Since the start of the new year I have found myself to be particularly busy. Usually when my schedule is so packed, leaving little time for myself, I grow overwhelmed, but thus far in 2011 it's been fairly pleasant.
I said my goodbyes to my little sister Leanne on Monday night (she's off to Germany for a four-week study abroad trip). On Tuesday, I inadvertently went out to eat by myself when my friend Autumn inadvertently slept through our dinner date. Though I was pretty worried since I couldn't get in touch with her for a solid 45 minutes, I tried my best to enjoy the delicious beet and portabello mushroom salad I ordered at Teavolve. Luckily I heard from Autumn during the course of my meal and she quickly joined me for after-dinner tea.
Adorable tea tins Autumn gave me for Christmas
Hibiscus pina colada tea leaves... these smell like heaven!
On Wednesday I was reunited with my college friend, Bilqis, and we went to see an interesting talk about Daniel Tucker and Amy Franceschini's new book called Farm Together Now. The book profiles 20 different groups from all across the nation who are challenging the way we think about food, its production, and its distribution. Each photo-essay included focuses on the sustainable and alternative methods the farmers in question use to yield sustenance and there is something to learn from each and every group profiled. Though I've yet to read the book, it was a really interesting gathering and great to hear about a lot of the urban agricultural work going on in and around Baltimore. Keep your eyes and ears out for a review of the book - I'm hoping to get my hands on a copy soon!
The words relaxing and wonderful pretty much defined the rest of my week and the weekend - baking bread, getting a relaxing massage, having a delicious dinner double date, and spending Sunday with an old friend. Susan came down from Delaware and we had a lovely time exploring the quirky shops of historic Ellicott City, dining at the gourmet Pure Wine Cafe, and sipping warm chai teas in my favorite local coffee shop, Bean Hollow. We had a lovely day despite the cold, though my camera's batteries failed me and I have no images to show from the day.
The Digster
Fragrant jars of cardamom
Coriander and fennel seed - the makings of chai deliciousness!
My idea of the perfect (post-run) breakfast: peanut butter & agave toast with blackberries, cherries, and chocolate milk!
As you can see, I've been working on taking more photos as I had hoped to in the New Year. But it seems that most of the time when I feel compelled to take my camera out, it is either to capture a delicious meal or a cute moment of Digby's. I can't really help but want to photograph the delightful things I eat and the adorable things Digby does, try as I might.
I first thought about slicing and pan-frying potatoes when I saw this method used to prepare purple potatoes in one of my favorite cookbooks, Williams Sonoma'sEating By Color. I'm generally not crazy about potatoes of the yellow- or white-fleshed varieties. But when I finally got my hands on some purple potatoes and sauteed them atop my stove, I loved the final product. The potatoes form the thinnest bit of a crust for a slight crunch but are cooked through inside and perfectly seasoned with only salt and pepper.
Then I tried it out on sweet potatoes. I'm much more daring and adventurous with these guys because I have yet to find a sweet potato dish I don't like, whether sweet or savory. I added a bit of sage to my pan-fried concoction and loved it much as I did the purple-hued option.
So when I found red-skin potatoes, purple potatoes, and sweet potatoes in my pantry, I thought using all the varieties I had on hand would yield a delicious dish further enhanced by it's multi-colored look. These potatoes were simply delicious. I'm usually only a fan of red-skinned potatoes when doused in an oil and vinegar potato salad or loaded with fresh dill, but buried amongst their more brightly- and darker-hued counterparts, the red-skinned varieties had less work to do in terms of satisfying my palate. And it was a great dish to satisfy lots of tastes. Most people seem to favor certain colors of potato and with this dish I could please them all.
The method is quite simple and open to interpretation and adaptation. I simply used salt and pepper for my first go-round but I imagine thyme, sage, or rosemary would have brilliant flavor additions and I'm planning on trying them for next time. Quick, virtually idiot-proof, and effortlessly delicious, these Tri-Colored Pan-Fried Potatoes are a crowd-pleaser that's friendly to the chef too!
Tri-Colored Pan-Fried Potatoes
Ingredients
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 medium-sized purple or blue potatoes
2 medium-sized red-skinned or white-fleshed potatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh or dried herbs, if desired
Directions
1. Slice all varieties of potatoes into 1/4-to-1/2-inch-thick rounds. Either end of the spectrum will do, just try to keep the thickness constant.
2. Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Cook over medium-high heat. It is easier to achieve even cooking if the rounds cover the saute pan in a single layer, however if you have more potatoes, simply pour them in and stir routinely.
4. Allow the potatoes to cook, turning/stirring every 3-4 minutes. The potatoes should get slightly crispy and golden on one side when they're ready to turn. Ultimately cook time will vary depending upon how many potatoes are in the pan and the thickness of your potato rounds (mine took about 15-20 minutes and were closer to 1/2-inch thickness).
5. Remove from heat and season again with salt and pepper. Add any other herbal seasonings if desired. Enjoy!
I made these potatoes for my parents and my dad prepared a unique side salad served
in bowls made with fried parmesan. He simply fried a large circle of the cheese in
a shallow stovetop pan, then put the fried cheese in small bowls to give them their
round-bottom shaped. With mixed greens and dried cranberries, this was a delicious
addition to my colorful potato dish!
