Christmas Korova Cookies

Musings on the East Coast

I'm back from the East Coast.  I thought I would love the East Coast.  I hated the East Coast.

Well I can't really say hate- that is much too harsh of an adjective to describe my overall experience with both Boston and New York.  I will say though that I can with one hundred percent confidence proclaim that my heart prefers life on the West Coast, where I can careen along the highway in my car everyday while belting out Taylor Swift's latest teeny bopper hit.  I'm not too sure how well the locals of Manhattan would respond to an Asian Kid singing T-Swizzle on the subway during rush hour. 

Please don't get me wrong however.  While a large part of the pleasure I experienced did have to do with the fact I had the opportunity to volunteer at numerous organizations, some of the people in fact, were genuinely nice!  The diversity of a big city will forever enrapture my heart, and rarely (if at all) will you be able to strike up a two hour conversation with a seasoned world traveler at a coffee shop in Orange County like I was able to in Boston.  

But as a sheltered West Coast baby from Orange County, where it's considered winter when the mercury falls below the 60 degree mark, I definitely was out of my natural element.  The sad reality is that I arrived to the East Coast with the ubiquitous, candy-coated, and in all sense of the word fucked up version of what East Coast city life would be like.  I speak from experience- the Devil Wears Prada is not in any way, shape, or form an accurate portrayal of East Coast life.  Instead of taking my pre-envisioned, dazzling stroll down 5th Avenue where I would then leisurely ice skate amongst the twinkling glow of Rockefeller Center, I was instead met with and the smell of cigarettes, littered streets, and the constant struggle of navigating the sidewalk amongst the constant hoards of other pedestrians, frantically darting around like a paranoid schizophrenic. 

I heard stories about the fast paced lifestyle, but it was another thing to actually experience what I had heard about so much.  Never have I jay-walked with so much reckless abandon in my life, where instead of slowing down, taxis and wealthy drivers of the Mercedes S-Class instead sped up through intersections, causing people in the crosswalk to casually jump out of the way as if saving your life was as normal and involuntary as blinking your eye.  I was practically jogging in order to keep up with the normal walking pace of everyone else, and for someone with an absolutely horrid sense of direction, navigating the subway was like asking Honey Boo Boo to work a quantum physics problem.  What was an even harder obstacle to overcome was realizing how introverted people came off in day to day life.  Eye contact was met with a dart to the pavement, holding open a door is equivalent to becoming invisible, and a ride on the subway is 20 minutes of the most awkward silence possible.  But then again, who is a random kid from Southern California to paint an accurate portrayal of the East Coast?  While I loved expanding my horizons this winter break, I am more than happy to be back on my own couch.

Boston Common

Fenway Park

Boston Chowda Company, Quincy Market

Quincy Market

Quincy Market

Madison Square Park, New York

Eataly, Manhattan, New York

23rd Street Subway Station, New York

Eataly, Manhattan, New York

Eataly, Manhattan, New York

Chelsea Market, Manhattan, New York

Eataly, Manhattan, New York

Chelsea Market, Manhattan, New York

You've probably heard of these famous little gems.  Colloquially known as Dorie Greenspan's celebrated World Peace Cookies, I can say with confidence that these fall on my list of top ten cookies.  Just don't do what I did and forget the baking soda, or else you wind up with something that is thin, chewy, and crispy (which isn't bad at all) versus something thicker and substantial.

I have to admit, I felt like I was committing a mortal, sacrilegious sin of epic proportions by subtly changing what most would consider a perfect cookie, but I respectfully think you would like this winter variation.  A word to the weak though- this is a seriously chocolatey cookie.  With such a high ratio of cocoa that is consequently elevated by brown sugar, coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate chips, I don't think of World Peace when I eat these, but instead a chocolatey apocalypse, broken up by the tart zing of cranberries. 

One Year Ago: Peppermint Ice Blended Mocha, Eggs Benedict
 

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I think one of the most constant things I can rely upon is the fact that no matter how inconsistent I am with my blogging, there is always at least one stranger out there reading my posts.  So to that stranger today, thank you.

I don't have a recipe to post today (but I promise that I have at least two dozen waiting in the wings), because as you read I am on my way to Boston.  I'll be volunteering next week with a group of 12 other classmates who seem to be a lot more sincere than I am about helping others in need, and I have to admit it really is humbling.  However I can finally say that New England will finally be crossed off my bucket list. 

And on a side note, if you have as much time as I seemingly have to kill during finals week, then check out this little gem in development...  and it's not just because he happens to be my best friend. 

http://bradyhiob.blogspot.com/

Roast Pork & Apple Cider Reduction

A Stereotypical Thanksgiving Post

Yesterday was the first time I've ever spent Thanksgiving away from home.  It was a situation I never thought I'd ever be in, but after three months of 12+ hour school days, the only wish I wanted this year was to have a quiet weekend to myself, away from the stress of cooking for 25 people in a kitchen equipped with a single oven and five burners, and instead have a quiet retreat where I could catch up on all of the hobbies I never have time to do (and for once getting a head start on studying).

A low key Thanksgiving for three people was definitely a first for me, but having such a relaxed and intimate dinner in a college apartment was the exact thing I needed to make sure I wasn't going to burn out by the time the quarter is over.  This meal helped me remember that no matter how filled up my iCal is for the day, how empty my gas tank seems to constantly be, or how much sleep I lack throughout the week, I am truly a fortunate person.  I go to a school that I am extremely passionate about, participate in activities that give me a true sense of fulfillment, have a family who has an unwavering amount of support, and have the privilege to know a group of friends I truly adore.

Cooking for only three people also afforded me the luxury to go balls to the wall- quite frankly this might have been one of the best Thanksgiving meals I've ever had.

