Daily Renaissance

Tear to Your Eye

2011-02-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

Is there a song that never ceases to make you cry?

Mine is "Make You Feel My Love" (written by Bob Dylan from 1997's Time Out of Mind). I've heard versions by Adele, Billy Joel, Joan Osborne, Bryan Ferry, Garth Brooks...and it doesn't matter. That song gets me every time.

SAG Awards

2011-01-31T10:04:00.000-05:00

The awards ceremony was quite staid and the winners were predictable.

With that said, the winners were gracious and gave heartfelt speeches. Colin Firth won Best Actor for The King's Speech and at this point, this man can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. He is charm personified and I'm happy to see him getting accolades and awards, building upon his breathtaking performance in last year's A Single Man.

Natalie Portman seems to have the momentum to take home the Oscar with yet another win for Best Actress for Black Swan. At one point this year, I predicted that the award would go to perennial bridesmaid, Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right). I admit that I'm much more of a Bening fan, but Portman is most likely a lock now.

Supporting Actor and Actress awards went to Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, both from The Fighter. Bale and Leo have consistently picked up trophies for their performances this season and have consistently shown feisty and sincere gratitude at the podium.

My favorite moment of the night belonged to the TV categories when the cast of Modern Family won the award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy. I let out a hearty hooray as the cast made its way to the stage. If you haven't checked it out, that is one gem of a show.

Best Actor, TV Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Best Actress, TV Drama: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Best Actor, TV Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Actress, TV Comedy: Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Best Cast, TV Drama: Boardwalk Empire
Best Cast, Motion Picture: The King's Speech

Favorite Moments of 2010

2010-12-31T09:11:00.001-05:00

An early morning boat ride off the Gulf coast of Florida with Mom, Pseudo Pop, the W's, and a Bloody Mary. Oh, and dolphins too.

Celebrating Valentine's Day with G at a palm tree shrouded pool in Las Vegas.

Taking the train through upstate NY for our first visit to Montreal. And then meeting new friends Liz and Victor while we were there.

Learning more about tea, drinking tea, shopping for tea related items, and having a tea party.

Watching the beautiful final episode of Lost and going through lots of tissues.

Starbucks moments in downtown Ann Arbor. Just me, my iPod, and a book.

"Hey, Mom! Feel like going to Chicago tomorrow?" And we did.

Seeing Harry Potter 7.1 in New Orleans with friends Mark and Andrea at an adults only showing at a theater that serves food and cocktails during the film.

Visits from fab family and super friends, Venessa and Courtney.

Learning how to properly play golf and loving it.

Favorite Reads of 2010

2010-12-30T08:54:00.002-05:00

I read many books this year but these are the ones that have stayed with me.

longislandpress.com

tvtropes.org

elizabethstrout.com

bookeg.com

Favorite Films of 2010

2010-12-29T20:12:00.002-05:00

So not all of these films came out this year, but I did see them in 2010.

The Ghost Writer (starring Ewan McGregor)
I was wowed while watching it and I'm still wowed just thinking about it. In fact, I think I'm going to place it in my Netflix queue after writing this post.

Inception (starring Leonardo DiCaprio)
Mind blowing, visually stunning, superbly acted...a puzzle within a puzzle within a puzzle (courtesy of puzzlemaster/director Christopher Nolan).

Miss Marples (starring Margaret Rutherford)
I read a handful of Agatha Christie novels this year and did some research about film versions. I discovered a series of Miss Marple films from the early sixties and was completely charmed. Rutherford IS Miss Jane Marple and she's a delight to watch. I wish they'd made more.
(Murder, She Said, Murder at the Gallop, Murder Most Foul, Murder Ahoy!)

The Other Guys
I loved the sendup of cop buddy movies and I loved Mark Wahlberg in a comedy. The movie theater's sound system stopped working about 3/4 of the way into the movie. I didn't get to see the ending, but this still made my list.

Toy Story 3
Just under the wire. G gave me this for Christmas and we watched it this week. It's always fun to see these characters again, it's a fantastic story, and it made me cry like a baby. Pixar can do no wrong.

Christmas Celebration #2

2010-12-22T06:42:00.000-05:00

flickr.com

Last night we had a fabulous dinner at Eve with our dear friends, P&J.

Eve is our special occasion restaurant in town. Right before the family craziness of Christmas, we sit down with P&J and spend a cozy, leisurely dinner together. And Eve IS cozy with maybe thirty tables and a small bar in historic Kerrytown here in Ann Arbor. The interior walls are brick, the tables covered in white cloth, topped with tiny white vases holding a single sprig of fresh sage.

Once we were tucked into our table, I started with a tropical bellini, sparkling wine with passion fruit puree. Per usual, we shared a plate of "Inspired Nachos", fried won tons topped with fresh plum tomatoes, avocado, black beans cooked with chilies and bacon, and Gouda, Jack, and cheddar cheeses. Never a disappointment.

For the entree, I had the Moroccan scallops.

"Aromatic spiced and seared day boat scallops with a fresh carrot lime puree, creme fraiche, coconut-ginger rice and vegetables of the season."

I usually take photos of my food, but between the spirited conversation and my hunger pangs, I dove right into my scallops and forgot about the Kodak moment. Believe me when I say that my meal was one of the best I've had all year. The scallops were silky and milky on the inside, surrounded by a spicy sear of cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. The rice wasn't its usual quiet side dish self, but an in-your-face coconut-ginger wake up call which paired perfectly with the intensely flavored scallops. The carrot lime puree wasn't exactly a puree, more like a finely diced carrot relish with lime. The freshness of the carrot and the fact that it was a cold dish worked well to balance the actual heat of the scallops as well as the heat of the spice.

A long, lingering, delicious dinner is one of my favorite things. Best of all though was the company at the table.

What to Read?

2010-12-21T09:21:00.055-05:00

tempe.gov

Quandry:

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, my reading habit has been sadly set aside. Most of my Christmas chores are done so now I'm ready to curl up again with a good book. The problem is that I can't seem to find one that I want to read.

I've tried a few...Elegance of the Hedgehog, Run, So Cold the River...no, no, no. Apparently I'm in a picky mood.

So, should I try classic adventure and finish the Narnia Chronicles? (I've only read the first two.)
Should I try some dysfunctional family drama and read The Corrections? (Maybe not such a good idea at Christmastime.)
Should I just choose a straight-on classic like A Tale of Two Cities? (This one is back on my radar thanks to Oprah.)

I feel a little lost without a book in my hand.

Check This Out

2010-12-20T08:39:00.002-05:00

Mom gave me this cool gift pack from Starbucks. Inside was this cute mug with a rubbery drinking lid. It has already become a new fave. I think every beverage I drink this Christmas will be in this cool cup. Coffee, tea, juice, wine...
Right now my bev of choice is hot chocolate. Ghirardelli double chocolate. I was always a Swiss Miss girl growing up and that continued into my frugal singlehood. G introduced me to Ghirardelli in our early dating days and I've never looked back.

Braised Red Cabbage

2010-12-19T21:20:00.001-05:00

From today's dinner...

Christmas Celebration #1

2010-12-19T20:55:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Christmas with my Mom and Pseudo Pop today. G shoveled and salted the sidewalks and driveway. "No broken hips today!"

Today's menu included roast duck (for Pseudo Pop), beef tenderloin (for the rest of us), wild rice, noodles Romanoff, and braised red cabbage. Oh, and we started with crab cakes. Whole Foods Market advertised fresh Dungeness crab, cleaned and cracked, between 12-4 yesterday. We arrived at the store at 1:30 to find...no more fresh crab. Grrrr. G found a can of crab on sale, but I was crushed that I wasn't able to see the fishmonger cracking the crabs. Though once I tasted a crab cake today, I forgot all about it.

After dinner? Coffee, tea, and presents! I'm so grateful for my family. And for my presents.

This recipe has become a Christmas tradition at our house:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/roast-beef-tenderloin-with-mushroom-ragout-recipe/index.html

Movie Season

2009-09-01T09:22:00.001-04:00

I keep renting DVDs from the library, but during the summertime the DVDs just sit there. Now that fall is around the corner, I feel the urge to just dive in and swim in a sea of celluloid.

G is a big fan Entourage, I'm a big fan of In Treatment, and there's a Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm this season. Plus, we're both Real Time with Bill Maher junkies. However, we are not subscribers of HBO. We've been talking it over and mostly decided to order it. I think G was waiting for me to call our cable service and order it. Unfortunately, I am completely burned out by speaking with customer service (and I use that term loosely) reps and phone trees.

So Sunday I made an executive decision. As I was sitting on the couch watching Tiger try to come back for a win, I pulled up the cable service web site just to see if I could lazily click a button and order HBO that way. And it worked. Within two minutes, I had HBO.

I can't decide which I love more. Movies or technology to help me watch more of them.

Words

2009-08-31T09:09:00.009-04:00

I've heard some words lately that I've not heard in a while. I just like the sound of them.

skedaddle

pip-squeak

besieged

So when G asked if I wanted to play Scrabble last night, I jumped at the chance. G retrieved the Scrabble board (which is probably as old as I am) and we chose our tiles. I started out by playing the word WHORT and G rolled his eyes. He challenged me right away, but WHORT was in the dictionary (the whortleberry or its fruit).

He & I were neck and neck for most of the game until he used the Q he'd been saving. Grrrr

And with a triple word score. I gave it my best but I just couldn't catch up by then. He was victorious.

Rematch, rematch!

