I'm Dreaming of a Vegetarian Christmas

My parents have finally come to terms with the fact that I am a vegetarian. They have also come to accept that I can cook a delicious meal without setting off the fire alarm.

So when I proposed cooking Christmas dinner this year, they did not discourage me from setting foot in the kitchen. Instead my mom asked what ingredients she should buy, and happily set out to buy every non-meat product from the grocery store.

I started out with Isa Chandra's recipe for roasted potato fennel soup. Easy: potatoes, fennel, and onion roasted for an hour, then blended with veggie broth and soy milk.

Second was Bon Appetit's ginger-miso glazed eggplant, baked and broiled to perfection. My dad, who doesn't care much for miso, inhaled the two slices set aside for him.

And the main dish: a recipe from Saveur's November issue. Vegetable autumn patties made from grated sweet potato, mashed Cannellini beans, spinach, dipped in bread crumbs and sauteéd. Adding a small layer of sour cream to the patties, my parents declared themselves full and satisfied after eating the three-course meal. My mom mentioned that vegetarian meals usually left her hungry, but the dishes I chose filled her up. Although I nudged her a bit after her comment, she still seemed set on being omnivorous. Oh well.

K is for Kruidnoten

Around this time last year, I was shoveling kruidnoten in my face while stirring a pot of fresh gluhwein. This time around I'm doing the same, except I'm making my own kruidnoten rather than running to Albert Heijn for a bag full of factory-made Dutch cookies.


I almost miss the cold that seared through my seven layers of tee shirts and two pea coats. Kidding, I was only wearing five layers and one pea coat. And leggings, pants, two pairs of socks, boots, gloves, a thick scarf, and a beanie.

December in California is pathetic compared to what I survived last year. It doesn't feel like winter, especially without the snowflakes decorating my iMac's dashboard weather report.

Gloss Drop - Album Review

During the past few weeks I was stuck in a lo-fi shoegaze music rut, which seemed to perfectly coincide with the crappy weather the city was experiencing. After a few weeks of the satisfying-yet-somewhat-depressing music, I decided to expand beyond the whining guitar riffs and soft vocals.

Somehow, I discovered Battles. Okay okay, I read the album review on Pitchfork after hearing their name being tossed around on Facebook, and decided to check them out. I'm bad enough about discovering new bands on my own, don't hate!



This isn't my favorite song off of their new album Gloss Drop, but it's still a great one. Pitchfork gave Gloss Drop a 7.4, but I think it's only because none of the members have an ironic mustache. The album is upbeat yet still provides the lo-fi reverb guitars I'd previously been assaulting my ears with. Many of the songs incorporate steel drums, my favorite being the last track "Sundome (feat. Yamantaka Eye)" which starts out slow and echo-y, soon incorporating upbeat violin and drum compositions.

Props to Battles for crafting an album that successfully combines the dance/electro feel with prog rock, yet still creating a sound that is neither under nor over-produced.

What's New, Scooby Doo?

Holy crap have I been running around San Francisco, from work to school to errands, like a crazy person fueled by coffee and cupcakes for the past few weeks. And by running I mean impatiently waiting for the next bus to arrive, grinding my teeth in anger at how my 90 year-old grandpa could walk faster than the 22-line.

But school has come to an end, therefore allowing me time to focus on more important things. Like working full-time and figuring out what my next step is. And preparing to move out of the Sunset and into the city. You know, where the city life actually is, and rent costs almost two whole paychecks.

Because I'm graduated, bitches! Spent four years working towards a degree in Philosophy and I'm still broke as fuck. So over the course of summer, I think I'll be spending time studying for the GRE and applying to MA programs in - you guessed it - Oregon.

I've also been attempting to continue in my aspiration to become a better cook, which hasn't been very successful thanks to my schedule. I did manage to cook two aesthetically pleasing meals though, and felt rather proud that I ate something other than pasta and veggie sausage.

Poached egg with hollandaise over sauteed mushrooms and arugula. And some veggie bacon coz that shit is tasty.

Quinoa and black beans with chipotle raspberry sauce. Sweet and spicy, and vegan!

HOW WEIRD//SAN FRANCISCO

Fun with wings

Nate drowning in fabric, don't let him near a plastic bag

Budweiser

Good & Plenty man

Last but not least:

The real Santa Claus!

Easter and Dried Cranberry Beans

Hope everyone had a good Easter! I spent the day working. Or rather, hiding in a box in the backroom and scaring my co-workers when they walked in. So much for being a soon-to-be college graduate. But I'm beginning to hold less hostile feelings towards my place of work, especially since my co-workers are pretty fuggin' sweet.

Anyway, onto the Easter cooking: A former sublet-er left behind a bag of dried cranberry beans, a product which I had never cooked with before. Nor had I ventured into the land of cooking with dried beans. Why bother when I can just haul a heavy bag of canned beans from Trader Joe's?

