tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56356924349753412992024-03-07T23:09:34.988-05:00Fatally AmbiguousEvanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-5186774044403351652009-07-27T19:20:00.002-04:002009-07-27T19:42:23.100-04:00So Long, and Thanks for All the FishYou may or may not have noticed an alarming drop in blog posts over the last few months. Since I moved to Virginia, I've lost my verve.<br /><br />So, for the time being, I am retiring the blog. I will continue to tweet away (<a href="http://twitter.com/fambiguous">@fambiguous</a>), but I won't be blogging, at least for a while.<br /><br />If it's not too onerous, check back every now and then to see if I've restarted the blog or moved to another one.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />EvanEvanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-72931226359017722762009-07-11T18:58:00.003-04:002009-07-11T19:06:53.558-04:00Bakewell Tart, Part DeuxThe <a href="http://fatallyambiguous.blogspot.com/2009/06/bakewell-tart-daring-bakers.html">first Bakewell tart</a> worked so well that I decided to make another for a meeting with some fellow teachers.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SlkZXo2fBaI/AAAAAAAAAYI/QKizg8Sh9JQ/s1600-h/DSCN0121.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SlkZXo2fBaI/AAAAAAAAAYI/QKizg8Sh9JQ/s400/DSCN0121.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357341125627544994" /></a><br />This time, though, I actually remembered that the recipe only made enough for a 9" tart and multiplied the ingredients by about 1.25. That should be enough for two extra inches, right? Well, no. I forgot the whole geometry thing; it turns out that an 11" pan has about half again as much area as a 9" pan.<br /><br />*Facepalm.*Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-663616339320282872009-07-03T18:38:00.006-04:002009-07-05T21:58:15.916-04:00All-Star Selection (Updated)<i>While I was in D.C. this past weekend, my brother politely mentioned that he hardly ever finishes a post about food. I started this blog to have some fun and keep in touch with friends and family in a new and interesting way. Since food is one of the most consistent things in my life, I blog about it a lot. Today's post is dedicated to my brother; I'm trying to get back to writing about other things. I promise!</i><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sk6eCuWdw8I/AAAAAAAAAYA/z7SHWW8yKUk/s1600-h/All-Star+Game.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sk6eCuWdw8I/AAAAAAAAAYA/z7SHWW8yKUk/s400/All-Star+Game.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354390776629281730" /></a><br />Voting for this year's All-Star Game closed last night at midnight. This Sunday marks the annual hoopla of the All-Star Game Selection Show. It's time to reflect on the spectacle that is the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.<br /><br />Every year around this time, there is a rash of articles listing sports journalists' "picks" to some fantasy All-Star team based solely on worthiness. Almost as frequent as the preseason predictions and early season "duds & studs" articles, these "picks" are almost always accompanied by some light moaning and groaning about how the fan vote, especially with fans stuffing virtual ballot boxes up to 25 times each, makes it a popularity contest, or how the modern requirement of one all-star from each team shafts some truly deserving players.<br /><br />These arguments are predicated on one assumption I don't entirely buy: that the All-Star Game, with all its pomp and circumstance, is actually <i>prestigious</i>. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure it's an honor to be named to the team. Red Sox stalwart Tim Wakefield has <i>never</i> made it, and I'm really rooting for him to be there this year. I'm just not sure there's much <i>prestige</i> to being an all-star any more.<br /><br />Let's assume briefly that there is prestige in being named, which means that perhaps the players with the best stats <i>should</i> go. How do we determine worthiness? Obviously the fans fail pretty miserably at that, not because most baseball fans are idiots, but because large-market teams will always benefit from having more fans (and, in the case of the Red Sox, a truly national following). And, well, because some fans are idiots. But players, manager, and writers are idiots. They are responsible for voting for the important end-of-the-year awards, and they get it wrong almost as often as they get it right. How else do you explain Nate McLouth and Michael Young both receiving Gold Gloves (managers' vote) last year. McLouth finished last in both leagues in the Dewan plus/minus system, a system developed by John Dewan and the good folks at Baseball Info Solutions to measure defensive performance. This system is one of the best at measuring defense, and it has McLouth as a staggering MINUS 40 defender last year. That basically means that McLouth made, wait for it, <i>forty</i> fewer plays in centerfield than a league average player. That number would improve if someone got him the hell out of centerfield, but it still boggles the mind that anyone would see Nate McLouth play centerfield and think, "Hey, this guy deserves a Gold Glove." Point is, players, managers, coaches, and writers are only marginally better at selecting players based on "worthiness" than fans, and that likely only because they don't have the chaos of the masses.