I first came across Canadian author Mordecai Richler's novel Barney's Version when Mike showed me the trailer for the film based on the book. Paul Giamatti (one of our favorites) will portray lead character Barney Panofsky, an aging man who sets out to write his autobiography with the intention of proving he did not murder his best friend Boogie. While waiting for the movie to reach a theater near us, I decided to give the novel a try... and I really can't wait to finally see the film version!
Written as an autobiography, Barney's story is not nearly as dark as it sounds. From the adled perspective of an aged Mr. Panofsky, the reader muddles through an unreliable and sometimes confusing narrative worsened by Barney's case of Alzheimer's. While the narrative may not always be easy to follow or a joy to read, the story in itself is remarkably crafted. We follow Barney as an idealistic youth who falls in with a crowd of like-minded artists in Paris, then through his first marriage, his return to his Canadian homeland, the rise of his TV production company, two more marriages, true love, and fatherhood. As Barney jumps back and forth in time, characters are visited before they've been rightly introduced and references are made to times, places, and events with which the reader has not yet been thoroughly acquainted. But despite the memory lapses and lack of clarity, Barney's Version tells the remarkable life story of an ordinary, if not downright unlikeable, man.
Despite Barney's confusion, lack of morals, stubborn personality, and a whole host of other polarizing traits, you can't help but find yourself attached to this man as you become more engrossed in his narrative. Undercutting all the sarcasm, drunkenness, bad choices, and contempt that characterize Barney Panofsky are his frequent and fervent declaration of love toward Miriam, his third wive and true love. Though the novel is far from a romance, the love story that ultimately becomes tangled within the murder and mystery of Barney's life make him much more human and just a tiny bit likeable. It is the great romance of Barney's life that seems to be the major player in the film version and what will likely make it such a crowd-pleaser with wide appeal in spite of Barney's character.
As for the rest of the story, I don't want to give too much away so I'll keep things brief. Friends come and go, but one of the Parisian clan whom Barney most admired, Boogie, comes to play a greater role in his friend's future than imaginable. When Boogie disappears while visiting Barney's lakehouse, all fingers point to Mr. Panofsky as the murderer behind Boogie's absense, despite his pleas of innocence. You'll just have to read the novel to see how things play out, but the purported crime is intelligently threaded throughout the entire novel and becomes an important scene is the realization of Barney's true character.
Bolstered by brilliantly drawn characters and an intelligent plot, Richler crafts a novel unlike any other I've read. He expertly brings humor to reality in his delivery of this story through the eyes of an Alzheimer's patient. With footnotes and an epilogue written from the perspective of one of Barney's sons, we gain further insight into Barney's skewed view of the world and his refusal to acknowledge his declining aptitude within it.
Though I've yet to read any other work of Richler's, I can see why this novel has received such widespread acclaim, and why it has the potential to be brilliantly brought to screen. Though I won't claim that this is always an easy or even enjoyable read, coming to the last of the 417 pages in this novel feels like a worthwhile and ultimately pleasurable accomplishment. Keep your eyes out for a review of the film which I hope to post as soon as I see it and, in the meantime, feast your eyes on this trailer for the film.
I was searching for a recipe on TasteSpotting recently. I wanted something that was healthy and would allow me to use up a few of the assorted odds and ends left in my vegetable crisper. When I came across a recipe for Garlic Butter with Broccoli, I couldn't help but veer a bit from my healthy path. But it was a healthy indulgence (I used a quarter of the amount of butter the original recipe called for) and paired the dish with a few other healthy elements.
The process is painfully simple. Just chop two heads of garlic in half, spread a little olive oil, salt, and pepper over the fresh cut, then bundle the heads up with aluminum foil and pop them in the oven. Squeeze the garlic out of its casing once roasted and mix with some room temperature butter. How delicious? More than I could believe.
As soon as I had my butter together, but before I got to cooking the broccoli, I dipped a small spear in the butter and could not believe how wonderful it tasted. My taste buds were absolutely delighted. The garlic flavor was super-concentrated but cut through with the sweet and fatty butter. A bit of salt and pepper further brought out the wonderful garlic flavor. This garlic butter really doesn't necessarily have to be served as a sauce for a cooked vegetable side dish, it could be a dip for baguette or fresh vegetables all on it's own.
Here's the recipe, with my adaptations. I downsized the butter to up the relative garlic-content and, though I did serve it on broccoli, it was also used to further flavor sweet potato rounds and venison loin before dinner was over. Enjoy!
2. Slice each head of garlic in half through the middle of the body.
3. Douse the open garlic with olive oil, one Tbsp per head, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Reassemble the tops and bottoms of each head and cover with aluminum foil to help heads retain their original shape.
5. Place foil packages in the oven on a baking sheet. Roast for about 35 minutes until garlic is golden brown and garlic is super-soft.