Power of Suggestion

2009-08-27T21:12:00.003-04:00

I've been writing a tiny bit about Julia Child in my culinary blog. I made a reference to her being a spy in the 40s/50s and now I find that my summer reading has taken a dastardly turn.

Right now I'm reading Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely. This is after reading Casino Royale (the first ever James Bond novel), The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Get Shorty, and Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest and The Glass Key. Not to mention Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd earlier summer.

I know, not all spies, but lots of mystery and intrigue nonetheless. Time to get back to Philip Marlowe.

Spring

2009-04-17T09:16:00.002-04:00

I've been looking forward to my first walk in the park this year. I've had to wait. And wait. And wait.

Wednesday was the day. What a relief. I love seeing everyone else at the park after a long winter. Everyone's pale and a bit ragged around the edges from being indoors for months on end. Some people still haven't switched to their spring wardrobe so they're bundled up and gradually peel off layers. Even though the thermometer told them that it was nice enough to walk outside now, the people can't truly believe it. Then there are those who overcompensate and wear tank tops and shorts for their first outing even though sixty degrees might be the high temperature that day.

No one really smiles much as you pass them yet. The friendly greetings and acknowledgements happen more toward June. Right now, everyone's still a little incredulous that they're back outside soaking up sunshine.

And that's where I'm headed now.

Shopping Mojo

2009-01-07T08:03:00.004-05:00

Mom & I spent the day shopping and I was on fire. My mission: to find some fun new jewelry, a new brown purse (to replace my 10-year old one which seems to be showing its age), and a brown winter hat.

Not only did I find exactly what I was looking for (on mega sale), I found a charcoal gray wool coat 50% off at Macy's. There was a button missing but as I tried on the coat, I found the button in the left hand pocket. At the register, I asked if I could have more of a discount on the coat due to the detached button, but the cashier said no. Then after chatting with me and Mom, the cashier said, "Well, I'll go ahead and give you another 10% off." Whoo hoo!

When we stopped at the bookstore to use a 40% coupon I had for any book, we were treated to free coffeecake and chai tea samples as we walked through the store. At the checkout, the clerk said, "Oh, looks like you have $5 in reward bucks you can use."

Lastly, we were driving down the street on our way to lunch when I scared my mom to death. "OMIGOD!" I chirped. Poor Mom. I couldn't hide my excitement as I eyed a Sonic drive-in. Sonic, my old Nashville haunt. In Michigan. Of course, I had to stop and get a cherry limeade, for old time's sake.

I told you...I was on.

Mom told me that I should've bought a lottery ticket that day.

Currently Reading...

2009-01-06T16:09:00.001-05:00

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

I'm fascinated by this book. The story's narrator is Death. The protagonist is an orphan girl named Liesel who lives with her foster family in Nazi Germany just as WWII begins.

Liesel learns to read and write and becomes obsessed with collecting and reading stories. In the meantime, her foster family takes in a Jewish man and hides him from the Nazis.

Has anyone else read this one?

Favorite reads of 2008

2009-01-05T16:20:00.004-05:00

Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series

A friend of mine recommended these books when he found out I enjoyed mysteries. I started reading The Closers in May and proceeded to raid the library the rest of the year to read every story that centered on Detective Harry Bosch. Set in modern day LA, Bosch is a fantastic cop who runs into villains on the street, in the bureau, and in his own heart.

The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry

by Kathleen Flinn

This was a gift from a friend and an early '08 read. I loved reading another person's adventures in culinary school, especially since she was in Paris. Ah, Paris.

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

Everyone knows about this series now. I read the first book over the summer; couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the lead character, her smarts, her angst, her clumsiness, her heart.

Loving Frank

by Nancy Horan

I couldn't stop thinking about this book after I'd read it. It's a fictional biography of sorts of the woman with whom Frank Lloyd Wright had a long-term affair. Mamah Cheney was a woman ahead of her time and the relationship between her and Wright was scandalous, yes, but also mesmerizing. Reader beware: The story does not have a happy ending.

Interpreter of Maladies

by Jhumpa Lahiri

A beautiful collection of short stories by the author of The Namesake. I'm in awe of this author.

The Life Before Her Eyes and Snow Angels

by Laura Kasischke and by Stewart O'Nan

Heartbreaking and powerful adult fiction.

The Dark Knight

2008-08-06T10:24:00.005-04:00

You've seen it, right?

Bale continues to be the ultimate "real" Batman, dark and brooding, conflicted, a little off his rocker, yet also a very charming Bruce Wayne. Oldman conveys honor and earns respect and audience cheers for his good guy, Commissioner Gordon. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, well, they're Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart are the new kids on the Gotham block, who lend earnest and dependable support. Director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Prestige, Memento) creates a foreboding, moody art film which happens to have a huge special effects budget.

And then there's Heath Ledger. He is terrifying, mesmerizing, unforgettable as The Joker. Just ridiculously superb.

But you know what I'm taking about, right?

New Blog

2008-08-03T14:44:00.004-04:00

I've started a new blog that focuses exclusively on my foodie adventures called Kim's Culinary Diary.

Please visit and enjoy!

Latest Single I Love

2008-08-01T10:27:00.003-04:00

I don't listen the radio much any more, but on a roadtrip I happened to hear the new Coldplay single, Viva la Vida. I'm a sucker for the strings. I'm a sucker for the orchestral pop-ness of it all. I'm a sucker for the lyrics of pride and lament. I'm a sucker for Chris Martin's performance, especially "upon of pillars of salt and pillars of sand" and the "ohs" in the last third of the song.

This one's on repeat and played loud.

Summer Break

2008-05-19T09:38:00.002-04:00

My, oh my. I am officially on vacation. It took me some time to get rid of my waking-up-at-5 AM body clock. Ugh. I'm happy to say that I am now sleeping in until 7:30 AM.

G & I started off my summer break in a big way by seeing Iron Man on its opening day. What a fantastic way to welcome the blockbuster season. Last summer, almost every big summer film was a big disappointment. Iron Man was pure fun. Robert Downey Jr. is perfect as flawed gazillionaire Tony Stark. And if you see the film, stay through closing credits!

G & I hosted his sister and bro-in-law for a weekend in Ann Arbor. We had a blast and mostly just caught up while we ate and drank. Oh, and we broke out the board games. Yes, we are party animals.

The leaves are finally back on the trees and my garden is in full bloom. But spring just can't seem to fully win yet. Last night we had a frost warning and had to protect our herbs. Jeez, enough already.

Finals Week

2008-04-29T19:51:00.003-04:00

It's time for my Breakfast and Pantry practical already. Here's what the test is on:

Eggs--
Sunny side up
Over easy
Poached
Soft scrambled
Omelet
Pancakes
Hash browns

and a wild card dish. I drew a frittata which is an open-faced omelet.

Today, the Chef said that we could make the eggs and then finish up with pancakes, hash browns, and the wild card dish tomorrow. I felt ambitious, so I went ahead and made the frittata as well (filled with bacon bits, red onion, red pepper, and cheddar cheese).

I missed a total of 1/2 point so I was ecstatic. I'd never poached an egg in my life before this class and now I'm a pro. My partners call me the Egg Queen. Who knew?

Three days 'til summer vacation!

Bette Davis Centennial

2008-04-04T09:07:00.002-04:00

April 5th is the centennial of Bette Davis' birth, so TCM is appropriately celebrating with a day long Davis fest.

I've been a lifelong Bette Davis fan, but I've stuck with what I know for the most part. I've seen All About Eve, Now Voyager, The Man Who Came to Dinner, and yes, Return to Witch Mountain, at least a dozen times each. Last year, G & I caught The Petrified Forest (1936), a tour de force starring not just Davis, but a villainous Humphrey Bogart. We also watched Dark Victory as well and were mesmerized.

Whenever I'm lucky enough to see a Davis film that's new to me, I'm wowed. "Why haven't I sought out more of her work?" I say to myself each and every time. So thanks to TCM, I'm filling up the DVR with The Letter, Jezebel, and Dangerous.

Just a note: If you haven't seen All About Eve, I highly recommend it as your next classic film rental. That 1950 screenplay is better than most scripts that come out of Hollywood every year since.

Photos from Pastries Class

2008-04-03T12:32:00.002-04:00

I want to brag about my work, but I don't have the proper cord with me to download from my phone. So please consider this a space holder for now...

Long Day

2008-04-02T16:02:00.001-04:00

Started the day in B&P class where we made a muesli (oats, milk, sugar, lemon juice) which will sit overnight. Tomorrow we'll take it and make parfaits with it, so I'm told. We also made pancake batter and practiced our griddle technique. I'm not really into pancakes (I'm more of a French toast/waffle girl), but I have to admit, this was a top notch batter. The pancakes were super fluffy. Our fellow students couldn't wait to get their hands on them. We had to find some maple syrup for them too. They're so demanding.

The chef demonstrated a French toast technique near the end of class. He also showed us how to make one of the custom salad dressings for the school restaurant, an apple cider vinaigrette.

Once B&P ended, I walked across the hall to the pastry classroom to volunteer for the afternoon. There's some black tie gala being held at the school this Saturday so all of the chefs are looking for volunteers to prep food and desserts. I volunteered for pastries for extra credit. Whoo hoo! Two of my favorite classmates also stayed late today; we made pecan flan, linzer tarts, and yellow and chocolate short dough. I had so much fun, I might stay late again tomorrow.