<br /><br />The highest honor in the game, induction in the Hall of Fame, is voted upon by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. They mostly get it right, but, as better writers than I have attested, there are problems, ranging from mule-headed voters to a pesky emphasis on character and reputation. If the selection process for the most prestigious honor in the game is flawed, then why is there so much fanfare about the selection process for an exhibition game that is, as far as I can tell, no longer even prestigious? Some of it has to do with the fact that the selection process for the All-Star Game has changed so much over the years, making it feel less entrenched than the HOF process. And, of course, most of the fanfare is harmless fun. The dialogue occasionally gets nasty, though, which is what baffles me the most. It's obviously a flawed process, but if there's a better way, I'd like to hear it.<br /><br />In fact, I'm even for the one-player-from-every-team rule. It was instituted in order to take away some of the large-market bias of the fan vote and allow fans of teams like the Royals and Pirates to have some sort of rooting interest in the game.<br /><br />And it does that. Quite simply, it makes the game more <i>fun</i>. And that's what the All-Star Game has to be about: fun. SI recently ran an <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tim_marchman/07/02/all.stars/index.html">article</a> about the players that are fun to watch. Marchman takes the idea to an extreme, but I like the idea of picking players based on who is fun to watch. Of course, that preferences speed, which is more fun to watch than, say, OBP. Still, it would be lots of fun to see Ichiro, Carl Crawford, and Jacoby Ellsbury patrolling the outfield grass at Busch.<br /><br />Ultimately, it doesn't really matter who gets selected to the All-Star Game. For the guys who do go, it's great and fun and an honor. For the guys who don't, it's a few extra days off. But it's not like the major awards, which can cement a player's reputation (no one will move McLouth from center now that he's a Gold Glove outfielder!) and pad a HOF resume. One trip to the game doesn't really affect HOF votes at all.<br /><br />Everything about the All-Star Game should be good natured. (Remember Larry Walker batting right-handed against Randy Johnson? That's the All-Star Game for you.) I'm one of the few die-hard fans who can watch the Selection Show this Sunday without yelling at my TV. That's the Zen of the All-Star Game. In the end, it's doesn't really matter, and it's all about having fun.<br /><br /><i>Update: Wakefield got an All-Star nod, and, just two days after writing this post, I got all teary-eyed listening to him talk about the honor on NESN. I suppose I never really believed what I said myself.</i>Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-56850164077488261932009-06-27T06:00:00.001-04:002009-06-27T06:00:24.959-04:00Bakewell Tart (The Daring Bakers)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTMypPUlI/AAAAAAAAAXY/TlacOeDwMxg/s1600-h/DSCN0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTMypPUlI/AAAAAAAAAXY/TlacOeDwMxg/s400/DSCN0020.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071523976204882" /></a>The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of <a href="http://cardamomaddict.blogspot.com/">Confessions of a Cardamom Addict</a> and Annemarie of <a href="http://divineambrosia.blogspot.com/">Ambrosia and Nectar</a>. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.<br /><br />A month ago, if you had told me that I would soon need to grate a stick of butter, I would have laughed, thought for a minute, then realized: <i>the Daring Bakers</i>. For my non-foodie readers, the Daring Bakers are a group of brilliant bloggers who take on challenging recipes once a month and all blog about them on the same day. I am a member of both the Daring Bakers and its sidekick, the recently created Daring Cooks. Only three challenges in and I've already had recipes call for things I don't normally do, like, say, grate butter.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCPX5jGI/AAAAAAAAAWw/SWxGyOSZgqI/s1600-h/DSCN0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCPX5jGI/AAAAAAAAAWw/SWxGyOSZgqI/s400/DSCN0015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070243197914210" /></a><br />For the most part, these challenges are thoroughly enjoyable. And this recipe is! Grating butter, though, not so much.<br /><br />Let me bring you up to speed. This tart (pudding?) is composed of a shortcrust (basically a slightly flaky and very buttery shortbread), a layer of jam, and frangipane, a spongy, "slightly squidgy" (their words, not mine!) almond-flavored cake/topping. First you need a tart pan. The recipe suggests 9", but mine was 11". That would have been an important fact to note ahead of time. Live and learn, live and learn.<br /><br />To make the crust, you need:<br /><br /><blockquote>225g (8 oz.) all-purpose flour<br />30g (1 oz.) sugar<br />2.5ml (½ tsp.) salt<br />110g (4 oz.) unsalted butter, frozen<br />2 egg yolks<br />2.5ml (½ tsp.) almond extract (optional)<br />15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) cold water</blockquote><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSB1LU6AI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ATFKRYgdKqQ/s1600-h/DSCN0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSB1LU6AI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ATFKRYgdKqQ/s400/DSCN0014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070236165859330" /></a><br />Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and grate the butter over them. Quickly use your hands to mix together the flour mixture and butter until it "resembles bread crumbs."<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCB4M7aI/AAAAAAAAAW4/ctwKYlKq7E4/s1600-h/DSCN0016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCB4M7aI/AAAAAAAAAW4/ctwKYlKq7E4/s400/DSCN0016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070239575305634" /></a><br />Next, lightly whisk together the egg yolks and almond extract (if using).