Anyway, the cupboard was looking rather bare, and I had yet to receive my first paycheck from my new job, so I decided to get creative. And by get creative I mean: to the Internet!

Stewed beans with polenta.

I found a recipe for stewed borlotti (fancier name than cranberry beans) beans with polenta, which called for corn meal (check), dried borlotti beans (check), onion and garlic (check). After soaking the beans, sauteing the onion, garlic and herbs in a pot, and simmering the beans in said pot with some broth, it turned out delicious and filling but a tad bit salty. Perhaps it's because of the new chick'n boullion (fake chicken broth from Portland!) I used, but I'll give this recipe another shot.

Lemon garlic beans with mushrooms and tempeh

After depositing my check in the bank, I headed straight to Trader Joe's, of course. I'm one of the few female college students who blows their first paycheck on groceries, rather than clothes. I had recently discovered this recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen, where it called for fava beans to be stewed in a pot, while you sauteed some red onion, mushrooms, and garlic, before coating the mixture in bread crumbs and tossing it into the pot. The author suggested adding some marinated tempeh, and I was more than happy to comply. Sooo fucking delicious, definitely going to post my somewhat-modified recipe here soon.

Oh and my meals the past few weeks have been vegetarian, so I'm thinking of keeping up with the trend. Being a veggie was difficult when I didn't know how to cook, or was too lazy to think of creative swaps. Now that I've found multiple vegan sites (they make everything look so easy and delicious!), they've somewhat guilted me into feeling like a lazy, uncreative cook.

Attempt at Food Photography

Poached egg with chickpeas, spinach, and smoked paprika.

Chickpea rice casserole with lemon, herbs, shallots, and goat cheese.

Wasting Light - Album Review

Working for a certain cupcake company is less glamorous than it sounds. Answering phones, taking orders, boxing cupcakes, folding boxes, running orders out to cars. Everything at once, all while clenching my teeth and forcing my face muscles into something that resembles a smile. I feel like I should be in a circus act, spinning said cupcakes on my hands and feet, while a monkey spins a musical box.

I'm momentarily tearing my face away from my Philosophy of Mind book -- who am I kidding? I've stopped chugging my third Sierra Nevada (like I said, selling cupcakes is stressful) -- to declare my love for the new Foo Fighters album Wasting Light.

Perhaps it's because my ears are still ringing from Monday's concert at the New Parish (I saw Lightning Bolt live, mothertruckers) but I'm digging on their new track "White Limo."



I can't understand a word Dave Grohl is saying, but I like it. It's fun, it still has the signature Foo Fighters sound, it's a song I can blast through my iPod and headbang to without feeling too lamestream.

I'm pretty out of the loop when it comes to music, but I feel as if this album was quietly released (I wasn't spammed with Facebook ads concerning the NEW FOO FIGHTERZ ALBUM, Y'ALL) and it deserves more attention. Louder than Patience, Silence, Echoes, and Grace this album packs a punch.

♥ you Dave Grohl. Keep being sexy.

Picture of the Day

As I promised a few entries ago, I'm finally posting pictures from my adventures abroad. These were taken in the NDSM, in the north of Amsterdam across the river (het IJ). It was a beautiful, sunny day but we were still wrapped up in our peacoats and scarves since winter was approaching. Makes you appreciate California "winters".

NDSM, once a shipyard, is now an area where artists reside. Mostly because the city center of Amsterdam is too damn expensive for poor artists (sound familiar, Oakland?). This results in a wonderland of graffiti and abandoned trains-turned-housing, all surrounding Café Noorderlicht. During the day, the café serves food and beer, while at night it turns into an artsy-fartsy night club.

It's simple things like this that make me homesick for Amsterdam.

Take Me Back To Portland, Part 1

I always find myself attracted to areas of the world that rarely see sunshine. Which is odd, because if anyone knows me, they know I love ridiculously warm California weather.

Voodoo Doughnut truck, Portland.

But those who know me, know I love food more than sunshine. And Portland has some damn good food. Home of the famous Voodoo Doughnuts and Stumptown Coffee, this city has been calling my name for a while. I was too distracted in Amsterdam to hear it.

One thing about Portland shocked me: people are nice. They strike up friendly conversation with people and are actually interested in what you have to say. For example, my mom and I walked into Deschutes Brewery for some pub food, Oregon microbrew, and most importantly, to stare at the TV screens broadcasting the Giants game. The host, a bit puzzled as to why I was so excited that "the game" was on in Oregon, asked why we were visiting Portland (guess tourist season isn't in March). When I answered, "to look at graduate schools," he asked, "what schools?" (my main choice: University of Oregon) and responded with a "Go Ducks! Good luck with schools!"

My mom and I were dumbfounded. Smiling, friendly individuals despite their residency in a city with little sun. Clean sidewalks in the Downtown districts. Free and rather spotless public transportation.