New Class--Breakfast & Pantry

2008-04-01T13:04:00.003-04:00

Today was the first day of Breakfast & Pantry. What a breath of fresh air. A week of demos and lectures before we really hit the kitchens full-time. We work in groups of three. We actually get to eat what we're cooking. And the chef is...a goofball. I know, I know. It's disrespectful to call him that, right? But he is a goofball. I say it with love.

After a brief introduction to the class, Chef demonstrated egg cookery 101. Sunny side up, over easy, over medium, scrambled, and omelets.

Toward the end of class, Chef let us go to the kitchens to practice these egg techniques. Dozens of eggs, clarified butter, lots of saute pans. I'm a newbie when it comes to runny yolks. I've only just started to be able to appreciate dipping toast into a runny yolk. So trying to make sunny side up eggs is a bit of a challenge. Just not my personal preference. I also learned a new way to cook an omelet. Chef acts like he's scrambling the eggs first and then mushes them all back together. He places the fillings on top (today we used ham, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese) and then rolls the omelet closed and onto the plate. We'd never seen such a fluffy texture. We were impressed.

The biggest challenge in all of the egg prep is controlling the heat of the burner. The chef wants no color on any of the eggs. At home, I like browned edges on my over medium eggs so I'll need to readjust.

Tomorrow we continue with eggs--poaching technique and Hollandaise sauce.

I'm Back

2008-03-31T07:33:00.004-04:00

Well. I've been MIA pretty much since I started my Pastries I class. Pastries class was a big monster that swallowed me whole. I could easily list a myriad of reasons why this particular class had its way with me. But I'll save you from that. Because as of Friday morning, Pastries I is over. (Insert various screams of joy here.)

Not only did pastries rule my life this month, but on a much happier note, March is birthday month here at our house. So in addition to pastries hell, we did partake of our share of celebrations. And of course, there was my trip to Italy at the beginning of the month. Sigh. I'll be filing my Italy report next week.

First though, here are some photos that I neglected to post last month...some tasty treats I made in baking class.

Vanilla Cheesecakes

2008-02-22T20:22:00.003-05:00

Well, this isn't the exact cheesecake that my partner and I made in class today. But it's close. I swear. It was a thing of beauty. I checked out the restaurant before I left school and there it was, offered as dessert. It was a proud moment. I'm going to start taking my camera to class everyday. There are definitely some Kodak moments happening.

Several of my classmates were sleepwalking today, but we made it, we made it through our first week of pastries. Besides finishing up the cheesecake, my partner and I made chocolate chiffon cakes. We whisked some cocoa with hot water, then added egg yolks, vanilla, oil and dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda). Then we used a Kitchen Aid to whip up egg whites with a tiny bit of cream of tartar and a good amount of sugar. Once the whites were shiny white and fluffy, we folded them gently into the chocolate batter and ladled the batter into 9" and 3" pans. Mission accomplished.

What I'm Listening To...

2008-02-21T16:25:00.002-05:00

Early '08 edition:

Sheryl Crow's new CD, Detours
I'd heard great things about this CD, so I bought it as soon as it was released with what was left of an iTunes giftcard. It didn't disappoint.

David Gray's Greatest Hits
Great British pop.

Bruce Springsteen/Magic
I love this CD. Radio Nowhere made me seek it out, but now I gravitate toward Livin' in the Future and Girls in Their Summer Clothes.

Rilo Kiley/Silver Lining
I have this band's latest CD, but I can't stop listening to this single.

By the way, all of these tunes are especially important to me right now because I play them SUPER LOUD in my car to ensure that there's no falling asleep at the wheel.

Plum Market

2008-02-20T14:10:00.003-05:00

OK, you know you have a serious obsession with food when you note on your calendar that a new market is opening in town.

G was in Boston for the week so on grand opening day I drove from school straight to the new Plum Market. I did a quick walk of the entire store, oohing and aahing at the carnival of colors, aromas, and gracious, lovely people offering free samples. The market not only offers the usual products, but there's a small See's Candies store inside. And I found bags of Peet's Coffee. Coffee we always drink when we go to San Francisco. See's Candies, Peet's Coffee? My little heart skipped a beat.

I couldn't wait to tell G that Ann Arbor has hit the big time. Yes, he's not as excited as I am, but when I told him that there's also a Zingerman's Cafe there? He was at the front door with his boots on.

Next Class

2008-02-19T15:49:00.001-05:00

Today was my introduction to Pastries I. Four days a week and did I mention that I have to wake up at 4:30AM each morning? Maybe I have. So let's see...3:49PM...I've been awake for almost twelve hours. Anyone want to place bets on when I fall asleep on the couch tonight?

Pastries promises to be challenging. The chef is a different kind of instructor than what we've been used to. He's very structured and stresses professionalism, organization, resourcefulness. I don't mean to say that the other chefs do not do this. It's just that this particular chef is especially...serious.

Our class just finished goofing around in the bakeshop. That early in the morning, either we were punchy from lack of sleep or we were trying to find toothpicks to keep our eyelids open. So trying to be diligent and focused pastry chefs for five weeks proves to be entertaining.

We'll be rotating stations each week--custards and creams, puff pastry/pate a choux, pies, tortes/cheesecakes, fruit desserts.

Baking Final

2008-02-18T20:40:00.002-05:00

From the lack of posts in 2008, one could call me a slacker, but no. Not only have I been inundated with homework and school obligations, I've been adjusting to getting up at 4:30AM.

Our five week rotation in Baking went by in a flash. We definitely got into a routine here at home. On Fridays, G would ask, "So what did you bring home today?" His favorite? Cinnamon rolls. Drool.

Last week, my practical exam consisted of baking kaiser rolls, pumpkin bread, and oatmeal apple cinnamon chip cookies. Here are photos of my finished products.

[Photos soon!]

And now, I must try to go to sleep for my way-too-early wake up call.

Screen Actors Guild Awards

2008-01-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

I have been a slacker this year. I haven't seen many of the nominated films, but I still wanted to write about the winners Sunday night at the SAG awards:

Daniel Day-Lewis/There Will Be Blood
Does anyone ever have a chance when Daniel Day-Lewis decides to work that year? This man amazes me.

Julie Christie/Away From Her
I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't seen any of the best actress nominees (SAG or Oscar). I'm Julie Christie-ignorant. I think I watched Shampoo once, oh, and I saw Heaven Can Wait. Probably not the stellar points on her resume.

Javier Bardem/No Country for Old Men
When I do make it to the movie theater, this will be the film I choose to see. The Coen brothers just won the Directors' Guild Award. The cast won the Best Ensemble Award Saturday night. Javier seems to be the man to beat. I wondered if the voters would go sentimental and give the win to Hal Holbrook, but they opted to do that in the next category instead.

Ruby Dee/American Gangster
Eighty-three years old! Yes, I missed this one too. I've heard that her performance lasts a few minutes in a 157 minute film. Her only true competition seems to be Amy Ryan from Gone Baby Gone. Ryan's won this category at every other award ceremony up until this weekend.

Baking

2008-01-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

Settling back into my school schedule has been a bit tricky obviously. No posts for weeks!

My first class in this rotation is Baking. This is week three already. The class is set up in groups of three students at each of five stations. Each week the groups rotate to a different station.

The first week, my group baked quick breads: cranberry blueberry muffins, loaves of banana bread, chocolate chip scones. We worked on breakfast pastries/special breads last week. Lots of making dough, rolling it out, folding it over, spreading in two pounds of butter (you heard right), and then letting it rest. Our finished products were individual danish, danish coffee cakes, loaves of brioche, croissants, and the piece de resistance--cinnamon buns.

This class is a huge change of pace from first semester classes. It's much more laid back and frankly, not as challenging. I'm not complaining though. Being able to take it a bit easy for five weeks is a gift.

The biggest challenge? Getting to class on Friday mornings by 6 AM. Ugh.

On Vacation...Jan.6-11

2008-01-06T12:07:00.000-05:00

We're in Florida soaking up the sun. More posts when we return.

TV on DVD

2008-01-05T21:40:00.000-05:00

So first-run episodes on TV have about run out due to the writers' strike. (Go, writers!) G & I decided to check out some TV shows on DVD, shows that we either skipped over or just missed.

We discovered the mastery of 24 last winter and became addicts (season six notwithstanding). Now, we've become followers of Lost. We've watched three discs, each with four episodes, and at the end of each one, G & I look at each other and say, "What the...???"

I love the fact that the cast is huge and practically unknown, at least to me. Matthew Fox was on Party of Five in the 90s, but I never watched a single episode. The one actor I recognized was Dominic Monaghan who plays rock star Charlie. It took my watching eight episodes or so though before I stopped thinking about hobbitses.

So many secrets. So many mysteries on that crazy island. So far, our favorites are Locke and Sawyer. Now we just have to protect ourselves from accidentally hearing or reading plotlines from seasons 2, 3, and 4. Wish us luck.

Desk Calendar

2008-01-04T08:26:00.000-05:00

My mom-in-law gave me a desk calendar for Christmas. Each day lists a book recommendation. What a fantastic way to start the morning. I sit down at my desk, rip off a page, and discover a new book to add to my exceedingly long library request list.

A sample (courtesy of Amazon):

A History of the World in 6 Glasses/Tom Standage
Standage suggests that each epoch, from the Stone Age to the present, has had its signature beverage—and takes readers on an extraordinary trip through world history.