6. Pop cloves (sans papery casing) into a bowl. Add room temperature butter, and salt and pepper.
7. Using a fork, mix together the ingredients. Be sure to mash the garlic and fully incorporate all ingredients.
I quickened the process by melting the butter in the microwave... I went
a little too far though, so hopefully you're butter-garlic mixture will be
a bit more solid than this!
8. Use atop any vegetable, meat, cracker, or bread. Enjoy!
I consider myself a big Margaret Atwood fan, though this is only the second novel of hers I have yet to read. And I actually only read The Handmaid's Tale because it was assigned to me for a class (though I was delighted to find it already on my bookshelf, probably purchased for a few bucks at some used bookstore, and thus not one I needed to add to the list of textbooks to acquire). But it was a novel that really stuck with me, though whether because of its feminist undertones, its narrative style or Atwood's particular voice, I can't really say.
I guess the reason I can call Atwood a favorite is because I know she's reliable. If I'm in a fictional funk, unable to pick up any novels that satisfy my craving for a good yarn, Atwood is one author whose work I know will fit the bill - and there's a lot of it for me to choose from. That's kind of what happened with The Robber Bride. I went to the library in search of a post-worthy read, a book that would be worth all the time and effort required to finish it, one that would just beg to be shared with the blogosphere and my small community of readers. I have a huge list of books to get to but I find that few are right at my fingertips at the local public library. Nine times out of ten, I have to put in a request and get it shipped from another branch before I can delve into its pages. So I decided to browse the aisles instead and see what was already right at my fingertips and ready to go home with me. Atwood was it.
The Robber Bride is the story of three women whose lives have been inextricably bound by a woman named Zenia. Tony, Charis and Roz all attended the same university, lived in the same dorm even, but barely knew one another until Zenia, their ruthless, mysterious and beautiful classmate, wreaked havoc in all their lives. Though the three suffered Zenia's malice in entirely independent encounters, the recurring patterns of her behavior and the lasting heartbreak she sought solidified a friendship among these three women whose commonalities were few and far beyond Zenia.
Told in brilliant Atwood fashion, when The Robber Bride opens, Tony, Charis, and Roz are having lunch some five years after Zenia's funeral. When they spot her across the restaurant, as alive as ever, we are taken back to the formative years of this dangerous woman's relationship with her fellow co-eds in order to unearth the character of a woman who faked her own death.
Currently a history professor, Tony was a quiet undergrad who uncharacteristically took up a male friend's offer to attend a party one night in the hopes that doing so would lead to the unfolding of a beautiful romance. Rather, it led her right to Zenia, and their brief but intense friendship was unlike anything reclusive Tony had known before. We are then taken back to Charis' unstable youth, as she was juggled among female relatives against her will and fighting against a whole host of inner demons. After college, Zenia enters Charis' life when the later becomes a yoga instructor and Zenia arrives to her class with a plea for help that the sympathetic gentle Charis cannot refuse. And finally we meet a young Roz, the mysteries of her father's work, the pull to leave home, and the day when, in an effort to shower some due attention on his wife, Roz's husband takes her to the restaurant where Zenia waitresses and the two women connect.
As in a mystery, Atwood doesn't give her readers all they may want or need to know right away, but we earn more and more details as we bide our time. That very form was actually one of my favorite things in reading The Robber Bride; we learn about these three women leading quite disparate existences but who, nonetheless, share a deep and lasting bond because of one mysterious woman. It takes quite a lot of time to discover why Zenia played such a significant role for each of them, how she irrevocably changed the course of their lives, and how it ultimately brought them together. In form, the story unfolds quite realistically, for we are thrown into the present moment with little context, and only in patient time can we expect for the pieces to come together and the larger picture to find itself revealed.
Though a bit dark and brimming with mystery, deception, and heartbreak, The Robber Bride isn't your categorical mystery novel, harlequin romance, or indulgent piece of chic lit. Intelligently told and wisely crafted, the book has all the hallmarks of a classic drama, a soap opera even, but dispensed in measured doses and veiled under cover of Atwood's talent as an alluring wordsmith. Though it clocked in at a daunting 520 pages, the novel didn't feel lengthy or drag on at any point, but rather, quickly progressed in the anachronistic telling of these four women's stories.
No matter what sort of book you're in the market for, drama, romance, mystery, or simply a well-weaved story, I highly recommend getting your hands on The Robber Bride. As expected, reviews are good all around and this complex novel is accessible and entertaining for any reader without dumbing itself down to the lowest appreciable level. Margaret Atwood's authorial stamp on any piece of fiction is a high recommendation in itself but if you need further encouraging to pick this one up, take my word for it. You will be happy you did!
I spent the first weekend of the New Year in a state of near-total relaxation and calm. The majority of my days were spent in new Christmas pajama pants curled up with a good book (be on the lookout for plenty of book review posts in the near future). The rainy weather didn't bother me a bit, but rather encouraged plenty of tea-drinking and Lindor truffle eating (I know, I can't really blame the rain for my gorging on chocolate, but it makes my behavior seem just a tiny bit more excusable).
We also took down our Christmas tree and other various holiday decorations. It was more of a fun enterprise than a sad one though - the tree was really really dead and needles were falling everywhere, which the cat decided to play in. It was also quite a feat getting it out the front door. But our home is back to some semblance of normalcy, though it feels a bit naked to me.
