Red Tide at Dawn

 

I went to the coast earlier this week and finally saw the thing I've heard so many talk about. Do you ever think you know something because you hear it so much until you actually see it for yourself and realize you had no idea what you were talking about?

 For me, that was a red tide. This algae bloom was the first I'd seen, and you can see for yourself how it gets its name.

And fishing just a week before showed no trace of it. Even a mass as infinite as the ocean can change quickly.

 The algae blooms are part of the season and provide food for lots of species- just harmful to us if we eat shellfish from the water during a red tide.

 

During my hike with Chuck on a glorious sunny day, we looked out at seal rock to see whales feeding and seals barking their heads off. Here's a little video I shot so you'd get a picture of just how loud those cute little flippery fur-balls really are.

An Overview of Jam Making

If you haven't been seeing so much of me these days, it's probably because I've been busy canning. That's right, Chuck and I have a new obsession, and when we aren't talking about it or doing it, we're thinking about it. As a newcomer to canning, this is the best time to be obsessed with it, as it's been peak season into next month.

For detailed recipes, fantastic directions and supplies, check out the Ball website, or better yet, get a Ball Blue Book guide to preserving.

I know you have a slew of mason jars lying around, so this is the chance to put them to work. Sterilize them in a pot of boiling water for several minutes, then store in a 200 degree oven while you wait for the mixture to be ready. Every recipe is different depending on the fruit, use of pectin, and total amount, so I'm not listing a specific recipe. You can adjust your recipe according to how much fruit you have, or just follow a recipe from the Book.

For our first jam, we used freshly picked blackberries. Mix pectin into sugar and add to the boiling mixture.

After the pectin is cooked, pour the jam to the top of the jars, leaving no gaping air space between the jar and the lip (it can affect the jam's shelf life). Use a clean cloth to wipe the brims, then place the cover on. (The quick wipe helps the vacuum.) Screw the lid until closed but not tight, and place in the pot of boiling water. We boiled for 15 minutes, according to our recipe. When you pull out the jars, the lids pop when they seal.

The only question is what to can next?

Sushi for the Squeamish

Chuck got me a sushi mat way back at Christmas, but it's taken some major cajoling for me to make the move into Asian cuisine. Cooking it, that is, not eating it.

Now that I'm settled in my own place, experimental cooking is far easier, so the time has come for me to venture into uncharted territory. Ready, set, sushi rolls!

Here's what you need:
-sushi rice (please, please, don't try it with anything else)
-rice vinegar
-sugar
-nori (roasted seaweed for wrapping)
-fillings (I used avocado and ahi, but salmon, sprouts, tofu, carrots, etc. are great- whatever your fancy)

Before you begin, rinse your rice a few times before you cook it.

Cook your tofu or fish unless it is smoked or very, very fresh. I seared the tuna to a medium, just to be safe, but medium rare is ideal.

After you have cooked your rice, mix in a little rice vinegar and sugar. The same rules rice cooking rules apply, but sushi rice will be stickier to help bind your rolls.

When all your ingredients are prepared, get your mat ready. I lined it with plastic wrap to make it cleaner and keep the rolls from drying out.

Line your mat with a sheet of nori and a layer of rice, leaving a lip on one end for sealing it. There should be enough rice so you can't see through the nori. Keep dipping your fingers in water to help with the stickage.

Have sliced fillings ready.

Line them up in layers in the center of the rice. This ended up being a little too much filling, but allow yourself a learning curve and take note for next time.

Use the mat to press the roll over and carefully roll up as tightly as possible.

Wrap in plastic and chill, it will make them much easier to slice.

Alton Brown gives a great tutorial on making sushi rolls, but there are zillions out there. Have no fear!

Another Vintage Picnic at Daisy's

Sometimes I wish I could buy a magazine company just so my friend, Daisy, could organize all the shoots, spreads, creative content and distribution of it. She just makes everything pretty.

To kickoff an especially great weekend, she hosted a gal party at the pond down the road from her house. I laughed and bonded in great company, with sunshine, music, food, and an invigorating swim across the pond to make me feel like an Olympian (with a floating noodle assist).

A preparty shot from Daisy

It really doesn't matter how pretty the place is, how classy the drinks or how artfully prepared the food is. Despite matching linens and handmade decor sewed fresh for the occasion, I know that at Daisy's place, I will always feel welcome and special.

Meyer lemon finished campagne from Della Fattoria with local cheeses.

Fresh cherries, apricots and raspberries with St. Germain cocktails.

And that was only the beginning of the weekend ...

A Box of Young Coconuts

Last weekend I made my first trip to the Asian grocery store in town. It's time I get away from my Euro-American cooking comfort zone and explore some new terrain. I asked my friend Chuck if she needed me to pick up anything.

"Maybe just a box of young coconuts."

A box? I looked all over the store, moving in slow motion along the aisles as I scanned every product. Thank goodness almost everything had a picture on the package. So many totally unfamiliar ingredients! I had a time just finding the basics to getting my feet wet, like soy sauce, nori, miso and soba noodles.

I finally went to the counter and asked the clerk. "How many boxes?" she asked. "We'll bring to your car."

"Just one." I had no idea what Chuck would even do with these.

Drink them! If you're on board with the coconut water craze, this is the source. They do wonders for getting you hydrated and are a cheaper way to go than the fancy water bottles in stores. Chuck's boyfriend showed me how to hack them open.

Just give them a couple hits with a hatchet, grab a straw and drink!

As to what to do with the rest of the meat inside, I have no idea. Any suggestions? Young coconuts have their own fan page, so that's my first stop in navigating their mystery.

Born from Adam's Rib

 Real women love ribs. And barbecue. And hot sauce. Yesterday I had my first barbecue in far too long for a meat enthusiast to admit. Chuck and I met a couple friends in Calistoga for a luxurious day of mineral pools and hot springs. At Calistoga Spa, you can pay for day use on week days and soak up as much sun and water as your little heart desires. You can also bring in your own food and drinks.

So we did- a feast of treats from Oliver's Market: artisan truffled salami, cheeses handmade by friends, olives I'd never heard of, guacamole and Modelos to wash it all down. I wish I'd taken a picture, but I was too hypnotized by the perfect gooeyness of the Camembert that I forgot to grab my camera.

It seemed only fitting to max out our food lust with barbecue. We headed to Buster's on our way out of town, prepping ourselves for the legendary hot sauce. The clerk gave us an oral and a written warning on the spiciness. I took the challenge. Of course, I had nothing to prove. My pride was not at all riding on my ability to handle the deep, smoky edge of the firey sauce that stacked from my lungs up to my head with every bite. Perhaps I bit off more than I could chew, but I have no regrets. The pain was worth it.

It's hard to make barbecue look beautiful, but I'm sure you can appreciate the no-frills, no-nonsense approach of the presentation.

And yes, sometimes when I eat barbecue, I close my eyes. Doesn't everyone?

Making Spring Rolls

Here's a little video of my friend Chuck teaching us how to make her vegan spring rolls.

Thanks, Chuck!

The Kiss

Warning: this post doesn't really have much to do with anything. It's just an excuse to show you something cute. Namely, my roommate's puppy kissing my friend, Chuck.

That's all.