Evenings at Five/Gail Godwin
Godwin lost her companion of nearly 30 years, the composer Robert Starer, two years ago, and this book is a devoted, quirky, wry and surprisingly powerful fictionalization of aspects of their life together as working artists.

Jimmy Cagney

2008-01-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

There are some classic movie stars that I've completely missed. Whenever I can, I try to catch up and learn about the actors & actresses that I missed when I was a couch potato kid. I discovered William Holden in my early 20s (hubba hubba), Joel McCrea, Dick Powell...

TCM is showcasing James Cagney this month so I've set my Tivo to collect some of his work. I've always known about him, always heard accolades, but my childhood memory of Cagney is seeing him make a final appearance in the film Ragtime. I've never seen any of his classic films.

First up is White Heat, not one of his early works, but one of his best and most memorable. He plays, of course, a tough guy, this time with mama issues. He's the feared leader of a gang of thieves and he's fantastic. Cagney is ferocious as Cody Jarrett. He's a smart criminal with insanity in his genes. His wife doesn't love him, but stays with him out of fear. His own mother is part of his gang! Only when an undercover cop infiltrates his gang does Jarrett meet his demise, screaming out to the one person he loved the most, "Top of the world, Ma!"

Next up: a total departure from the tough guys, George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Up a Notch

2008-01-02T21:37:00.000-05:00

One of the cooler things I've enjoyed as I've become a better cook is taking something mundane and turning it into something...well, special.

As a young single gal, if I had oatmeal in the morning, the oatmeal came out of a packet. If I had beans and rice (which I did, often), it came out of a box.

Now that I'm more at home in the kitchen, I enjoy everything I make, no matter the amount of effort, whether it be a Thanksgiving turkey, a roasted carrot, or a bowl of oatmeal.

That was breakfast this morning--oatmeal, made in a sauce pot on the stove, sprinkled with brown sugar and topped with sliced banana and dried cranberries. A treat just for myself and a great way to start the day.

(And boy, can I make a mean bowl of beans and rice now.)

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T19:01:00.000-05:00

Hope your new year started off right, just like ours did!

Michigan Wolverines 41
Florida Gators 35

Top Ten Things to Look Forward To in 2008

2007-12-31T18:14:00.000-05:00

superhero movies: The Dark Knight & Iron Man
the end of the writers' strike
new books to read, old books to revisit
visiting our friends Mark & Andrea in New Orleans
a quick Florida trip in January
a nephew! (and at least three other babies to welcome)
our annual trek to the Canadian Icewine Festival
a food and wine tour of Italy
every minute I get to spend with G
an election

Top Meals 2007

2007-12-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Mom's birthday lunch at Zingerman's Roadhouse/Ann Arbor-simple chicken salad and BLT taken to new heights
Lunch at Simply Red Bistro/Finger Lakes, NY-a perfect lunch on a wine touring day
Dinner at Dinosaur Barbecue/Syracuse, NY-Lived up to the hype!
Lunch at Bar Americain/New York City-Fancy schmancy American food courtesy of Bobby Flay
Breakfast at Wishbone/Chicago-We couldn't wait to wake up and head over for crunchy French toast and red eggs
Prime rib Christmas dinners/North East, PA & Grand Blanc, MI-Delectable dinners made for me & G
Traverse City weekend-every meal we had was heavenly (Hanna Bistro, Amical, Patisserie Amie)
Christmas dinner at Eve/Ann Arbor-We'll be going back for happy hour nachos and red wine
New Year's Eve at Zingerman's Roadhouse/Ann Arbor-A tour of American food: goat cheese fondue, oyster stew, black-eyed peas and ham, lobster thermidor, delmonico steak, and a trio of creme brulees. One word: OMIGOD

Top Movies 2007

2007-12-29T22:31:00.000-05:00

These are not necessarily films that were released in 2007. These are films that I saw for the very first time this year. They range from crowd pleasing to chilling to magical.

Invincible
Murder, My Sweet
The Departed
Children of Men
Zodiac
The Bourne Ultimatum
Ratatouille
Once
The Lives of Others
The Lookout
Michael Clayton

Top TV Moments 2007

2007-12-28T16:52:00.000-05:00

The continued genius of 30 Rock

Pam and Jim finally becoming a couple on The Office

Jaime Pressly winning a well-deserved Emmy for her portrayal of Joy Turner on My Name is Earl

The Amazing Race (12) contestants' attempt to milk camels

Martin Short as host or presenter or guest star on anything

Starbuck's death and eventual return on Battlestar Galactica

Top Music 2007

2007-12-27T08:32:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd list my favorite musical moments of 2007:

Jennifer Hudson's solo/star moment in Dreamgirls

kd lang in concert at Hill Auditorium

Duncan Sheik in concert at The Ark

Kim Richey, also at The ark, closing her set with a beautiful rendition of It's a Wonderful World

New CDs from Kelly Willis, Gretchen Peters, and Trisha Yearwood

The entire cast album of Hairspray

Raul Malo's Christmas CD, It's a Marshmallow World

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T00:22:00.000-05:00

Seasons' greetings and joyous wishes to all.

Italy

2007-12-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

Have I shared that I'm going to Italy in 2008? I just dropped off the final payment for the trip so I guess it's really happening. My brain hasn't quite realized it yet.

A chef at school is taking a group of fifteen students to Tuscany next semester and I was lucky enough to sign up and join in the crazy fun. We'll be flying into Rome and then traveling to Tuscany for a week where we'll take some cooking classes and attend wine tastings. During our down time we'll be able to sightsee, of course and take an excursion to Florence. I think we'll visit the Vatican on our last day in Italy.

I've not been to Italy (my one overseas experience was a glorious trip to France in 2005), so I am ecstatic. My mom-in-law gave me some Italy travel guides for Christmas so I'll be poring over those during my break from school.

If you've been to Italy and have some pointers or recommendations (for food!), please feel free to share.

Hairspray

2007-12-19T20:31:00.000-05:00

I have had a smile on my face all day after watching Hairspray on DVD. What a fun movie moment. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is the heart of the film and she's fantastic. From the opening notes of "Good Morning, Baltimore," the movie charmed me until the final credits.

I'm always awed by people in show biz who have resumes that are, ahem, less than stellar. How do these people keep working in Hollywood? Adam Shankman, director of Hairspray, has credits including The Wedding Planner, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, and The Pacifier. If I'd read that bio first, I probably wouldn't have bothered watching Hairspray anytime soon.

Not only did Shankman do a great job at the helm of Hairspray, he choreographed the film as well. That talent is mindboggling, especially for someone who has been wading in schlock for years now.

I loved seeing the older actors dancing and singing (Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, and yes, Travolta in drag), but the younger cast was equally impressive. Everyone looked like they had a blast making the film.

Christmas Cookies

2007-12-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

Here's what I made this year:

gingersnaps
coconut macaroons
raspberry lemon thumbprints
mint chocolate chip cookies
heath toffee bars
almond macaroons
white chocolate cranberry cookies
peanut butter bars
cranberry bars
oatmeal raisin
kahlua espresso brownies

I'm Back

2007-12-17T23:18:00.000-05:00

First of all, that cold really knocked me out. It lasted forever. Grrrr. I tried going to class on a Tuesday morning, I showered and everything, but just as I was reaching for my coat, I had a minutes-long hacking spell and then a nosebleed. I waved a white flag and stayed home one more day. Plus, (and this is my last gripe, I promise), G was out-of-town for work all week long. Being sick and alone is not fun. I was quickly turning into a Grinch.

Now I am breathing normally again and sneeze-free. Hallelujah! Another reason to shout out: dining room service is over. We took our final on Friday and then met at our usual hangout for drinks. Boy, did we hate that class. We got through it though. I even prepared and served Bananas Foster tableside and did not set anything or anyone aflame. I really didn't mind waiting on tables. I got into a groove and our class is a great group of people. We are a Team. My favorite role was hostess though. That seems to be more me. I enjoyed greeted people and taking them to their seats, passing all of the beautiful desserts on display. I was able to share some witty repartee and get some laughs. When the guests were seated, they really didn't want to chat or pay attention to the servers at all. Yawn.

Next up: a month long break.

Sick Day

2007-12-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

Actually, it should be sick days, plural. The cocktail party was a big success. We were a little concerned at first because a winter storm decided to arrive as the same time as our guests. Some people couldn't make it, but we still had a sizable turnout. G and I were thrilled.

The spirits of the evening helped me to ignore my cold symptoms. But once the party was over and I kicked off my to die for bright red pumps, I slumped on the couch and succumbed to my cold. My senses are completely dulled (I was told that wonderful aromas came from my kitchen on Saturday, but I wouldn't have known that). I even lost my voice today. (Merry Christmas, G!)

I'm taking advantage of the down time though. I'm watching classic cartoons (Flintstones, Top Cat...great sick day TV), finishing my Christmas shopping online, and I read Into the Wild, definitely one of my favorites of '07. I'm hoping that I can sneak in a matinee of the film one day this week after class.

Food is not thrilling me right now. I can't taste a thing. I just made some orzo for lunch, adding lots of pepper and garlic in the hope that I can enjoy a meal for the first time in three days.

Next up: Law & Order reruns, my next read (The Making of a Chef), more meds, and a nap.

Today's Challenge

2007-12-01T07:30:00.001-05:00

G and I are having our annual holiday cocktail party tonight. The challenge? I was lucky enough to get a killer cold this week. I'm sitting here with a cup of hot tea wondering how the appetizers are going to get made. Ugh.