There were plenty of New Year's posts to read all around the blog world and I have been forging connections and discovering new and interesting online spaces as well. Everyone seems to be reflecting on the past year in addition to anticipating the new, and it got me thinking about what a big year 2010 was for me. I got engaged in February, started this blog in the summer, which I have come to love so very much, became the proud owner of a playful kitten, and enrolled in graduate school. Even better, all of these things are sure to bring about more excitement in the future - my upcoming wedding, a (hopefully) growing blog readership, more posts, more of Digby's (the rambunctious kitten's) hilarious antics, and finally going back to school!
In keeping with my own personal goals for 2011, I tried to capture a few more shots from my weekend than I'm usually wont to do, though there was little action to capture. Most of these images are of our hearty and healthy Sunday-night dinner: whole wheat penne with chicken, roasted peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes. Delicious!
I know, I know... cherries aren't in season and who knows where these guys were shipped from and all that bad
stuff. But I just cannot resist cherries. Especially at $2 a pound. I caved at the grocery store big time.
Despite whatever stereotypes go along with being a lover of granola, I really can't help the way I feela about it. It's crunchy, hearty, a bit sweet, and filling. Plus granola (especially of the homemade variety) can be flavored in so many different ways - you can completely personalize this snack to include whatever fruity, nutty, sweet or salty additions you please. And granola is such a wonderful food because you can make it super healthy by loading up on certain add-ins while avoiding some of the less natural and healthy sweeteners (ie. corn syrup). Plus it is great with milk, in a fruit and yogurt parfait, as topping for a fruit crisp, or eaten as a snack on it's own.
Oats are, obviously, the base for any granola, with a mix of some important wet ingredients for flavor and to improve cluster-ability - water, sugar, a touch of corn syrup, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and honey. I don't really have any exact measurements for the wet ingredients. I'd recommend using 2 cups or more of oats, then a tablespoon or so of each of the wet ingredients. Mix everything together and add more wets as needed. The oats shouldn't be sopping wet but they should be moist enough that they sort of clump together and have a darker color. I taste it and if the flavoring is well-balanced, but the mixture a bit dry, I add more water. If it's not quite as sweet as I'd like, I add a bit more corn syrup. Just allow your taste buds to guide you.
Once you've got the essentials down, it's time for fun with the mix-ins. I love to add seeds of all kinds - pumpkin, sunflower, flaxseed, you name it. Then there's the nuts. My favorites are almonds and pecans but the flavor possibilities are endless - peanuts, cashews, brazil nuts, walnut, macadamias, and on and on. Then I spread the mixture out on a baking sheet and these all go in the oven to get roasted and toasted up, then the sweeter stuff gets mixed in after a little cool-down. I'd recommend setting your oven between 250 and 325 degrees, then popping the granola in from 45 to 75 minutes. You don't want the oats to burn but rather to get crunchy and golden brown.
Dried fruits are my favorite part for their sweetness and chewy texture. Cranberries and golden raisins top my list but you can find all kinds of dried fruits these days, from banana chips to apple bits, from apricots to blueberries. And don't limit your sights to dried fruits. If you want dehydrated vegetables, go for it. Some chocolate chips or peanut butter bits are also great flavor additions. If you want to be real adventurous, you can even add some flavorings into the granola itself, such as spicy chipotle powder, autumnal pumpkin puree, creamy peanut butter, or savory dried herbs. Go as creative and flavorful as you like! But if you're not feeling too confident to go it alone yet, here's a basic outline of what I did to make the granola you see in the photos here. Enjoy!
Basic Granola Mix
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whet germ or milled flax seed (optional)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup sunflower seed kernels (optional)
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp light corn syrup (optional but increase honey and veg. oil by 1 Tbsp each if omitting corn syrup)
4 Tbsp water
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Combine oats, sugars, wheat germ or flax seed, cinnamon, salt, and nuts in medium to large bowl. Mix so everything is incorporated.
3. Move ingredients to sides of mixing bowl to create a hollow in the center. Add honey, vegetable oil, corn syrup, and water. Mix well to incorporate. Add more water as needed to fully wet all ingredients.
4. Spread granola on baking sheets and cook for 1 hour, or until granola becomes an even golden brown.
5. Add any other mix-ins such as dried fruit. Enjoy!
I'm not usually one for resolutions - I think they tend to ring false and are usually made with little thought or serious intentions of being carried out for the coming twelve months. That being said, I know there are people out there who do make and successfully stick to resolutions made on the first of the year. I, however, am not one of them. I'm always up for change, improvement, and goal-setting, but I feel like these are better made and kept when inspired by a true and meaningful event rather than the passing of a certain date.
Nonetheless, I have a few things that I guess you could call suggestions of resolutions. Rather than strict rules or changes I would like to make for the year 2011, these are things I hope to think about more. They're reminders more than resolutions. Improvement is always a good thing and these are just a few areas where I feel like I could use some work.