<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCW9jhBI/AAAAAAAAAXA/DmzLch_3j4E/s1600-h/DSCN0017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCW9jhBI/AAAAAAAAAXA/DmzLch_3j4E/s400/DSCN0017.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070245234902034" /></a><br />Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together. Add just enough water to form a cohesive dough. Knead it out onto the counter and form it into a disc. Wrap in cling and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (this step can be completed the night before you assemble the tart).<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCq6K0OI/AAAAAAAAAXI/GxfFj9CNuZs/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLSCq6K0OI/AAAAAAAAAXI/GxfFj9CNuZs/s400/DSCN0018.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351070250589409506" /></a><br />Once the dough has chilled, roll it out to approximately 5mm (¼") thickness. If you can't follow directions and didn't make enough dough for your tart pan, don't worry, it will turn out just fine. Press the dough into the tart pan and trim off any excess, using it to patch any holes in the crust. Toss the finished crust in the freezer for 15 minutes and start preparing the frangipane.<br /><blockquote>125g (4.5 oz.) unsalted butter, softened<br />125g (4.5 oz.) powdered sugar<br />3 eggs<br />2.5ml (½ tsp.) almond extract<br />125g (4.5 oz.) ground almonds<br />30g (1 oz.) all-purpose flour</blockquote>Feel free to grind your almonds by hand or buy them pre-ground. I chose to use a food processor, and it worked beautifully.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTMvc0xCI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/AayLjH9Y-NU/s1600-h/DSCN0019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTMvc0xCI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/AayLjH9Y-NU/s400/DSCN0019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071523118826530" /></a><center><i>Isn't it cute how my food processor bowl nestles directly onto my scale pad? It's like they were made for each other.</i></center><br />For more fun with butter, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. The mixture may appear to curdle, but it will be alright. Pour in the almond extract, scrape down the sides, and add the almonds and flour. Mix well.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNDev3FI/AAAAAAAAAXg/BmZa0NOI-Js/s1600-h/DSCN0021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNDev3FI/AAAAAAAAAXg/BmZa0NOI-Js/s400/DSCN0021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071528495602770" /></a><br />As rarely happens in my kitchen, the timing was perfect and I finished the frangipane about the time the crust needed to come out of hibernation.<br /><br />To assemble the tart, warm some jam or curd (I'm sure homemade would be good, but I used store-bought seedless, sugar-free blackberry preserves) in a pot of boiling water or in the microwave. Spread it out in an even layer on the crust. Top with the finished frangipane and smooth the top.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNdA0rbI/AAAAAAAAAXo/goQJKtPC27Q/s1600-h/DSCN0023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNdA0rbI/AAAAAAAAAXo/goQJKtPC27Q/s400/DSCN0023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071535349411250" /></a><br />Pop it in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes remaining, garnish with slivered almonds.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNmdupGI/AAAAAAAAAXw/KxvN_Sxdfqw/s1600-h/DSCN0028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLTNmdupGI/AAAAAAAAAXw/KxvN_Sxdfqw/s400/DSCN0028.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351071537886569570" /></a><br />If you can't tell from the picture, my crust does not go all the way up the sides of the pan. It is also a little thinner than I would have liked. All the same, everything worked out. The textures are wonderful and the almond-blackberry flavor is spot-on.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLeY_x1FbI/AAAAAAAAAX4/7_8G1bNOi9c/s1600-h/DSCN0029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SkLeY_x1FbI/AAAAAAAAAX4/7_8G1bNOi9c/s400/DSCN0029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351083828288230834" /></a><br />I would have prefered the poofy, slightly rounded look that other, more capable Daring Bakers most certainly achieved, but the flatness of my tart did not affect the taste at all.<br /><br />That this recipe can withstand my inevitable bunglings and taste no worse for wear speaks volumes. It's a relatively quick recipe to prepare (especially for the Daring Bakers), and it's tons of fun (except, of course, the butter thing). I'm three challenges in, and every single one of them has been fun and tasty.<br /><br />My rolling pin's just sitting there at the top of the post, waiting. What's next?Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-46372518937521852812009-06-17T13:27:00.007-04:002009-06-18T01:05:04.302-04:00From the Daring Kitchen: Dumplings<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sjkphcg9MsI/AAAAAAAAAWg/o34E9KVb3lI/s1600-h/DSCN0026.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sjkphcg9MsI/AAAAAAAAAWg/o34E9KVb3lI/s400/DSCN0026.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351687046017730" /></a>The June 2009 challenge is hosted by Jen from <a href="http://userealbutter.com/">use real butter</a>. She has chosen Chinese dumplings/potstickers as the challenge.<br /><br />For various reasons, I missed the inaugural Daring Cooks challenge of ricotta gnocchi. I would not miss the second one for the world, though. If you know my cooking, you know that dumplings (<i>gyoza</i> in Japanese) are right up my alley. My wife absolutely loves Chinese steamed buns, baozi (包子), also extremely popular in Vietnam, and I have tinkered around with some recipes for those. They use a very simple leavened dough and can be filled with virtually anything (my favorite are red bean paste and sesame paste).