I'm happy it's December though. Time to usher in the holidays. But I predict I'll have a date with my bed and big box of kleenex tomorrow.

Flatscreen + Direct TV = Heaven

2007-11-28T06:55:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, we finally purchased the plasma TV we've been dreaming about for ages. It now has a place of honor above our fireplace in the living room.

There happened to be a promotional offer to switch to Direct TV. We hate our cable company so we took the opportunity to ditch them (and save some money).

Between the lineup of new channels and the clarity of the picture (football in HD? The best)...sigh. I'm sorry, I'm starting to get emotional.

Discoveries

2007-11-27T07:35:00.000-05:00

I had to attend a meeting at school last night. G graciously acted as chauffeur instead of sitting at home; he took a book and relaxed at a Caribou Coffee for an hour. Afterwards, we stopped for a sandwich for dinner and found this little wine shop right next to campus. What a find!

We spent the next hour comfortable and warm, tasting wine, and chatting with other wine lovers. A little slice of heaven in a Livonia strip mall. Who knew?

Favorite:

Layer Cake Shiraz, Australia

Time Off

2007-11-26T13:47:00.000-05:00

I was super busy last week preparing for Thanksgiving dinner and family visits. Now that I've definitely entered the Holiday Zone, I won't be posting daily for the rest of the year.

Please stay tuned!

Leftovers

2007-11-26T13:42:00.000-05:00

I'm becoming more ambitious with my Thanksgiving leftovers. Figuring out ways to use up the turkey and stuffing, etc. is almost as fun as creating the whole dinner.

This year, I fried up some stuffing the morning after Thanksgiving and served it hash-style with a fried egg on top. We had grilled turkey sandwiches, spread with cranberry sauce, some gravy, and a slice of cheddar cheese. Saturday morning, I made a cranberry cheese danish. Yesterday, I made a turkey sage chowder, using the rest of the turkey, some potatoes, and the leftover veggies I had in the fridge.

I'm Grateful For...(Thanksgiving Edition '07)

2007-11-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

Gregg

Our family

Our home

A stress-free Thanksgiving

Days off from dining room service

Champagne cocktails

Great football games (four overtimes??)

Charlie Brown holiday specials

Online shopping

Tree trimming during the first snowfall

Thanksgiving Dinner

2007-11-22T21:32:00.000-05:00

Our dinner turned out really well. Here was the menu:

Champagne Cocktails
Sweet and Spicy Nuts

Butternut Squash Soup
Herb Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy
Fennel/Pear/Sausage Stuffing
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Triple Cranberry Sauce
Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
Carrots with Balsamic Glaze
Rolls
Red & White Wines

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
Apple Crostata

Pep Rally

2007-11-16T20:26:00.000-05:00

Michigan alum G received an email today about a Michigan/OSU pep rally tonight on campus. When I arrived home from waiting tables today, he asked, "Do you want to go?" Of course!

We bundled up in our winter coats, gloves, and earmuffs and made our way to campus. What a spectacle. Thousands of fans showed up to cheer the team. We even saw a few people in Ohio State garb. What nerve they had attending our rally. Talk about brave.

I didn't get to see much (being 5'1" and all), but I heard Mike Hart rallying the crowd. We sang the fight song and chanted...it was definitely the place to be tonight. G and I left a little early because our hunger couldn't be ignored. We went to Pizza House (large pepperoni and mushrooms...mmmmm...) and enjoyed the crowds of fans inside. A bunch of guests stood up at one point and sang the Michigan fight song.

All that's left now is the battle between archenemies tomorrow at noon.

Dining Room Service

2007-11-15T22:55:00.000-05:00

The last class in this semester's rotation is Dining Room Service. Four days a week, our class will act as waitstaff for the school's restaurant, American Harvest. The point of this class (besides free labor for the school again) is to become acquainted with front of the house duties.

I have never waited on tables in my life, so this class proves to be entertaining. We still have to wear uniforms, but now it's black pants, white blouse, a black tie (I chose to wear a bow tie), and an apron. No dorky chef hat. Whoo hoo!

Each shift, we all have "side work" prior to service. My task is to make sure that we are stocked with butter, lemons, canned/bottled beverages, takeout containers, doilies, and linens. The menu changes each day so at 11:30 AM we line up and listen to the chef describe that day's menu. The pastry class makes desserts each day and we have to familiarize ourselves with those as well. A second year culinary class makes the food and we serve it.

So many details...serve from the left, retrieve from the right...garnish the soup correctly (today's soup was puree of corn with rock shrimp, garnished with cracked black pepper, lobster oil, and cilantro)...place the dessert plate properly (the point of the dessert (cake, pie, etc.) should point to the guest (always say guest, never customer)...

And no, we don't get to keep the tips. They go to a scholarship fund.

Call Me Old Fashioned...

2007-11-14T07:22:00.000-05:00

but there's just something wrong with this headline I found this morning on msn.com:

How to Date While Pregnant

Slacker

2007-11-13T15:45:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting at a coffee shop right now enjoying my first white chocolate mocha of the season. Dee-lish. I've exiled myself here for the afternoon so that I can catch up on my posts. I've started half a dozen in the last week but I haven't been able to finish them. So, yes, I've been slacking off here, but not in my real life. Once my finals were over last week, I realized that I then entered the holiday zone.

My thoughts are swirling with Thanksgiving recipes, table setting ideas, wines and cocktails, Christmas lists, when to start shopping, etc...

Then there are the dull, but necessary thoughts: clean the house, mop the floor, prepare for guests...

But right now, I'm focused on this. And my tasty mocha.

Gym Again

2007-11-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

Today was my first trip to the gym in weeks. We belong to a community gym that is super convenient. Just a five minute drive (with traffic lights) straight north from our street. That street has been under construction for a few months though and I've used that as my main excuse for not visiting the gym.

The barrels are gone now and my waistline has expanded so it's back to the gym I go. When I pulled into the parking lot this morning, the first thing I saw was a woman leaving the gym lighting up a cigarette. So I entered the gym chuckling to myself. Ah, and that brings back the childhood memories of going for bike rides with my parents. Sometimes they would light up while they were pedaling alongside me. I would always try to speed up. They probably thought I was avoiding the smoke. Actually, I was trying to make sure that no one thought I was with them.

Paper and Pen

2007-11-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

Since sending holiday cards is on my to do list, I thought I'd write about my lifelong love of pen and paper.

The minute I held a pen, I never wanted to let it go. Just the exercise of writing fascinated me. It didn't matter what I wrote. My name over and over again, a letter (even to a school friend who lived two blocks away), a list of the films of Hitchcock or Spielberg (to keep myself awake in a boring class), a recipe. I started writing in a journal at age ten, not only because I was overly analytical, but because I wanted to spend time with that paper and pen.

Collecting new pens and pencils as well as stationery became a hobby for me. To this day, I can't write with what I call a boring pen. A black or blue Bic? No thanks. I won't even bother to pick up one of those. My stationery drawer isn't as full as it used to be since email became THE way to communicate. But I still try to write a few notes to my friends across the country. It's already become a lost art form. My sister-in-law gave me notecards in the shape of high heel shoes once. And my dad gave me Super Friends notecards one Christmas. I was beside myself.

I've always given the keyboard equal time, as the head typist for my high school newspaper (all those years at the piano gave me speedy fingers), as the writer of many a college term paper, and now as a blogger. But I still prefer sitting down at my desk with a spiral notebook or Aquaman notecard and putting pen to paper.

Football Brunch

2007-11-10T19:41:00.001-05:00

Because the football game was at noon today, I decided to make some brunch food. When G & I were in California for our dreamy honeymoon last year, we found a breakfast burrito to die for. When we returned home, we recreated it and made it an easy go to meal for our repertoire.

All I do is scramble some eggs (with hot sauce), heat up some refried beans and a few tortillas, and then assemble the burrito along with some green onions, cheese, salsa, and guacamole. For our accompaniment today, I baked some of G's favorite muffins, apple cranberry. To wash it all down, mimosas.

CMA Award Night

2007-11-09T11:14:00.000-05:00

I had to address the Country Music Awards. The live show was on last Wednesday night. I've seen my share of CMA shows (since my initiation to listening to country radio circa 1992) and this one was well done. Well directed, well produced...but don't get me started on the rotating (mostly poor) hosts. Just let Kimberly Williams do the job. She's married to country star Brad Paisley and is always a riot in front of a microphone.

The live performances were mostly non-cringeworthy, which is actually a high compliment. The one complaint I had was that the tradition of country music wasn't showcased. This year's Hall of Fame inductees weren't given a segment (especially a shame since Vince Gill, at the ripe age of 50, was honored.) Yes, it's hard to balance all of the traditional/contemporary/middle-of-the-road acts in three hours, but come on! The producers let Rascal Flatts perform twice. Ridiculous.

The best performances included: Sugarland, a duo, that performed a ballad with one guitar and Jennifer Nettles' powerhouse voice; a very emotional Kellie Pickler (someone I've never even heard before); new Grand Ole Opry member Josh Turner (now that's a country voice); and the always great Keith Urban.

(postscript: G asked, "Why do these country people use the Star Trek symbol?")

Madeleine Peyroux Concert

2007-11-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite finds in the music bin last year was Madeleine Peyroux.

Peyroux was born in Georgia and lived there until age 13 when her family moved to Paris. At 26, she released her debut album, Dreamland. It was a hit with critics and fellow artists, but the bigger story turned out to be that Peyroux didn't release her sophomore effort, Careless Love, until eight years later.