1. Take more photos. I love photography and am envious of so many of the pictures featured on other people's blogs. Though I don't consider myself a master photographer, I feel that I've got a decent enough eye for photography to try a little harder in 2011. Too often I let fear of looking silly or pure laziness prevent me from capturing images and memories that I would really like to revisit again and again. So I hope to cast off any vestiges of embarrassment or sloth and pull my Canon on out whenever the urge strikes. Hopefully this means that readers will have more pleasant images to view on my blog rather than rambling rants to plow through!
2. Eat better. This is the kind of thing that I think most people resolve to do, with little forethought as to how they should carry their plan out. Though I tend to eat healthy, I have lapses where I gorge myself with sweets or am too lazy (and sometimes too poor) to go to the grocery store and get some healthy alternatives to baked goods and such. I think my poor eating behavior is a bit exacerbated by the holiday season (making 8 batches of cookies in the weeks leading up to Christmas didn't help much either) so hopefully the passing of time will help sort my diet out naturally. But I sometimes make bad choices knowingly, and then later feel physically bad because of them. So I'm going to try to remind myself of the consequences of my consumption before I get into a rut. More than 3 cookies is probably going to give me a stomach ache, but eating some fruit to follow up dinner will likely satisfy my sweet tooth for a good chunk of time. For anyone resolving to improve their eating habits in the coming year, I'll leave you with these three tips that Michael Pollan advocates and I fully support - Eat food (as opposed to food-like substances passing as sources of nutrition). Not too much. Mostly plants.
3. Stop being so lazy. Or as my mother would say, just do it. I used to love to run, so much so that I was running 6 to 7 miles on average and decided that I would tackle the challenge of completing a half marathon. Though I did walk a bit during the race, I completed the thing and that in itself was a minor miracle given that I hated running not too long before. But this was about two years ago. And I've been on and off the running bandwagon a lot since then. I love the way it feels to run when I'm immersed in a good run and in good physical shape. But if I have a week with no exercise, it gets harder with each passing day to exercise again. Rather than thinking of the great feeling I'd have upon returning home, I'd dwell on the tiniest tinges of tiredness I felt in my muscles and allow myself to exaggerate them to the point of no run. Hopefully I'll take on more of the just do it attitude in 2011. And I don't just mean with exercise either. I've got so many craft projects that I want to complete, but I give myself thousands of excuses not too and end up reading instead. I love to read and sometimes nothing is better than a good book, but sometimes nothing is better than the satisfaction of creating something beautiful by your own hands. I plan on ignoring those excuses as much as I can and embarking on more projects of all sorts.
That's pretty much all I've got by way of resolutions - and truly these are things I'm always trying to work on. What do you resolve to do or change in the New Year?
PS Like my new tabs? My friend Sarah showed me how to create multiple pages on my blog and I was so excited to do it! FYI, for all your Blogger users out there, under "Posting" click on the "Edit Pages" tab to create your own!
In addition to holiday cheer, one of my favorite things about the end of the year is all the countdowns of the best musical acts, albums, and songs introduced in the last 12 months. I love to revisit not-so-old favorites and reminisce about the musical joy that the previous year brought with it. For a while, I worried that 2010 would produce some pretty measly "Best-of" lists. I guess I have a tendency to get in musical funks and this year was largely defined by such lows for me; I'd find myself listening to the same old tired songs again and again, completely unable to find anything new to spark my interest.
I was about to give up on compiling my own musical wrap-up list this year when an email from NPR caught my eye. It featured a piece on "The 5 Artists You Should Have Known in 2010." Though only one of the groups included on this list really resonated with me, it got me thinking about some of the other albums and songs that moved me this year, even if only for a week or two until I completely exhausted the CD and had to find something else to listen to on my drive to work. So instead of doing music that was strictly produced in the year 2010, I've decided to include mostly recent releases, as well as some discoveries that I made in the past 12 months that defined my year musically. Enjoy and I hope you find something that you like!
1. The Head and the Heart - Though this group is the one that I discovered most recently, they were my great find on NPR's list that inspired this very list. This video of their live performance of "Lost in My Mind" just struck a chord with me that I couldn't ignore. The Seattle-based band formed about a year ago after meeting at an open-mic night, and they've enjoyed a fast rise to the top since with mentions on NPR and KEXP 90.3 FM among others. Though this song begins with just vocals and a single guitar, it sneaks up and takes hold of you as the violin, piano, and percussion join in. With just one listen, I think it will become pretty obvious why this folk-pop-Americana outfit is making such great waves in so short a period of time. Extolled as a folksy version of the Beatles, The Head and the Heart are enjoying great success and their self-released album "Down in the Valley"
2. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise" - I've always liked Ray LaMontagne but this year's release was my favorite album of his by far. Backed by the Pariah Dogs, LaMontagne's sound is a bit more varied and full this time around. From the funk-influenced "Repo Man" to folksy ballads such as "Like Rock & Roll and Radio," this album showcases LaMontagne's range in style. The first single off the album "Beg Steal or Borrow" is a bit more traditional for Ray, but delve into the album's beautiful love songs and foot-tapping bluesy tunes, and you'll find there's more to Ray than you thought you knew.