<br /><br />I don't have much experience with gyoza, though, so this month's challenge was still a challenge. Unlike steamed buns, the dough for these puppies is unleavened and oh so simple. It is:<br /><blockquote>2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)<br />½ cup warm water (113g)</blockquote>I strongly suggest weighing the ingredients and not trying to halve the dough (the voice of experience speaking). Flour is cheap, right?<br /><br />Assemble the dough in a large bowl or with the dough blade of a food processor. Jen's <a href="http://userealbutter.com/2007/10/04/chinese-dumplings-and-potstickers-recipe">blog post</a> has plenty of pictures (hence the dearth of pictures in my post), but the most important part is the consistency of the dough. I did two separate batches and both came out of the food processor firm and the slightest bit sticky. After 2-3 minutes of kneading, thought, they were soft and silky to the touch. That silky texture was perfect for rolling and filling the wrappers.<br /><br />Making the filling is the easy part, so look at the recipe on Jen's blog post. K. doesn't like most of the ingredients, so I only used:<br /><blockquote>1 lb. ground pork<br />7 shitake mushrooms, minced<br />¼ cup ginger root (55g), minced<br />3 tbsp. soy sauce<br />2 tbsp. sesame oil<br />2 tbsp. cornstarch</blockquote>The filling cohered beautifully and filled the kitchen with the delightful aroma of sesame oil. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGm-oDrI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/1UrnJxuRd5A/s1600-h/DSCN0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGm-oDrI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/1UrnJxuRd5A/s400/DSCN0020.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351225998347954" /></a><br />If possible, it tasted even better than it smelled.<br /><br />Before filling the dumplings, though, you need to make the wrappers. Form the dough into a flattened dome and slice it into several strips. Roll out the strips into cylinders and cut discs ¾" thick and ¾" in diameter. On a floured workspace, press each disc flat with your palm. Roll each disc out to form the wrappers.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGKpI3SI/AAAAAAAAAWA/AQio7dVmPaE/s1600-h/DSCN0013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGKpI3SI/AAAAAAAAAWA/AQio7dVmPaE/s400/DSCN0013.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351218392030498" /></a><center><i>Note: the wrappers are supposed to be round. You can always use a biscuit cutter to shape them. Or, just run with the misshapen ones.</i></center><br />Fill the wrappers with about a teaspoon and a half of filling. Follow Jen's instructions for folding and pleating the dumplings.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpG9CbJrI/AAAAAAAAAWY/VKwv69mH12I/s1600-h/DSCN0023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpG9CbJrI/AAAAAAAAAWY/VKwv69mH12I/s400/DSCN0023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351231919859378" /></a><br />You can even make wontons for wonton soup from the reject wrappers!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGeMiHeI/AAAAAAAAAWI/TEhn83BOXEo/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpGeMiHeI/AAAAAAAAAWI/TEhn83BOXEo/s400/DSCN0018.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351223640759778" /></a><br />I will also bow to Jen's expertise on cooking the dumplings. You can steam, boil, or panfry (my preferred method) them. I do, however, suggest that you cook them immediately after assembling them. The dough tends to get stickier as it sits, and we let several dozen rest for too long.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpFy6l0CI/AAAAAAAAAV4/UM6reAruVAQ/s1600-h/DSCN0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SjkpFy6l0CI/AAAAAAAAAV4/UM6reAruVAQ/s400/DSCN0012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348351212022779938" /></a><br />We steamed and panfried them, and the results were delicious. Homemade dumplings are much better than anything you can buy elsewhere. The filling for this particular recipe is flavorful. The wrappers are extremely fun to work with (not sure this counts for much, but K. said that assembling the dumplings was the most fun she has ever had helping me in the kitchen) and a great texture.<br /><br />A great, simple dough + tasty filling = great fun to be had by all. Get thee to the kitchen!<br /><br />(My apologies for the fact that this post reads contains even less insightful commentary than usual. I really don't have much to say that Jen has not already said in her exhaustive blog post.)Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-87105669384558740732009-06-09T11:27:00.010-04:002009-06-17T13:35:11.053-04:00Strawberry Jam-Like SubstanceI have a shiny new toy and it looks something like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_y7QH1RI/AAAAAAAAAVY/-5wd43FDxOY/s1600-h/DSCN0022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_y7QH1RI/AAAAAAAAAVY/-5wd43FDxOY/s400/DSCN0022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350320610858258" /></a><br />That's right. Counter space. And a brand new stove. And a range hood. And heating elements that are level and don't cause sauce to go sliding around the pan. Did I mention the counter space?<br /><br />My parents came up to help me move, and they gifted me, among other things, a gallon of strawberries, thus answering, once and for all, the age old question of "who gives someone a <i>gallon</i> of fruit?" with the apropos "my mom."