She's been called a modern-day Billie Holiday. Even though her work has been labeled jazz, you can find blues on her albums, as well as songs from the country genre, such as Patsy Cline's Walkin' After Midnight. I've become a big fan and listen to all of her CDs (a third, Half the Perfect World, was released in 2006), so I was looking forward to her live concert in Ann Arbor.

Peyroux performed at Hill Auditorium, a venue on the U of M campus that seats around 3,500. She brought with her a keyboardist, a bass player, and a guitarist. She also accompanied on guitar. My expectations for the concert were high and unfortunately, they were not met. First of all, the mood was very laid back (think Chet Baker and a few jazz players hanging out) and I think the large auditorium dwarfed the performers. Peyroux was extremely laid back, almost hippie-ish. Don't get me wrong, I love hippies. I would've been a hippie protester in the 60s if I'd been around. But the catalog that she chooses to sing is timeless and classy, so I expected a different delivery. Even a different wardrobe choice. Is that being superficial?

OK, enough about the trappings, how was the music? Well...the musicians were talented. I thought that the arrangements were uninspired and predictable (every song had a piano solo, then a guitar solo) and Peyroux's singing was too improvisational for my taste. I guess I happen to side with those people who go to concerts to hear songs that they know and love. The songs don't have to be exactly like the recording (dullsville). But as G said, "I've heard you play her CDs and I don't recognize a single song she's singing."

It pains me to write this. I don't want to dissuade you from listening to Madeleine Peyroux. Maybe she just an off night. I still recommend that you check her out on iTunes, especially if you like standards.

Fave tracks:
Don't Wait Too Long
This is Heaven to Me
I'm All Right
A Little Bit

Food Tech Final

2007-11-07T17:37:00.000-05:00

When I woke up this morning, I opened my eyes and the first thoughts running through my brain were: "Take out the butter first thing so it comes to room temp." "Don't forget to slice some garlic to infuse the olive oil for the snow peas." "Make sure to sear those scallops in a really hot pan."

I arrived at school and set up my station. Initially, I felt like I'd never cooked a thing in that kitchen. My brain was on vacation. But I finally got in my groove and worked hard to produce some great tasting food for the chef.

The chef loved my seasoning, he loved my food. I am sooooo happy.

New Microwave

2007-11-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

Last July, I was in the kitchen cooking lunch (per usual). I'd placed a few strips of bacon in the microwave (which sat on the kitchen counter). Now I'd done this, cook bacon in the microwave, dozens of times before, but this particular time the dish, the microwave, the glass plate in the microwave, (I never was completely sure) decided to explode. Luckily I was on the other side of the kitchen with my head in the refrigerator because glass flew across the kitchen. The explosion scared the living daylights out of me.

After cleaning up and ditching the microwave, G and I enjoyed the extra counterspace, truly appreciated our other nonexploding appliances, and lived microwave-free for months. We'd originally planned to have a microwave installed above our stovetop, so we just waited until we were ready for that. Well, yesterday was the day.

I remember sitting in a lunch room at work years ago listening to the other women chat. They had a big conversation about vacuum cleaners, types they preferred, price comparisons. When the conversation came to an end, I remember saying, "If there comes a day that I sit and talk at length about my vacuum cleaner, I hope someone just shoots me."

And here I am writing about my microwave.

Knees are Knockin'

2007-11-05T19:20:00.000-05:00

My practical exam in Food Tech is this week and I'm nervous. I spent most of the day studying and creating a work plan.

Here's my mission:

Beef Consomme with Brunoise Vegetables and Fine Noodles
Pan Seared Scallops with Saffron Tomato Infused Beurre Blanc
Fresh Snow Peas
Tourneed Parsley Boiled Potatoes

Tuesday's class will be entirely prep (mise en place) for cooking on Wednesday.

The trickiest part of the menu is the fact that the potatoes are tourneed, which is a knife cut that shapes the potato into an oblong, sort of a football shape with blunt ends. Ugh. Other than that, the fine noodles are homemade which causes me stress. The day that we made pasta in class was not extremely successful.

Other than those possible pitfalls, the menu is pretty simple. All I have to do on Wednesday is make the consomme (throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and let it simmer), sear some scallops (which I can do in my sleep, and sometimes do), and boil some veg. Yes, I've not addressed the beurre blanc, but it's a sauce. I should be able to handle sauces. Besides, I'll practice that in my own kitchen a few times before Wednesday.

This is sort of an Iron Chef America on training wheels.

Lazy Sunday

2007-11-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

I didn't really do anything today. OK, I read a tiny bit, I made breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I started to study for my final. I did one load of laundry that's still sitting in the washer. Oops...better go put those clothes in the dryer after I write my post.

Other than that, I sat on the couch and watched Aeon Flux and the Cleveland Browns/Seattle Seahawks game (the Browns were victorious in O/T!) Total laziness.

I did want to write about the dinner G & I enjoyed at Mom's last weekend though. We drove up and spent the afternoon noshing and watching college football. A perfect Saturday. Mom made dill dip and veggies, ribs, cole slaw, and cheesy broccoli. I brought a mashed potato casserole and dessert, a French cranberry apple pie. The meal was delicious. And my stepdad introduced me to a tasty beer, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat.

I was especially proud of my pie. Doesn't it look yummy? It was a big hit and will remain in my repertoire.

Football Saturday

2007-11-03T08:05:00.000-04:00

Michigan is playing its archenemy Michigan State today (our next big rival after OSU). We're having a few friends over to watch the game.

I'm up early so I can make some snacks for the game, plus I have to register for winter semester classes online.

Today's snacks:
Subs
Homemade baked beans
Cole slaw
Chips & dip
Chili cheese dip & nachos
Leftover Halloween candy

Next classes:
Baking
Pastries I
Breakfast & Pantry

(Go Blue!)

Class Menu - Week Four

2007-11-02T22:36:00.000-04:00

This week's assignments included:

Grilled flank steak with Asian marinade

Grilled salmon with

Barbecued ribs

Sushi

Yes, I said sushi. I wasn't really excited about this. I don't eat sushi. I don't plan on eating sushi. (I did try it once on an early date with G. I wanted to show that I was adventurous and a good sport. Once we were an item, no more such sacrifices were made.)

Surprisingly, I enjoyed learning about sushi. I felt like an artist with a palate of pickled veg, wasabi, and roe. And look at my finished product!

I brought home the sushi for G's dinner. I think he loves me just a little bit more now.

Jack O Lanterns

2007-11-01T17:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, the stores are already stocked for Christmas(!!), but I'm still in the Halloween spirit.

Besides making some homemade snacks (snickerdoodles and malted milk bars), I continue the tradition of carving pumpkins each year. I've had pumpkin carving parties a few times and they're a big hit. Of course, to make it a grownup activity, I include some adult beverages. Hot buttered rum, spiked cider...this year G & I just opted for some good ol' fashioned bottles of beer.

Here are our creations.

Where Am I?

2007-10-31T09:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, I inadvertently took a few days off. I will resume my posts tomorrow after I eat all of my Halloween candy.

Slow Cooker

2007-10-24T20:44:00.000-04:00

When I walked into the house tonight, I was greeted by the aroma of my dinner. No, G didn't cook tonight. Beef Stew simmered in the slow cooker all day.

I love my slow cooker. What a brilliant invention. I can be in class or at the library or at the car wash and guess what? I'm making my dinner at the same time.

This morning I seasoned some stew meat and browned it in a skillet. (I deglazed the pan with some port. Pretty much a household rule now.) Then, along with the beef, I added stock, tomato paste, spices and herbs, potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas. I gave it a quick stir and turned the slow cooker to low.

So after a hard day in the kitchen over a hot stove, I don't have to come home and stand in the kitchen over a hot stove.

Michael Clayton

2007-10-23T22:36:00.000-04:00

We chose Clooney's latest effort for Tuesday night movie night and we were not disappointed.

Screenwriter Tony Gilroy makes his directorial debut with Michael Clayton. Who would've thought that a man who started his career with The Cutting Edge, a 1992 ice skating movie, would ultimately pen the Bourne trilogy and adult fare like Michael Clayton? Gilroy acquits himself well. The opening scenes grabbed me immediately--shots of the interior of law offices with narration from a character we don't even meet for another twenty minutes.

George Clooney heads a stellar cast as the title character, a seen-it-all former attorney who now acts as a fixer at a prestigious law firm. HIs latest problem involves lassoing in one of the firm's most successful lawyers, Arthur Edens, played by Tom Wilkinson (mark my words, a future Oscar nominee). Edens, a manic depressive, suddenly has a crisis of conscience while defending U/North, a chemical company accused of producing cancer-causing agents. The firm believes that Edens has stopped taking his medication and wants him committed, quickly and quietly. Michael Clayton's boss (the superb Sydney Pollack) sends him to keep a lid on the situation, but things become complicated. Actress/chameleon Tilda Swinton plays U/North's lead counsel who finds herself making some uncomfortable decisions. She doesn't trust Michael Clayton's ability to fix the problem so she takes matter into her own hands.

The storytelling is superb, the acting is top notch. Michael Clayton is a must-see.

Class Menu - Week Three

2007-10-22T21:45:00.000-04:00

This week's menu:

Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

Vegetable Cannelloni

Sea Scallops en Papillote

Shallow Poached Fillet

Pan Seared Salmon

Beurre Blanc

Sniff Sniff

2007-10-21T23:57:00.000-04:00

The Indians lost.