I didn't want to return to San Francisco.

True, there's no other city where I could spend an entire afternoon wasting away in Dolores Park with a tall can and a burrito, then head back to a friend's house and play Zelda: Ocarina of Time on his N64. But after a short ride on the L train back to my house, I would trade anything to reside in Portland. Portland was so friendly and familiar, filled with eco-friendly individuals and practices. Although the sun rarely shines, the citizens of Portland always have a smile on their face, welcoming you to their wonderful city. Delicious food, artisan beer and coffee, and heart-stopping doughnut toppings are only a few things that make this city amazing.

PS: I believe the writers of Portlandia would have so much material if they had chosen to focus on San Francisco rather than Portland. Because in reality, I've seen more fixies and dirty hipsters lying around the Mission in the past few hours than I did the past few days in Oregon.

New Job What!

I have a new job! It consists of selling cupcakes and answering the phone, and I am extremely content about the situation. Customers will no longer scream my ear off that their non-fat-sugar-free-vanilla-extra-hot-extra-foam-wet-cappuccino isn't ready in under 1 minute. And I get paid to sell a simple, already-baked treat that delights the majority of the population. Awesome.


Also, I don't think you're allowed to be angry around cupcakes. It just goes against the Natural Order.

Rainy Days

If you haven't noticed, I took the opportunity to clean up my blog. I cheated and "transferred" entries from my Tumblr, but at least I set the dates back for authenticity. I'm also going to be adding in a few pictures from my travels, because I finally figured out how to export photos from iPhoto to my external hard drive (don't laugh, ImageCapture has failed me).

Here's a teaser picture from Berlin. Geniessen Sie!

Bakesales for Japan

image from Bakesale for Japan

On April 2nd, San Francisco chef Samin Nosrot will be hosting bake sales across the Bay Area for Japan.

They are looking for volunteers, please help if you can! Unfortunately, I will be in Portland, OR looking at graduate programs during that time. Trust me, I'd rather be putting my otherwise useless origami skills to work.


image from SF Foodie
Chronicle Books is also having a bake sale.

For all you Gators: The Japanese Student Association at San Francisco State University is hosting a bake sale on campus TODAY from 11-1PM. The table will be located in the Village Quad by the Subway (you know where that is). Subway doesn't need your money, buy a cookie!

Racist Tuesday

It's difficult to return to an essay on the Philosophy of Mind if you think you've lost your sanity + faith in humanity.

First it was the viral Rebecca Black music video for her song 'Friday' that distracted me. By distracted, I mean sit there dumbfounded with a stupid 'herp derp' look on my face.

After washing my ears out with hydrochloric acid, I turned to ONTD_Political to catch up on daily political happenings, in attempt to regain the IQ points I had lost in the last 10 minutes.


Instead, I found Karma Japan's Tumblr page, which is uploading a majority of the racist tweets directed at Japan. I found a few images of racist Twitter updates earlier this week, but didn't think there were enough to have a Tumblr dedicated to new ones. Ignorant assholes always prove me wrong.

Then, a student at UCLA decided to upload a rant about Asians in the library talking on their cell phones, saying "Oh! Ching chong ling long ting tong!" But she said at the beginning of the video that she wasn't racist, so... no offense taken.

I thought it was over. But once again. Proven wrong.

A 10-year old student from Ohio was chosen to be a "slave," while the "masters" inspected the "slaves" during a mock slave auction during class.

After I awoke from slamming my head into my desk with a bit too much force, I continued scrolling down the ONTD_Political page with a hand somewhat covering my eyes.

Kansas State GOP Rep. Virgil Peck SUGGESTED SHOOTING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM THE SKY, COMPARING THEM TO PIGS. And he REFUSES TO APOLOGIZE.

I'm sorry. Caps lock was necessary.

\\ What worries me is the fact that we live in a society where this is accepted. We allow those who make racist remarks to get away with what they said. Sure, Miss Racist UCLA dropped out due to a large amount of hate mail, but the fact that she thought it was okay to make those remarks in the first place, and the fact that the Rep. Peck didn't believe he had to make an apology is proof that our country enables these fuckers.
I know my references to Europe are old and probably flawed, but the time I spent in the Netherlands was proof that not all humans are filthy stupid in-breds who believe on capitalizing on minorities. Every country/nationality has problems, but America specifically has deep-seated discipline issues.

Oatmeal Project

Canned Tuna and Egg with Soy Sauce
Holy crap holy crap holy crap. How did I not know about this sooner??

Above is an image and recipe from tastespotting.com, who recently devoted the month of February (National Heart Health Month) to eating oatmeal every day. Of course, they had to come up with interesting recipes, serving oatmeal topped with nacho ingredients or salmon and avocado or even carrot cake!! You all know what I'll be eating for the next few days...