<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_yt-TuGI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/cwFq2XYtPO0/s1600-h/DSCN0021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_yt-TuGI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/cwFq2XYtPO0/s400/DSCN0021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350317046478946" /></a><br />I really was grateful, but I had no idea what to do with a gallon of strawberries. I cut some up and put them on cereal. I covered some in white and milk chocolate and devoured them greedily. After that, I still had approximately 3.9 quarts left. So, I did the next best thing and made jam.<br /><br />Well, sort of. Intimidated by the instructions on the back of the pectin box, I opted for the "no cook jam" pectin. It didn't help that I had just seen Mike Rowe attempt to make cranberry jam and burn himself roughly thirty-seven times.<br /><br />I followed the recipe on the back of the package and crushed enough strawberries to produce 4 cups.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_yDn8HDI/AAAAAAAAAVI/7RyJoqxtGvU/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_yDn8HDI/AAAAAAAAAVI/7RyJoqxtGvU/s400/DSCN0018.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350305678367794" /></a><br />Aren't cut strawberries a thing of beauty? As you can see, the lighting is much better at the new place, even though I still have the same crappy camera.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_zFZ57zI/AAAAAAAAAVo/7yVSHkFShrA/s1600-h/DSCN0029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_zFZ57zI/AAAAAAAAAVo/7yVSHkFShrA/s400/DSCN0029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350323336245042" /></a><center><i>Except, of course, in this picture.</i></center><br />Most people would have crushed the fruit in the blender, but I (stupidly) crushed it by hand with a meat tenderizer (What? I just moved in and couldn't find my potato masher!).<br /><br />Crushing the fruit is the hard part. The rest is just stirring. According to the package, 4 cups of fruit should be sweetened with 1.5 cups of sugar (I used Splenda). I was a little leery of that number, since various recipes online suggested anywhere from 2 to 4 cups of sugar. In package recipes I trust, though, so I steamrolled through and it resulted in perfectly sweetened strawberry jam.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si6AQbJrN7I/AAAAAAAAAVw/F0hRXNhNO1g/s1600-h/DSCN0030.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si6AQbJrN7I/AAAAAAAAAVw/F0hRXNhNO1g/s400/DSCN0030.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350827389958066" /></a><br />Again, sort of. The "no cook" pectin never really fully set, so it's almost like really thick strawberry mush. It's delicious, mind you (the wife, who claims to not like jam, likes it). And, with only three ingredients (fruit, Splenda, and pectin), it tastes exactly like fresh strawberries. But jam it is not, at least in the strictest sense of the word.<br /><br />I'm still getting used to the kitchen and getting back into the habit of cooking and baking. The craziness of moving meant that I missed the last Daring Bakers challenge, as well as the first Daring Cooks challenge. This month's Daring Cooks challenge is right up my alley, though, so I'll be back with a vengeance in less than a week.<br /><br />While I find my way around the new kitchen, I'll leave you with a very zen picture of a strawberry floating above it all.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_zDeSEXI/AAAAAAAAAVg/SULjtEJbTkk/s1600-h/DSCN0024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si5_zDeSEXI/AAAAAAAAAVg/SULjtEJbTkk/s400/DSCN0024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345350322817732978" /></a>Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-25246254552135918512009-06-09T10:00:00.004-04:002009-06-09T11:34:06.745-04:00Five-Four-Three Things...It has officially been 18 days since my last blog post. *Hangs head in shame.* I could make excuses: I've been moving, unpacking, etc. While they are all true, there's still no excuse. So, I'm trying to get back in the swing of things with a couple of blog posts, one in honor of the move and another about the christening of my new kitchen.<br /><br />For those of you who didn't know already, my wife and I, two cats in tow, recently made the trek from Bangor, Maine to Blacksburg, Virginia. We moved from a nearly 1,000 square feet two-bedroom apartment to a 700 square feet one-bedroom. But hey, the neighbors are great:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si50g8tRsrI/AAAAAAAAAVA/qT1jsJjg_es/s1600-h/Sheep.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Si50g8tRsrI/AAAAAAAAAVA/qT1jsJjg_es/s400/Sheep.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345337917136024242" /></a><center><i>That's right, we live across from sheep.</i></center><br />As anyone who has moved from region to region has experienced, crossing state lines means more than just changing gas prices; it means changing cultures. So, in honor of that, here are five things I'm going to miss about Maine and four things I will decidedly <i>not</i> miss about Maine (because, really, Maine <i>is</i> a nice place).<br /><br /><b>Five things I will miss about Maine...</b><br /><blockquote>1.) Fried haddock.<br />2.) Being called "dee-ah" by waitresses.<br />3.) Giving directions to my house with landmarks like Stephen King's house and the giant <a href="http://www.acadiamagic.com/bangor-maine/paul-bunyan.html">Paul Bunyan statue</a> ("reputed to be the largest ... in the world").<br />4.) <a href="http://www.dysarts.com/">Dysart's</a>.<br />5.) Acadia National Park.</blockquote><b>Four things I will not miss about Maine...</b><br /><blockquote>1.) Complete and total darkness ... at 3:00 in the afternoon.