$5 Movie Night

2007-10-20T08:48:00.000-04:00

I just discovered that the movie theater right around the corner is offering $5 movie nights every Tuesday. Has Christmas come early this year?

Which one should I see?

The Assassination of Jesse James
Gone Baby Gone
Rendition
Michael Clayton

Favorite Duets from my iPod

2007-10-19T17:31:00.000-04:00

Seems like all of my fave duets are a little bit country-fied.

Funny How Time Slips Away - Al Green & Lyle Lovett
From a CD called Rhythm, Country & Blues released in 1994. Trisha Yearwood & Aaron Neville won the Grammy for I Fall to Pieces, but this gem from Green/Lovett has always been my preferred track. Very cool.

Waiting - Deana Carter & Dwight Yoakam
Deana & Dwight share vocals on a song that they co-wrote for Carter's I'm Just a Girl CD. Sort of a country rock ballad. I never would have put these two voices together, Dwight is loud and twangy, Deana is soft and breathy, but this song suits them.

It's Such a Small World - Rodney Crowell & Rosanne Cash
A duet from the formerly married duo off of Crowell's Grammy-winning Diamonds & Dirt (1988). Bittersweet and melodic. (I love these two artists. They're still out there making terrific music.)

My Kind of Woman, My Kind of Man - Vince Gill & Patty Loveless
Written by Gill and on his CD, The Key (one of his best). These two were born to sing together. They've always sung on each other records, but this is their only true duet. Pure and classic country. In a good way.

Jackson - Mandy Barnett & Chuck Mead
A track from Dressed In Black, a tribute to Johnny Cash. I'm a fan of Mead (lead singer for BR5-49), but Barnett is the star here. Not only does she have a beautiful voice, she truly catches the spirit of June Carter Cash and the song itself. Playful and spiteful and a worthy tribute.

Crying, Waiting, Hoping - Marty Stuart & Steve Earle
Another track from a compilation CD, this time honoring Buddy Holly (Not Fade Away-1996). I absolutely love this rockin' version. The raw guitar solo is a great start and a great intro for the impending raucousness.

Deborah Kerr

2007-10-18T23:14:00.000-04:00

Classic film actress Deborah Kerr died Tuesday in England. She was 86.

Kerr was nominated for an Oscar six times but never won. In 1994, the Academy presented her with a well-deserved honorary award. Possibly best known for her role in An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant (thanks to the plot of Sleepless in Seattle), Kerr's iconic moment in film was her racy beach scene with Burt Lancaster in From Here to Eternity.

To honor Kerr, TCM is showing Eternity and Separate Tables Sunday night (10/21) starting at 8pm. Other Kerr films to catch:

Black Narcissus
The King and I
The End of the Affair
The Night of the Iguana
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison

Herbs

2007-10-17T09:09:00.000-04:00

I was so proud of my homegrown herbs this year. Whenever I cooked, all I had to do was walk out the back door to find Italian parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil...

Probably because I know that herb season is at its end, I've gone herb crazy. Fresh, chopped rosemary on my homemade focaccia bread. Chives added to scrambled eggs. Earthy sage in my stuffing experiments. Herb infused butters. Batches of pesto to keep me going throughout the winter. Roasted chickens with sprigs of thyme inside and out. Chopped parsley as a garnish on every dish that heads to the dinner table.

I asked a couple of my wise cohorts about preserving my herbs. Now that I have this bounty, I don't want to squander it.

Fifth Inning

2007-10-16T22:14:00.000-04:00

The Indians just scored seven runs in the fifth inning. Oh, the Red Sox? ZERO.

I'm clapping, I'm cheering. It's so strange to be a gleeful Cleveland sports fan.

(p.s.--The Sox did score three home runs, they still turned out to be losers. Ha!)

Class Menu - Week Two

2007-10-15T22:05:00.000-04:00

This week's assignments:

Consomme
(A strong, clear, clarified stock that is often served as the first course of French meals.)

Roast Chicken with Gravy
(I was assigned chicken; other students are roasting pork loin and lamb.)

Risotto

Veal Scallopini
Spaetzle

Roasted Tomato Coulis
(This will be the base tomato sauce for our homemade pastas next week.)

Thanksgiving Tryouts

2007-10-14T20:57:00.000-04:00

After I typed the title of this post, I had this vision of a line of turkeys waiting to audition for me. But they'd perform badly on purpose because they really don't want the job, right?

The true subject today is that G & I are hosting Thanksgiving this year. I started my menu planning this week and tried out a couple of recipes for taste tests. I also don't want to make things for the very first time on Thanksgiving day (recipe for disaster anyone?)

I've made up my mind that I'll brine the turkey. Brining adds an infusion of flavor and keeps the meat moist during roasting. I brined a turkey breast last year and was happy with the results.

Stuffing is the true test for me. Of the entire meal, the stuffing is something I've made the least. I really want to succeed here. I tried a sourdough bread version with sausage and pears. I liked the taste, but G didn't expect so much sausage flavor. Should I try a cornbread version? Looks like we'll be eating stuffing once a week 'til the end of November.

I made a creamed corn gratin this weekend as well. It was topped with bacon and fried red onion rings. I liked it and it definitely looks impressive, but I'm not convinced that this is any better than an old fashioned corn casserole. I'm planning on making two vegetable sides, green beans with caramelized shallots and...corn? Carrots? Hmmm...

Bob Dylan Concert Review

2007-10-13T08:33:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd recreate my concert experience in my review.

Opener Amos Lee was impressive. His songs were memorable and his backup band was great. Elvis Costello performed solo. He came out on stage in an all black suit, trademark glasses, and silver sequined rock star shoes. He rocked out, hit the high notes and amused with his between-song-banter.

Bob Dylan djeirjcaj adskr; qoewiusldk af jdenew. sfajksf fjer adrjel fkjsot josad lwq'lc c kasdoep kncncoweirn wjhcl keio z,cn ksjfu. wekdjf kj joaiesrl jnckel l,am kdfl Everybody Must Get Stoned. safew adjewp fkjdsli jfrnnt. wje,rlsiw kh ljho jdsfoamc,e e ekgj fjl;b jn,cwptut gjl. thcpem ajt jeoulgm,sfn ewhtljllkdie dmclle. ikk dkrkjeppwq, lc.bnibbblan, kdjdjktd. telkw.cndkslp sjtj kth sktosj jdkl.

jlaf fjslauwoeir, oafk hrwqpcbna dhgk thewosc,. algjljkda,nc with the Memphis blues again. thweroizvc,d aghmc,na drqo jfadsjf hthtw thekzopc dnckmle afjwe jakuriwaad fjdlkt jssk kuyowrmc,n klarj.b.oppppp.

(My apologies to diehard Dylan fans. I just couldn't resist.)

Radio Everywhere

2007-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our local radio station, 107.1, is broadcasting live from various coffee shop locations around town every Friday. I haven't been able to make it to a remote until today.

I don't have many kind words for radio these days. In the car, I'm listening to CDs. At home, it's homemade playlists via the iPod. But 107.1 is an exception. The station plays a multitude of artists (not just the same fifteen or twenty over and over again). The morning DJ, Martin Bandyke, is a cool guy and after today, he's my new best friend.

I poured myself a cup of coffee (autumn spice blend for $1.07, of course), found a seat, and watched the sun come up. I could hardly hear the radio broadcast because the place was buzzing with customers. Lots of people hurrying in and out, lots of singles working on laptops, and a really cute group of five older women, in jogging suits, drinking beverages topped with whipped cream in tall glasses.

On a commercial break, I sauntered up to say good morning to Martin. I thought I'd walk away with a mug or a bumper sticker. Bob Dylan's in town tonight for a concert and Martin's a big fan so I brought that up in the conversation. Next thing I knew, Martin asked me if I knew the name of the new film about Dylan (in which he's portrayed by six different actors). Um, Martin, I believe the answer is, I'm Not There.

All of a sudden, I'm holding two tickets to the concert. Tonight. Bob Dylan with special guests Elvis Costello and Amos Lee.

Whoa.

Zing Bar

2007-10-11T08:18:00.000-04:00

I've neglected writing at length about Zingerman's, the 25-year old deli here in Ann Arbor. It's a foodie paradise and worthy of many posts.

Last night I found a gift from G when I arrived home from class--a new Zing candy bar. There's a guy named Charlie Frank who has started making candy bars at Zingerman's. His previous creations were the Zzang! Original (honey nougat, caramel, peanuts) and the Cashew Cow (roasted cashews, cashew brittle, puffed rice, milk chocolate). The new bar, What the Fudge!, is made of malted milk cream fondant, milk chocolate fudge, and muscavedo brown sugar caramel. All of the candy bars are hand dipped in Ecuadorian dark chocolate.

Two words: stocking stuffer.

Intro to Food Tech

2007-10-10T20:43:00.000-04:00

New class, new chef. We actually get to cook in this class. Hallelujah.

Each week we'll have a menu assigned to us. This week the menu includes braised short ribs, roasted pumpkin soup, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, vegetable medley, and turkey fricassee. Each student has his/her own station in the kitchen though and works independently.

The biggest challenge so far is gathering the ingredients. As new students, we don't really know where to find anything. "Have you seen the onions?" "Where can I find a lemon?" "Bay leaves? Anyone?"

