing.

So this wild rice salad of my dreams exceeded my expectations and warmed our house with its simmering scents. And now it's filling our bellies at our cold drowsy offices as we wait for the sun to shine through. It only gets better as it soaks up the juices.

This is a version I made with strawberries and peaches, which are perfect with the toasted pecans.

Wild rice salad of my dreams (all measurements are approximate, use your judgment)

In a medium sauce pot, combine and simmer 45 minutes:
1 c. wild rice (rinsed)
1 c. long grain brown rice
4-5 c. water (I can never get the amount just right)
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
3 cloves
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1/4 tsp. allspice balls

When it's cooked, remove all the spices and leaves and let sit for a few minutes with the lid on. Then fluff and let cool while you prepare the mix-ins:

1 carrot, peeled and sliced to thin medallions
Zest of an orange
Juice of 1/2 an orange (more to taste, as needed)
EVOO (as needed)
1 bunch scallions, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (throw in more, to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all parts together, adding other veggies, cheeses (feta and goat are both good options) or dressing components and let sit as long as you're willing. The spices add a subtle aroma that melds really well with the orange juice and the hearty crunch of the wild rice.

What recipes have you dreamed of lately?

A Classic New York Birthday

For my big 2-5, Alex treated me to a full day of NYC tourists' delights, in honor of our final months in this historic city.

He started us off with a cozy champagne brunch at home (featuring my favorite GF waffles) and mimosas, while I opened presents and revealed the days' itinerary (it had been a surprise. When Alex asked what I wanted for my birthday, I asked for "a day of fun.")

We bundled up for the frigid February gusts and rode up to Central Park for a horse-drawn carriage ride. I know, it's kinda cheesy, but it's the kind of thing you really have to try once and embrace for the experience. And I loved it.
Alex knows that my head is often in the clouds--dreaming of magical lands and times past--so he led me through the park to Belvedere Castle, a wonderful "medieval" structure designed early in the Park's history. We wandered through the airy rooms to several rooftops and balconies canopied with stone carvings and impish sculptures before winding our way down the stairs to the pond below.
We played tourist and helped others take photos, exchanging cameras at scenic locations. The crisp air and hints of spring, along with the (finally!) muffled noises from the city were so transportative, we could have been in an Old World forest. It was perfect.
Of course, all that walking and fighting the chill made us pretty hungry, so we headed downtown to a famous gluten-free restaurant I'd been dying to try, Risotteria. As the name implies, they speicalize in Italian foods, and almost everything can be made gluten free. Imagine my delight when, after almost a year of abstention, I could indulge in breadsticks, pizza, and cake! It was a memorable meal, made more delightful by the fact that I could order anything on the menu and not worry, and I didn't have to ask the server a million questions about ingredients (they are very up-front about vegetarian ingredients too). Charming, delicious, relaxing...everything a restaurant experience should be.
I was grinning all over at this point, and we still had more birthday to celebrate. We dashed Uptown to catch Chicago on Broadway, in all its Fosse splendor, and danced in our seats throughout the production. While the night drew to a close, Alex had two more surprises for me: a (very generous) trip to see the Martha Stewart Show (air date 3/13/09-- you can pick us out in the audience shots at the beginning-- I'm wearing a bright turquoise dress and black wrap) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building! I'm breathless just from writing it all down.

My favorite birthdays are the ones that last the longest, and Alex did an amazing job of packing my day full of beautiful things, as well as giving us more to look forward to in the Ides of March. My family and friends also filled my house with love (several bountiful bouquets), cards, gifts, and a general outpouring of joy that really makes the day so memorable. So thank you to everyone for their birthday wishes! I have a good feeling about this one.

(photos coming soon)

Paradise

Last week, Alex and my family and I dropped everything and dashed down to the Virgin Islands for an impromptu celebration of my mom's 50th birthday and Alex's 25th. It was the PERFECT escape from 1) the cold 2) work stress and 3) the grad school admissions saga. We realize it's our last indulgence for a few years as we buckle down under student loans etc, so we made the most of our amazing week.We soaked up the sun at Cinnamon Bay, a campground in the national park land on St. John, USVI. My family has been there four times because it really is the best beach in the world, and it's not too far away.