<br />2.) Perpetually going "down" to get anywhere because there simply is nothing north.<br />3.) Slanted floors.<br />4.) Drivers stopping in the middle of the merge lane because they have no idea how to deal with "traffic."</blockquote>And now, a couple of bonus lists:<br /><br /><b>Four things I have already enjoyed about Virginia...</b><br /><blockquote>1.) Oriental grocery stores.<br />2.) 24-hour grocery stores.<br />3.) Truckers helping me back out of a space and telling me that I'm well on my way to being a trucker (while reminiscing about their "first time").<br />4.) Southern food. I went to Ryan's and they had no less than fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, fried okra, and biscuits and gravy on the buffet.</blockquote><b>Three ways Virginia is surprisingly like Maine...</b><br /><blockquote>1.) Shirtless, toothless yardsale peddlers.<br />2.) Everything is closed on Mondays.<br />3.) Vast stretches of nothingness on the Interstate.</blockquote>Coming up soon: strawberry jam and the new kitchen!Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-35293939531527805302009-05-22T10:28:00.001-04:002009-05-22T10:28:00.598-04:00Chuck Norris Baseball FactsI've been posting about baking far too much lately, so here are some Chuck Norris baseball facts (inspired by <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/115657/Page_1.jpg">Halos Heaven</a>) for my non-baking friends:<br /><br />Chuck Norris doesn't steal bases. He is given them as gifts.<br />When umpires make a call, they turn to Chuck Norris and say, "If that's alright with you, sir."<br />Chuck Norris once hit a home run <i>through</i> the Green Monster.<br />The Milwaukee Brewers added a new feature to Miller Park: everytime Chuck Norris hits a home run, Bernie Brewer will slide into a mug of blood.<br />When Chuck Norris plays third base, the first baseman wears a catcher's mitt.<br />Teams recently started employing the Chuck Norris shift, in which all eight fielders stand in the bleachers and the pitcher stands behind the batting practice screen.<br />Barry Bonds did not take steroids. He was touched by the right hand of Chuck Norris.<br />When Chuck Norris bats, he hits 2.000.<br />Monument Park is actually a memorial to all the players beaned by Chuck Norris.<br />The Tampa Bay Rays took the "Devil" out of their name because it was trademarked by Chuck Norris.<br />Players who hit behind Chuck Norris don't get any RBI, because Chuck Norris always drives himself in.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-25454747455199559972009-05-22T09:26:00.004-04:002009-05-22T10:06:37.895-04:00Review: Smitten Kitchen's Russian Black BreadChuck Norris doesn't use a bread knife. He uses dental floss.<br />Chuck Norris doesn't bake bread. He scares it into baking itself.<br />When Chuck Norris kneads bread, the neighbors feel the tremors.<br /><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a>'s <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/black-bread/">Russian black bread</a> is an intensely flavorful pumpernickel. Many adjectives could be used to describe it. "Hardcore" comes immediately to mind. This bread has seventeen ingredients, including unsweetened chocolate and shallots, or <i>double</i> what any normal bread on God's green earth should ever have. Step aside, my friends, because this, this is Chuck Norris bread.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SharDoKQ2vI/AAAAAAAAAU4/zoKHD522xNY/s1600-h/Black+Bread.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SharDoKQ2vI/AAAAAAAAAU4/zoKHD522xNY/s400/Black+Bread.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338642487102724850" /></a><br />Since this is a recipe <i>review</i>, I won't provide you with a recipe or any other pictures. For those, you can head on over to Smitten Kitchen and marvel at the fancy camera work. Instead, I'm going to give you the low-down on the recipe:<br /><br />1.) Make it now. It's a messy, complicated dough, but it makes an insane amount of a delicious, aromatic bread. The apartment will smell like pumpernickel for the next few days, and that alone is worth the price of admission.<br /><br />2.) When Deb at Smitten Kitchen tells you that you can make rounds or loaves, what she really means is that you <i>should</i> make only rounds. The crust on this bread is delightfully cruncy and thick, but it doesn't set up quite right in a loaf pan. It needs to be exposed to air; otherwise, it kind of crumbles and falls apart. So, make rounds, please. They're more aesthetically pleasing anyway. And, as you can see in the picture above, they slice beautifully.<br /><br />3.) There is no real need to grind up the fennel and caraway seeds. The dough is so large that a few tablespoons of seeds are hardly noticeable.<br /><br />4.) If you're like me and regularly alter recipes accidentally on purpose, do not fret. This bread (or any yeast bread, really) is resilient and can take pretty much any substitutions or alterations. I, for instance, stupidly added extra chocolate (cocoa powder + shortening for those of you without unsweetened chocolate on hand). It turned out perfectly all the same.<br /><br />While the dough might kick your ass, the finished product is a pungent and delicious kick in the tastebuds. Unless you want to feel the wrath of a Chuck Norris roundhouse, you might want to get into the kitchen and start baking.