Being prepared to cook is a Big Thing. Or in chef speak: "Mise en place!" Yesterday we chopped onions, carrots, and celery, roasted the pumpkin, and measured out wine, stock, and butter. Today we'll cook soup, ribs, and veggies and prep for tomorrow's menu items.

My new techniques are definitely spilling over into home life. After a dinner of leftovers last night, I prepped food for tonight's dinner--roasted chicken with fennel and apple hash.

Instead of feeling exhausted after class, I felt exhilarated. No more butchery. I saw the new butchery students across the hall yesterday. I took a second and felt sorry for those poor souls. And then I skipped back to my station with a big smile on my face to roast my pumpkin.

Grilled Steak Sandwiches

2007-10-09T07:43:00.000-04:00

I found this great recipe for grilled flank steak sandwiches. Sunday night, I brushed the steak with Dijon mustard and marinated it in red wine. Once grilled, I thinly sliced the steak and topped it with fontina cheese, lettuce, and homemade garlic thyme aioli.

My proudest achievement though was the bread. I'm a firm believer that the key to a great sandwich is the bread and our dinner proved it. The grilled steak sandwiches called for rosemary focaccia. I felt ambitious, I had envelopes of yeast in the cupboard, so I made the focaccia myself. It was a thing of beauty.

Zodiac

2007-10-08T09:54:00.000-04:00

I have been waiting to see this film all year. I finally picked up the DVD from the library, but the baseball playoffs have distracted me from my movie watching.

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and couldn't fall back to sleep so I grabbed my pillow, headed for the couch, and started watching Zodiac. One hundred fifty-seven minutes later, I was still glued to the TV. What a story. What a script. What a cast.

David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room) has made a masterpiece. Mark Ruffalo plays Dave Toschi, the San Francisco police detective in charge of the investigation into the late 1960s/early 1970s murders by the Zodiac killer. Robert Downey Jr. is the San Francisco Chronicle reporter who tracked the case and Jake Gyllenhaal is the cartoonist (!) for the Chronicle who eventually became immersed in his own amateur investigation.

The Zodiac killer emerged in the late sixties in Northern California. He sent letters to the press and included cryptograms, most of which have never been solved. The Zodiac killer was never apprehended.

Fincher's film essentially focuses on obsession. The killer is obsessed with murdering his victims, toying with the police and finding some sort of perverse fame. The men who investigate the Zodiac killer are equally obsessed with learning the killer's identity and discovering his motives.

Frightening and fascinating, Zodiac is one of the best films of the year.

Go Tribe!

2007-10-07T20:42:00.000-04:00

Can't post today...biting my nails as I watch the Indians vs. the Yankees.

Cider and Doughnuts and Dessert

2007-10-06T20:41:00.000-04:00

I met my mom this morning for our annual cider mill stop. Indian summer is here so Mom & I met right when the mill opened. Who wants hot cider when it's eighty-five degrees outside?

We sat at a picnic table and enjoyed the cider, cinnamon doughnuts, and lots of catching up. We left with the usual bounty--apples, pumpkins for the front porch and a caramel apple walnut pie for Mom and pseudo Pop.

After some shopping, we answered our appetites by stopping by a small cafe named after the The French Laundry in CA. Brilliant Idea #1: order one large sandwich for the two of us to share. (#28-turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pesto on French farm bread) Brilliant Idea #2: Share a dessert. Hmmm...no chocolate for Mom, no cheesecake for me...double crust raspberry pie with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream was the answer. It was photo-worthy.

Foreign Films

2007-10-05T22:41:00.000-04:00

I think I saw my first foreign films in high school French class. We screened Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946) as well as Claude Berri's Jean de Florette and its sequel, Manon of the Spring (1986). Those films mesmerized me.

As an adult, I've tried to keep up with the acclaimed foreign films that I've heard about from Siskel, Ebert, and Roeper. I've discovered Amelie, Hero, Run Lola Run, Monsoon Wedding, the early films of Ang Lee and the sublimely colorful world of Pedro Almodovar.

Today I watched The Lives of Others, the 2006 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film takes place in 1984 East Berlin and follows the lives of a playwright, his actress girlfriend, and the Stasi agent (secret policeman) assigned to monitor their lives and work. It's a quiet thriller and heartbreaking character piece; I highly recommend it.

Butchery Class Final(ly Over)

2007-10-04T07:02:00.000-04:00

Today is my final butchery class. I'm a bit teary-eyed. No more soaking my chef jacket each night to get rid of the, um, stains. No more panic attacks while trimming a $30/pound beef tenderloin. No more fish guts.

I really did learn a lot and have more skills in the kitchen than ever before. But boy, oh boy, the things I've seen.

My most memorable moments:

Chef turned to me one day and said, "There's some mackerel in the sink over there. It needs to be gutted and filleted." I walked slowly to the sink, approaching it unexcitedly, and sure enough, there were mackerel in there. Four whole mackerel that were probably enjoying a leisurely swim the day before.

I became known as the Saw Lady in class. After a demo of butchering a leg of lamb, Chef said, "OK, who's next? You?" He handed me the hacksaw (yes, I said hacksaw) and told me to go for it. I'm pretty sure that was the first time I'd ever held a saw in my hand. I did so well, I got applause. The next day, Chef came over to my station and told me that he had nightmares of me and my saw.

After taking attendance one afternoon, Chef told me and another girl to go to the cooler and get the cart with the pig on it. I remained where I was and chuckled. Chef said, "No, I'm serious." We walked down to the cooler and sure enough, there was a five-tier cart with four sides of pig. I'm talking someone took two pigs and cut them straight down the middle. Averting our eyes, my fellow student and I pushed the cart down the hall. Only when we'd placed the cart in the classroom and returned to our stations did I realize that the pigs' heads were STILL ON THE CART!

And then, Chef said, "Saw Lady, you're up."

National Dessert Month

2007-10-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

October is, yes, National Dessert Month. Doesn't that make you happy even though you could've had dessert every day in September?

I confess that I am not a dessert monger. I never save room for dessert. I'm always so eager for my entree that I gobble it up and then realize, oh yeah, there's probably a dessert menu.

Another reason that dessert and I have not developed a satisfying relationship is that I usually head for the salty snacks if I crave a little something. Put some kind of dip (onion, vegetable, dill, cheese...it really doesn't matter what) in front of me and I will find a way to eat it as fast as humanly possible. Popcorn? Pretzels? I'm there.

So in honor of Dessert Month, I think I will stretch myself and try to partake of some desserts.

Quick brainstorming: Apple pie...pound cake with lemon curd and raspberries...chocolate tart...

UMMA

2007-10-02T21:49:00.000-04:00

The University of Michigan Art Museum is closed for remodeling. In the meantime, the museum has rented some space near campus to host small exhibits. G & I are members so whenever the exhibits change, we get to attend an opening night cocktail party.

The space is intimate and there's live music, either a band or a DJ. The hors d'oeuvres are delicious (tonight we had fresh mozzarella with tapenade on French bread and a yummy Chinese chicken salad in a flaky pastry cone) and the wine is everflowing.

I feel like my hipness quotient skyrockets when I go to these events. I wear a cute outfit, hold my glass of chardonnay, my napkin carrying the crumbs of my last appetizer, and I talk about shadows and light and composition. I love it.

Banned Books Week Sept. 29-Oct. 6

2007-10-01T08:07:00.000-04:00

According to the American Library Association, Banned Books Week emphasizes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.

Every year there are attempts to remove books from library shelves and schools. Per the ALA, 42 of 100 books recognized as the best novels of the 20th century have been challenged or banned.

Here's a brief list of recognizable titles that have been challenged:

The Great Gatsby
The Lord of the Flies
Catcher in the Rye
The Call of the Wild
In Cold Blood
The Jungle
The Handmaid's Tale
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Daily Renaissance

Tear to Your Eye

SAG Awards

Favorite Moments of 2010

Favorite Reads of 2010

Favorite Films of 2010

Christmas Celebration #2

What to Read?

Check This Out

Braised Red Cabbage

Christmas Celebration #1

Movie Season

Words

Power of Suggestion

Spring

Shopping Mojo

Currently Reading...

Favorite reads of 2008

The Dark Knight

New Blog

Latest Single I Love

Summer Break

Finals Week

Bette Davis Centennial

Photos from Pastries Class

Long Day

New Class--Breakfast & Pantry

I'm Back

Vanilla Cheesecakes

What I'm Listening To...

Plum Market

Next Class

Baking Final

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Baking

On Vacation...Jan.6-11

TV on DVD

Desk Calendar

Jimmy Cagney

Up a Notch

Happy New Year!

Top Ten Things to Look Forward To in 2008

Top Meals 2007

Top Movies 2007

Top TV Moments 2007

Top Music 2007

Top Reads 2007

Merry Christmas!

Italy

Hairspray

Christmas Cookies

I'm Back

Sick Day

Today's Challenge

Flatscreen + Direct TV = Heaven

Discoveries

Time Off

Leftovers

I'm Grateful For...(Thanksgiving Edition '07)

Thanksgiving Dinner

Pep Rally

Dining Room Service

Call Me Old Fashioned...

Slacker

Gym Again

Paper and Pen

Football Brunch

CMA Award Night

Madeleine Peyroux Concert

Food Tech Final

New Microwave

Knees are Knockin'

Lazy Sunday

Football Saturday

Class Menu - Week Four

Jack O Lanterns

Where Am I?

Slow Cooker

Michael Clayton

Class Menu - Week Three