3. Brandi Carlile "Give Up the Ghost" - Though Carlile's latest release actually came out in 2009, I had to add it to this year's list because I truly fell in love with the album this past summer. For a few weeks, I was playing "That Year," a heartfelt ballad about coming to terms with a friends' suicide, on endless repeat (and Mike was about ready to delete this song from my iTunes library). When I finally got around to listening to the rest of the album, I finally realized what the big deal is when it comes to this girl. Carlile is a pretty big name in terms of female indie/alternative artists, but I was slow to join the bandwagon. "Give Up the Ghost" provides ample evidence Carlile's talent as a vocalist as well as a songwriter. I was fortunate enough to see her on her tour this fall and was blown away. Performing from her own catalogue as well as classics from the Beatles, Johnny Cash, and even Alphaville's "Forever Young," Carlile and her band put on one of the most entertaining shows I've ever attended. Though I think "Give Up the Ghost" stands up on it's own, seeing Brandi live this year secured her a spot on my 2010 list.
4. Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More" - Mumford & Sons are one of those bands that's been under the radar for the past few years but, finally, seems to be getting the recognition and acclaim they've long been due. I heard their single "Little Lion Man" on the radio earlier this year and enjoyed it but soon grew tired of hearing it replayed over and over on college radio. When I finally got around to picking up a copy of their album "Sigh No More," I guess I realized why their single was all over independent radio playlists. Though I generally like their first single, the majority of the songs that complete the album are even stronger. For strangers to Mumford & Sons, I generally describe their sound as a novel mix of celtic and bluegrass instrumentation, with dramatic compositions and delightful harmonizing. The title track "Sigh No More" is one of the best examples of the sweeping character of most of their songs - it begins with a chorus of voices and limited instrumentation but grows in pace and volume as it progresses, until finally erupting in a climactic instrumental and lyrical reflection on love. I honestly don't feel that my words do any justice to these guys so please, listen for yourself.
5. James Morrison "Songs for You, Truths for Me" - Okay, so this album actually came out in 2008. I knew that I'd heard "Precious Love" many a time before but mostly as background to holiday commercials or heard over the Muzak playing in the mall. Morrison's album, though more of a pop collection, is deserving of a real thorough listen rather than the half-hearted airplay it's given in the pet shop (yes, I did hear a Morrison tune at Petsmart while filling out paperwork to adopt my kitten Digby). Hailing from the UK, Morrison has released two albums with this one being his most recent. It did well on the charts in Britain when it came out two years ago but somehow I missed the memo. Though it's a bit more sugar-coated then usually fits my taste, Morrison's still got some substance behind his pop tunes, as well as a little soul. "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" is more of a groovy R&B tune on the pains of love, while the album closes with "Love is Hard," another meditation on the agony of love though this time in the form of a solo acoustic ballad. My favorite song on the whole album, however, is "If You Don't Wanna Love Me," a low-tempo soul tune that contains some of the most romantic notions I've heard in recent pop music. Whenever Morrison belts out "you can't push me too far/there's no space in my heart/where I don't wanna love you," I melt a little inside. I guess I just can't resist the relentless male, persistently trying to make things right and treat his lady right.
6. The Tallest Man on Earth - Swedish folk-rocker Kristian Matsson, known on stage as The Tallest Man on Earth, released two albums in 2010 - an LP entitled "The Wild Hunt" and an EP "Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird." Though I haven't heard anything from the latter, I've got to say I love the title. But I can speak to his full-length release and it's wonderfulness. I find his music reminiscent of early Bob Dylan; all Matsson's got to support his songs is a warble in his voice and a guitar around his neck - and he does alright. Though I find that his style is fairly constant as the album contains little variation in sound from song to song, the lyrical content makes the album (once again kind of like Dylan).
7. Laura Gibson "Beasts of Seasons" - Another 2009 release that I've been a little late in listening to. I think part of the problem was too many Laura's in my music library - Laura Gibson, Laura Marling, Laura Veirs. Gibson is my favorite Laura by far but I wasn't familiar enough with any of their music a few months ago to keep them all straight. Anyway, Laura Gibson. Her muted folksy sound is the perfect complement to her strong and confident voice; the subtle instrumentals allow her vocals and lyrics to really shine. "Beasts of Seasons" is an extremely cohesive album, though sometimes too much so as Gibson's songs can begin to sound fairly similar in style, pace, and general tone when listened to in one sitting. Nonetheless I really enjoy her sound - I often listen to her music when the days grow short and I'm creating something, whether on my blog, in the kitchen, or by hand. Her music is truly beautiful and her talent hard to deny, though I will admit that I hope to see Gibson push her limits with the next release.
8. Dylan LeBlanc - Another late find, but a great one! I actually discovered Dylan LeBlanc's music while blog-hopping. Kelly Ann from The Flowerchild Dwelling raved about LeBlanc's music, in particular his song "Emma Hartley." I had barely even finished my first listen-through when I automatically set it to repeat and listened again and again and again. I can't honestly say that I'm familiar with very much about this artist - I don't know where he hails from, if he's released an album, or even the names of many of his other songs (though a little help from the Google machine would surely help me learn more). But I can say in good faith that he's a talented musician worth listening to for any fans of folksy/indie artists. And I do know that he's released a single entitled "If Time Was For Wasting" (because the YouTube description for the official video told me so). Keep your eyes out for this young guy!