 Butternut Squash Soup with Croutons and Fried Sage

Herb Roasted Chicken

Roasted Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Classic Sage Stuffing

 Caramelized Apple Croissant Bread Pudding

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Souffle

1) Yes, we had 3 rounds of dessert

2) As much as I was tempted to document this entire meal, for once I decided to forgo the status of food blog whore yesterday night in order to concentrate on the fact that I was spending time with some of my favorite people in the world, and getting the chance to cook for them.   Oh, the power of food.

This pork loin was another item from my daring meal this summer.  As much as I love a blistery, succulent hunk of roasted protein, the real hero of this entire carousel of fall ingredients was the reduction... oh the reduction.  Savory and sweet at the same time, with a splash of umami from a little dash of soy sauce, and maple syrup to round out the acrid burn of the vinegar, it was hard not to douse the plate in the glossy elixir.  

So while I am thankful that one of the things I am passionate about is an activity I get to do everyday (it's pretty awesome when you get a kick out of making a sandwich for lunch), I think that I'm more grateful for the fact that I have people so ready and willing to enjoy the results of said passion as much as I do.  I would have been happy eating ramen for Thanksgiving as long as I had my friends close by to slurp up some MSG laden broth alongside me.

One Year Ago: Crabcake Salad, Nectarine Frangipane Tart, Chocolate Blackout Cake

Bacon and Cremini Mushroom Tagliatelle

In Season

the happiest city in america

Yesterday I paid $1.25 for a soggy bag of red leaf lettuce from Food4Less.  After delicately trying to dry the leaves from the cascade of water misting from the sprinklers overhead, I stored it in the fridge only to find that the next day the lettuce had already wilted and turned into a soppy puddle.

It was a funny occurrence, especially because last week 75 cents at the farmers market bought me a positively massive head of crisp lettuce that made entree sized salads for dinner every night... Oh the price of conveniently going to a chain megamart. 



But if you somehow need convincing that shopping locally is exponentially better than browsing the produce section of your nearby value-chain supermarket, look no further than the weekly San Luis Obispo farmer's market.

 edible jewels

Aside from the stunning quality of the produce at grocery outlet prices, all of the downtown restaurants line up their booths next to all of the produce sellers and hawk whatever they specialize in, whether it be tri-tip sandwiches, homemade tamales, wood-fired pizza, or bowls of strawberry shortcake.  (Though by the time dinner rolls around you're positively stuffed from all of the samples you're allowed to have.)

avila valley barn apples (a.k.a. the only ones I eat now)
 

There's always some staples I get each week: a pound or two of crunchy apples, a vibrant head of said lettuce, and bunches of grapes that are guaranteed to snap with each bite.  Occasionally if I want to splurge I'll buy a bag of addictively salty garlic pistachios or garlic almonds.

The best part (as cliche as this sounds) is that when you go to the farmer's market you're part of a community... The vendors remember your name each week, strangers take the time to make eye contact and say good evening (something that never happens in L.A.), and for everyone it's just another Thursday night. 

I could get used to this

I finally chose to post this recipe from my daring dinner because to me it's such a cozy autumn dinner... No fuss, simple, and unpretentious (Not to mention the fact that there's some kick ass mushrooms at farmers).

I'm finally starting to get used to making a decent fresh pasta.  What has become one of the banes of my existence is now a fun past time (I'm a dork alright), and there's nothing more therapeutic then turning a powdery volcano of flour, eggs, and olive oil into satiny sheets of toothsome noodles.   

bacon roasted mushrooms

one year ago: Toronto Part 6: Soma Chocolatier & Gelato

Carrot Cupcakes with Candied Orange Zest

On Having a Fulfilling Career

Today was the second day I woke up at 5:40 AM to go the gym... I'm still wondering how I even managed to do so. 

Last Wednesday my day was from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM, but I loved every single second of it.

Most of what kept me occupied last Wednesday and caused me to wake up so early had little to do with actual schoolwork. 

grand marnier and sugar for candied zest

The world outside of academia has given me the most satisfaction I can ever remember- I've technically only been in school for a little over a month, but I feel more accomplished then I have ever been in my entire life, and I can't imagine myself doing anything else.  I'm sure by now you're exhausted by the sheer number of posts I write about the stereotypically cliched topics of finding a passion and finding meaning in your work, but I think I've finally started to practice what I've been attempting to preach.

Being a part of student government and various other organizations gives me a reason to wake up in the morning, something I can't really say the same about accounting (though I will say I'm trying harder to like it, I promise!).  But when it comes down to it, the sheer irony is that I've learned an immeasurable amount more through being a part of campus life than sitting inside the classroom. 

like mayo

tossing in the goods

There's a select amount of recipes that I abhor making simply because I've made it so many times in my life, with these carrot cupcakes taking the top spot on the list.  There's something very grating (pun intended) about shredding pounds of carrots and dirtying a sink full of dishes all in the name for a dessert that's gone after two or three bites.

Yet, I still find myself making these cupcakes multiple times a year in double batches no less, rendering the 5 quart capacity of my stand mixer utterly useless. 

I did a couple of changes to the original recipe, including increasing the amount of oil (of course), changing the method of making the battter (because the original method was a bit useless), and swapping out sauteed carrots with candied orange zest (because it's just so much better).  

By slowly emulsifying the oil with the whipped eggs and sugar you're essentially making a huge vat of sweetened mayonnaise, but what comes out of the oven is a decadently rich, unctuous, and heavily spiced carrot cupcake.  While a pile of thickly dense frosting is admittedly much, the candied orange helps cutting through all of the decadence.

crumb coat (the finished cake was too ugly to photograph)

yes please

One year ago: Petra Mediterranean Pizza and Grill