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-20190145373402072452009-05-21T12:18:00.000-04:002009-05-21T12:19:11.745-04:00Cooking with Apples, Part Deux (Updated)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVyR-_AteI/AAAAAAAAAUI/z4wctZWv5DA/s1600-h/DSCN0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVyR-_AteI/AAAAAAAAAUI/z4wctZWv5DA/s400/DSCN0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338298586608219618" /></a>I've had some leftover red delicious apples sitting in my fridge for a while now. I baked an amazing <a href="http://fatallyambiguous.blogspot.com/2009/05/make-this-coffee-cake-now.html">apple coffee cake</a> with some, but I needed something else to finish off the rest of them. Thankfully, <a href="http://soinanutshell.blogspot.com/">Rachel</a> came to the rescue and told me how to make applesauce. Just boil some peeled, cored, and sliced apples and toss the results in a blender. Simple, right? Before you answer that question, have you ever seen me cook? Nothing is simple in my kitchen.<br /><br />I bought a cheap apple corer to commemorate the occasion and promptly peeled the apples and sent them through the gauntlet of blades.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVyR09cooI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/hATPwK3NWtk/s1600-h/DSCN0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVyR09cooI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/hATPwK3NWtk/s400/DSCN0006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338298583917306498" /></a><center><i>A close-up of the victims.</i></center><br />Since I can't follow anyone's directions (even my own; I've written down some of my recipes, but I never actually follow them), I decided to make <i>flavored</i> applesauce. The only things I had in the house (remember, we're moving soon) was some blueberry pomegranate juice and some frozen Maine blueberries. Blueberry applesauce it is!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySB_vQxI/AAAAAAAAAUY/LarBo8Px3-A/s1600-h/DSCN0007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySB_vQxI/AAAAAAAAAUY/LarBo8Px3-A/s400/DSCN0007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338298587416576786" /></a><br />I boiled four apples in a thin layer of the juice (around ¼ cup), then covered and simmered for almost half an hour. The smell was kind of bad, so I decided to sweeten them with around ¼ cup brown sugar. That's entirely optional, though.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySbQkkJI/AAAAAAAAAUg/X_OtFeHfc9Q/s1600-h/DSCN0008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySbQkkJI/AAAAAAAAAUg/X_OtFeHfc9Q/s400/DSCN0008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338298594198065298" /></a><br />Once that was done, I tossed the apples and some of the juice (leaving a small amount in the pot) into the blender. I threw some blueberries on top for good measure.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySRDNXsI/AAAAAAAAAUo/7x3IXGS4tZA/s1600-h/DSCN0009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVySRDNXsI/AAAAAAAAAUo/7x3IXGS4tZA/s400/DSCN0009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338298591457664706" /></a><br />Blended it all together and it turned out beautifully.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVy0_5GtbI/AAAAAAAAAUw/iFQ-gjdAauw/s1600-h/DSCN0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/ShVy0_5GtbI/AAAAAAAAAUw/iFQ-gjdAauw/s400/DSCN0011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338299188147303858" /></a><br />If you can't see the texture, enlarge the photo. Trust me: it's perfect. And the taste (even though I've only had it warm) is quite delicious. Most importantly, for once, it actually was simple.<br /><br />Tonight I'll be trying this <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/black-bread/">ridiculously complicated black bread</a> for a potluck at my wife's work. I've never worked with half the ingredients (<i>shallots? really?</i>), so wish me luck.<br /><br /><i>Update: after checking the cooled product, it thickened more than I anticipated. Suggestion: double the liquid base (you can use water, fruit juice, apple cider, apple juice, etc.) so you don't have to add apple butter and fruit juice to thin out your applesauce. Just an idea.</i>Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-57184537694528362552009-05-15T01:06:00.001-04:002009-05-15T01:06:00.264-04:00Make This Coffee Cake NowPlease? It's the best coffee cake I've ever had.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylumjMXnI/AAAAAAAAATY/AHoX4DIX1VM/s1600-h/DSCN0030.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylumjMXnI/AAAAAAAAATY/AHoX4DIX1VM/s400/DSCN0030.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821878567919218" /></a><br />Adapted from a recipe by Emeril:<br /><br /><blockquote><b>Batter</b><br />1 stick unsalted butter, softened<br />1½ cups packed light brown sugar<br />2 large eggs<br />2 cups self-rising flour<br />1 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1 cup sour cream<br />2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped<br /><br /><b>Topping</b><br />½ cup packed light brown sugar<br />½ cup all-purpose flour<br />½ tsp. ground cinnamon<br />½ stick unsalted butter, softened<br /><br /><b>Glaze</b><br />½ cup packed light brown sugar<br />½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />2 tbsp. water</blockquote>I came into some apples recently. Unfortunately, they're red delicious apples, which don't hold their shape when baked. Since I'm not all that fond of eating apples straight (especially red delicious), that meant something with chopped or pureed apples.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylCKHd5AI/AAAAAAAAASY/wvI8Fq7sO2g/s1600-h/DSCN0021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylCKHd5AI/AAAAAAAAASY/wvI8Fq7sO2g/s400/DSCN0021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821115021190146" /></a><br />I stumbled upon Emeril's recipe and am very, very glad I tried it.