There were plenty of other great songs and albums out this year - I definitely don't maintain that this is a comprehensive list by any means. Jonsi (frontman to Sigur Ros) released his first solo effort "Go" to delighted fans who were far from disappointed (including myself!). And The Arcade Fire's 2010 release "The Suburbs" cannot go unacknowledged - it soared to the top of the charts and made unprecedented strides for independent musical artists, though I can't say I'm a huge fan of the group myself. The National's latest release "High Violet" delivered more of their particular and reliable sound to fans who have come to expect much from the Cincinnati natives. I was especially fond of their first single "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and would highly recommend giving their album a good long listen. For further reading on The Year 2010 in Musical Review, be sure to check out NPR Music (usually a pretty reliable source for quality musical acts) and your local independent radio station (if you need to adopt an indie station, visit the website for one of my favorites - 89.7 WTMD).
***I also came across this really interesting year-end list on The Huffington Post. Click here to see the "7 Things I Learned About Food in 2010" list from Slow Food USA Program Manager Jerusha Klemperer. I feel particularly excited and optimistic about the very first thing listed: The intersection of food, culture and class is a conversation we might finally be ready to have.
I found this recipe on Joy the Baker's site and thought it the perfect way to finish off my last can of pumpkin puree. And as I always try to prolong the pumpkin season through the end of the holidays, I thought it was just about time for a pumpkin pie.
I didn't have all the cream cheese that the recipe called for, so I just added a bit more butter, as well as a little bit of brown sugar and some cinnamon to supplement the warm pumpkin flavors. I pretty much did my own thing loosely based upon the original recipe with what few ingredients I had - I used my estimation skills and made constant adjustments based on tastings rather like how a cook would do and definitely not a baker. Still the outcome was still extremely delicious and fairly similar to what the more stringent of recipe-followers would likely have produced. I also think the no-bake aspect allowed me a little more room for experimentation than if this thing had to go through the oven.
My only major recommendation is to skip the maple in the cream cheese. I hate maple, but if you're partial, go for it. If not, I'd substitute the syrup with some whipped cream cheese when making the whipped cream topping. It will surely be a delicious and flavorful way to finish off the pie sans-maple.
The other great thing about this pie is that, in addition to being super simple, it's not strictly seasonal. I could definitely see myself whipping this up in the spring or summer as a cool sweet treat. As long as you know where to find canned pumpkin, you should be able to find the rest of the ingredients with no problem the whole year through. I guess I'd compare it to an apple pie sundae - definitely great when apples are in their prime come the fall but a delicious staple the rest of the year too.
At the urging of many of my literary friends, I finally got around to reading Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore a few months ago. I'd come across a few Murakami quotes that really got to me so I imagined that I would find something to cherish in his most famed novel - and I definitely did. I highly recommend reading Kafka, but I recently picked up South of the Border, West of the Sun and I'm not sure if I'd place this before or after Murakami's other work.
South of the Border, West of the Sun is a love story, though untraditional, dark, and maybe even naive in its origins. Hajime long imagined that his childhood friend Shimamoto, the only other only child he had ever met at the time, was his true love. Though they parted ways come junior-high, he still thought of her often through various romantic relationships and even during his marriage. When Shimamoto appears in Hajime's successful and secure life, he can't help but question how content he thought he felt, who he should spend his future with, and what sacrifices he should, or even could, make for love. This novel is not a touching and romantic love story, but rather a realistic look at what happens when we hold on to childhood fantasies, when we question everything we thought we knew, when people from the past haunt our present.
I don't have too much more to say by way of synopsis except that I highly recommend you read this one for yourself. It has been described as one of Murakami's most haunting works and I would definitely agree it is such. Though not a necessarily dark novel, there is less levity in this work than Kafka and a bit more of the grittiness of reality that we don't often like to face or admit to. And while the characters maybe be labeled as romantics, the novel as a whole is far from your typical romance. Still South of the Border abounds in picturesque imagery with a hint of mystery that makes the novel easy and enjoyable to devour. At just over 200 pages, it's a relatively quick read and quite the page turner, though it is also full of the substance, intelligence, and wisdom readers have come to expect from Murakami.
Even if you're not in the mood to confront the sometimes fatalistic realities of love, I highly recommend any of Murakami's works. Though this and Kafka on the Shore are among my favorite books of any genre by any author, I've yet to meet a single piece of fiction from Murakami that I haven't loved.
I hope everyone had a delightful Christmas! Mine was full of good company and too much food - just the way I like my holidays! Here are a few snapshots I took yesterday.
Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours! I hope that everyone has a happy and safe holiday surrounded by the ones they love most. I plan to spend tomorrow visiting with my lovely fiance Mike, my parents, my sisters, my soon-to-be-in-laws, my cat, my dog, and a whole host of cousins, aunts and uncles. And of course I will be cooking some delicious stuffing to devour later this evening. All in all, the perfect recipe for a delightful Christmas in my book!