A typical schedule: wake up at 9, go for a (barefoot!) run on the beach, jump in the ocean to cool off, grab a quick breakfast back at the campsite, and then head to the beach and sun or snorkel until 5 or so, when it's time to make dinner on the camp stove. We were in bed by 9 because something about lying in the sun all day tires you out (and the lack of electricity may be a contributing factor). We might read in bed by flashlight for an hour and then turn on on our cots for a cozy night, serenaded by spring peepers and the crashing waves!

We ate incredibly well, despite having to cook on four propane burners and hauling our own water from a faucet by the beach. My mom and grandma are so prepared, they brought spices, oils, garlic, a grater(!), plastic cutting boards, and so many other little necessities that we've learned over the years really make camping easier. We made latkes the last night with our leftover potatoes, eggs, and onions, and my mom rigged a batch of bread pudding in a kettle set on empty cans of condensed milk in a water bath inside a large pot. Everyone who walked by our site was jealous.

On the one night that we didn't cook, we hiked over to Maho Bay eco-camps for my mom's birthday dinner. Like true budget travelers, we timed our arrival with happy hour, and savored (free!) rum punches and old fashioned popcorn. If you have been reading this blog, you know how much I love popcorn, so this was a real treat. In the islands, they serve it with salt and hot sauce on the side, so I loaded up on refills.

I am so blessed to have a loving and adventurous family and partner, and so fortunate to have been able to go on this trip (which was an early birthday present from my mom and stepdad). Thanks to everyone for making it a January respite in paradise.

Dress-Up!

In honor of Halloween, let's play a little dress up game! It's highly educational and very relevant. Enjoy!

Also, read about this awesome fundraiser that my local salon hosted in honor of Obama (source for the above image, as well). Basically, ladies paid $75 for the teased and twisted "Reformer" hairstyle, and all the money went to the Democratic campaign. It's great when you walk away with something for your donation, although I'm not sure where you'd go with this 'do. Maybe to the shooting range?

Spell with Flickr!

(Plug for a certain politician whose name looks so damn good in these letters)

I just love this site I discovered, where you can spell anything out with images of letters found in cyperspace. I'm wracking my brain for a way this can relate to foodie...

1) You could print labels for holiday gifts (like bags of cookies or homemade mulling spaces)
2) Design the cover of a homemade recipe book (also a nice gift idea)
3) Make headers for recipe cards

They would make lovely party invitations too!

Other ideas?

(and on a political note: If you're feeling like you want to get involved in the next days' election work, here are some ideas from the president of my organization. Everyone can contribute something, whether it's $10 or a night of phone banking, it's our responsibility to make our voices heard!)

Finding rainbows

Colors are especially important to me--for clothes, walls, skies, and food--and I love to play with them in every format. As a child, when given a set of blocks or toys for a "sorting" exercise, I would usually just order things along the rainbow, rather than by shape or size, as was expected of a kid. So it's second nature with me, when I'm cooking, to try and incorporate the most beautiful food combinations into each dish so that little flecks of color and texture satisfy both the eye and the palate. Here are some recent creations that play with the rainbow scheme.

Handmade foccacia pizza: For this dish, I utilized my new favorite purple/blue tool, the blue potato, and the varieties of tomatoes and squash from the local market to liven up the flavors. With sauteed garlicky chard (red stems) and thinly sliced summer squash, the dish had ribbons of red, orange, yellow, green, and indigo. Not bad for a Tuesday night dinner! Also, we melted three kinds of cheese: feta, asiago, and mozzarella on top to give it some zing.

Bounties of Summer pasta salad:

I brought this dish to a friend's summer gathering, and it was a certain crowd pleaser, even though the pasta was GF. Using red peppers, carrots, summer squash, dill/basil/thyme, cucumbers, and purple Spanish Olives, I accomplished a near-perfect garden rainbow. A simple vinaigrette with lemon juice, dijon mustard, and grated parmesan gave some spice to the fresh veggies.(Close-up of the purple olives)

Tri-color potato Salad
Using Yukon Golds, blue potatoes, red onions, and lots of fresh herbs, I turned a normally bland yellow dish into a bit of side-dish confetti. We enjoyed this with Alex's mom's homemade baked beans, veggie hotdogs, and ice cold lemonade. Summer cooking at its finest.

I challenge you to make your next meal a complete rainbow, it is probably healthier and more delicious than the two- or three-color palate that most Americans consume. Plus, it makes your inner rainbow goddess so happy!