American Breakfast for Europeans

After feasting on Dutch pancakes in Amsterdam, I decided it was time to show Europeans what an American breakfast looked like. This was the first of my cooking escapades in Amsterdam, where I had to please the palates of many; mostly Europeans. I decided to bring pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes to the table.

Everyone was impressed. I was complimented especially on the pancakes, being asked, “How did you get them so fluffy??” Before I left Amsterdam to head back to the states, Sara (from Spain) asked me to teach her how to make pancakes. She purchased a mix from Aunt Jemima, to which I recoiled. I instructed her how to make pancakes the way my mom made them: from scratch.

Sara asked for my mom’s recipe, to which my mom dug from a pile of newspaper clippings. She pulled out a recipe to Bette’s Diner buttermilk pancakes (Bette’s Diner is a delicious restaurant/diner in Berkeley); apparently she traded in her Joy of Cooking pancake recipe in a few years ago.

But here it is: Bette’s Diner buttermilk pancakes, converted to grams and instructions edited.

Bette’s Diner Buttermilk Pancakes
2 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
2 eggs
2 cups (473 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, buttermilk, milk and butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend.
2. The batter should be quite lumpy and thick. Let the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Portion 1/4 cup (60 ml) measures of batter onto the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles cover the surface of the pancakes and their undersides are lightly browned.
4. Gently turn them over and cook for about 2 minutes more, until other sides are browned.

Note: Yoghurt is a possible substitute for the buttermilk.

Sausage and Peppers with Orzo

I’m finally sharing my famous orzo recipe, which has long been sought after because of its simple yet comforting taste. It’s easy, easily made vegetarian or vegan without compromising flavor, and a nice bowl of homemade goodness.

Sausage and Peppers with Orzo
Adapted from a recipe by Tina Devlin

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
1 ½ lbs Italian sausages, casings removed (I use a pack of Trader Joe’s meatless Italian sausages and chop them up in a food processor)
4 large, ripe plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 can (49 oz) low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 ¾ cups orzo pasta
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and pepper are tender and the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. (I always find the garlic and onion cook faster than the bell pepper, so I cook the bell pepper first for about 4 minutes, then add the onion and garlic)
2. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and broth and bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the orzo pasta, cover, and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta has a soft and creamy texture, about 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Ladle the mixture into bowls, sprinkling with cheese over the top.

Superbowl Cooking, from my Family Recipe Book

Since the Superbowl is coming up, I decided to ask my mom to dig up Grandma Groth’s famous potato salad recipe. It was published in our “family cookbook” in 1982, which goes to show you how “all-American” my dad’s side of the family is. Flipping through the pages, I found “Betty’s Chili Frito Casserole.” I don’t know much about my dad’s family, but apparently Betty is my grandma’s sister-in-law, who (to no surprise) is rather obese. Her recipe for this casserole makes Sandra Lee’s cooking look healthy.
Of course, I stuck with making my grandma’s slightly healthier potato salad, but the Frito casserole was too good to not share.

Betty’s Chili Frito Casserole
By Betty Vincent Brush

Large bag of Frito’s
2 cans Denison Chili with beans
1 can Denison Chili without beans
American cheese squares

About 30 minutes before serving preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Into a butter greased long pyrex dish, line bottom with a portion of the Frito’s.
Heat 2 cans Denison chili with beans and 1 can Denison chili without beans and a little water.
Now cover the Frito’s with a portion of the chili mixture. Cover this with American cheese squares, then add more Frito’s over cheese, more chili over Frito’s and top with more cheese squares. Pop into oven and leave until cheese melts or is bubbly.

I Left My Heart in Amsterdam

It's been a week since I arrived back in San Francisco, and I'm still adjusting. I transitioned pretty well at first; riding MUNI and BART have become second nature to me. I didn't have too many difficulties in remembering the campus layout, as well as how the produce was sorted in Trader Joe's. It's the small things that are important.

The weather welcomed me back by allowing me to wear flats, pants, and a tee shirt without freezing. But of course, now it's back to the infamous SF fog.

Everyone asks me how it is to be back. It's not as strange as I thought, but there's still a few things I treat as if I'm back in Amsterdam. I miss being able to hop on my bike and take a quick, no-hassle route to school. I keep thinking everything will be closed on Sunday. I forget that bars and grocery stores actually card you. I'm still amazed when my skillet heats up in a matter of seconds on top of the gas stove. I only buy a few groceries here and there - which is a good habit because I hate hauling heavy groceries to the bus. I forget I can just call my mom, rather than type out an email or wait for her to log onto Skype.

Overall, studying abroad was the best experience*. I wish I could have stayed a full year,but I'm also happy to be home and with my friends again.

*Minus the fact that Bilateral study abroad is less organized and more work than a CSU program. Time to see if any of my classes from the University of Amsterdam have transferred!