What are your plans for Christmas? Wherever you find yourself, don't forget to give generously, eat well, and stay warm tomorrow! Merry Christmas!
***In addition to a warm holiday greeting, this post is also an entry to GiveawayBlogs.com “ 2010 Holiday Photo Contest” sponsored by UPrinting.com. So if you like my photo (entitled "Keeping an Eye Out for Santa") 0r just want to spread a little holiday cheer, please leave a comment to let me (and the judges!) know! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Stuffing is probably my favorite thing about both Thanksgiving and Christmas... It's just the ultimate in comfort food because of it's hearty flavors and carb-heavy nature. But it seems to be one of those dishes that, though a classic, is easy to screw up. I don't think there is really as much room to experiment with stuffing as some magazines seem to think around the holiday season - sure you can add a new ingredient here or there but keep the celery, carrots, onion, and bread please. Maybe a touch of mushroom, some cranberries, or chopped apple, but I don't want cabbage in my stuffing and nothing can be substituted for bread.
Oddly enough, when I was little I never liked stuffing. As I've said, stuffing is a great comfort food and full of nostalgia for me - maybe I just didn't need food to partake in such comfort and joy as a child. I'm just glad that I've finally discovered the wonders of stuffing and have perfected a recipe that no one can beat. I use most of the staples, but I do add a bit of apple for some natural sweetness. Other than that, this is pretty traditional as far as stuffing in the Keller family goes. I don't even go all out with fancy crusty breads because I actually prefer the way sandwich breads get more soft and chewy. So if you want to stick to basics for your holiday stuffing, give this recipe a try!
Best Stove-Top Stuffing
Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 apples (I use Honeycrisp), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp rosemary
2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp cinnamon
Bread (I used about 15 toasted slices of a thin whole wheat sandwich bread - just make sure to use about 20 oz of day-old or toasted bread), toasted and chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and lightly salt. Let cook until soft and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add apples and garlic. Cook another 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add rosemary, thyme, sage, and cinnamon, stirring until all ingredients are fully coated with seasonings.
4. Add the bread pieces and mix with vegetables. Allow to toast 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add vegetable stock about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix after each addition and add until stuffing reaches desired consistency.
I love the holidays. I get nostalgic for this time of year nearly as soon as it's over, when I know that I'll have a few more bleak months of winter to get through without the anticipation of Christmas day or the brightness of holiday lights and family gatherings to warm up the cold winter nights. I try to infuse the Christmas spirit into my life the whole year round. Though I don't go overboard, if I get the urge I might check out a few Christmas craft books from the library mid-summer to get a headstart on handmade decorations, or I'll flip through old holiday photos while listening to some Bing Crosby to remind myself of all I have to look forward to next December.
So, needless to say, I was overjoyed when I saw these photos of the Vienna Christmas Market on Mr and Mrs Globe Trot's blog. The couple has a blog devoted to their international travels as newlyweds and they have captured some really beautiful scenes from a diverse array of locales. They recently had two posts from the Vienna Christmas Market, one of the market during the day and another post for photos of the market at night. Their images are brimming with all the nostalgia of Christmas, complete from the twinkle of Christmas lights to the joy of gifts bought direct from the artisans who created them. Despite the obviously cold temperatures (everyone is bundled up and going for the warm drinks), there is a feeling of warmth in these series because the photos are able to capture so completely the joy of the festivities. Here are a few of my favorite shots but please stop by their blog to see the full collection of images. They represent, to me, everything Christmas should be. I guess I need to find a way to make it to Vienna next year so I can immerse myself in this holiday tradition!
*Obviously all of these photos belong to Mr and Mrs Globe Trot, Julia and Yuriy, themselves!
Then I tried it out on sweet potatoes. I'm much more daring and adventurous with these guys because I have yet to find a sweet potato dish I don't like, whether sweet or savory. I added a bit of sage to my pan-fried concoction and loved it much as I did the purple-hued option.
The Robber Bride is the story of three women whose lives have been inextricably bound by a woman named Zenia. Tony, Charis and Roz all attended the same university, lived in the same dorm even, but barely knew one another until Zenia, their ruthless, mysterious and beautiful classmate, wreaked havoc in all their lives. Though the three suffered Zenia's malice in entirely independent encounters, the recurring patterns of her behavior and the lasting heartbreak she sought solidified a friendship among these three women whose commonalities were few and far beyond Zenia.
I don't have too much more to say by way of synopsis except that I highly recommend you read this one for yourself. It has been described as one of Murakami's most haunting works and I would definitely agree it is such. Though not a necessarily dark novel, there is less levity in this work than Kafka and a bit more of the grittiness of reality that we don't often like to face or admit to. And while the characters maybe be labeled as romantics, the novel as a whole is far from your typical romance. Still South of the Border abounds in picturesque imagery with a hint of mystery that makes the novel easy and enjoyable to devour. At just over 200 pages, it's a relatively quick read and quite the page turner, though it is also full of the substance, intelligence, and wisdom readers have come to expect from Murakami.