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylB8PIOfI/AAAAAAAAASA/iR6HEA2XaQU/s1600-h/DSCN0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylB8PIOfI/AAAAAAAAASA/iR6HEA2XaQU/s400/DSCN0014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821111295228402" /></a><br />Start by placing a stick of butter in a large bowl and half a stick in a medium bowl.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylB6GTTVI/AAAAAAAAASI/fg1PmEbdi0E/s1600-h/DSCN0016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylB6GTTVI/AAAAAAAAASI/fg1PmEbdi0E/s400/DSCN0016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821110721334610" /></a><br />While those are softening, whisk together the self-rising flour and 1 tsp. cinnamon in an even larger bowl.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylCEF7FWI/AAAAAAAAASQ/1FZq3yXwUMM/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylCEF7FWI/AAAAAAAAASQ/1FZq3yXwUMM/s400/DSCN0018.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821113404101986" /></a><br />Once the butter is soft, cream together with the brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating thoroughly. After one egg, the batter will look deliciously peanut-buttery. After the second, it will look runny.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylbyPNvDI/AAAAAAAAASg/X5YeX3n1L88/s1600-h/DSCN0023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylbyPNvDI/AAAAAAAAASg/X5YeX3n1L88/s400/DSCN0023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821555287833650" /></a><br />Make a well in the flour and add what you just mixed to the flour. Add the sour cream and vanilla, stirring together. Fold in the chopped apples. The finished batter will be extremely thick (perfect for that crumb texture). Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9 baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan.<br /><br />Prepare the crumb topping by mixing together all four ingredients until the result resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle uniformly over the surface of the batter.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylbwPTHlI/AAAAAAAAASo/ClL9h18qUHM/s1600-h/DSCN0024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylbwPTHlI/AAAAAAAAASo/ClL9h18qUHM/s400/DSCN0024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821554751315538" /></a><br />Place in the oven. Bake approximately 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sgylb-IAzzI/AAAAAAAAASw/v4X4RfpKwnc/s1600-h/DSCN0025.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sgylb-IAzzI/AAAAAAAAASw/v4X4RfpKwnc/s400/DSCN0025.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821558478851890" /></a><br />Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the three glaze ingredients. It's okay if the sugar doesn't dissolve fully.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylcD6zS3I/AAAAAAAAAS4/SbQml4Hu7gY/s1600-h/DSCN0026.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylcD6zS3I/AAAAAAAAAS4/SbQml4Hu7gY/s400/DSCN0026.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821560034052978" /></a><br />After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the top and let harden slightly.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgyluqAqaXI/AAAAAAAAATQ/BEiwIiJTR4A/s1600-h/DSCN0029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgyluqAqaXI/AAAAAAAAATQ/BEiwIiJTR4A/s400/DSCN0029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821879496829298" /></a><br />I cannot say enough about the results. The texture is divine, and the apples give it a light fruity taste. I love the taste of brown sugar, too, so truckloads of the stuff can't hurt.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sgylu0uoNfI/AAAAAAAAATg/u4qyQNcwLts/s1600-h/DSCN0032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sgylu0uoNfI/AAAAAAAAATg/u4qyQNcwLts/s400/DSCN0032.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821882373977586" /></a><br />The cleanup's a bitch,<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylcDYu4_I/AAAAAAAAATA/XqA4qp35Uvc/s1600-h/DSCN0027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgylcDYu4_I/AAAAAAAAATA/XqA4qp35Uvc/s400/DSCN0027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335821559891158002" /></a><br />but well worth it. As I said before, this is the best coffee cake I've ever had.<br /><br />I still have four more apples to use up. I'm thinking about making apple dumplings. Any other ideas for good apple dishes that could stand some red deliciousness?Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-80631704152835996092009-05-14T00:59:00.000-04:002009-05-14T00:59:27.783-04:00Some Baseball QuestionsWith popular color analyst Jerry Remy on <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/05/remy_taking_ind.html">indefinite leave</a> after a bout with lung cancer, <a href="http://www.nesn.com/default.aspx">NESN</a> has turned to a revolving door of analysts to patch the hole left behind by the RemDawg. The experiment has seen everyone from Dennis Eckersley to Kevin Kennedy to Dave Roberts try their hand at analysis.<br /><br />Even the best baseball commentators say some absolutely ridiculous things. I chalk that up to a number of reasons, chief among them the fact that most analysts are former players. If you think about it, most field managers are ex-players, but very few general managers or front office professionals are. That is partially because the front office has to deal with so much more than just the game of baseball. But, it is also partially because ex-players tend to rely on instincts and feelings and can rarely view the game as a business or from a critical distance. Remy occasionally said some ridiculous things, but he was always able to view the game the way any good analyst should: from multiple perspectives. He recognized the value of statistics and of subjective, intangible evaluation.<br /><br />Without Remy in the booth, I've been listening a little more closely to his temporary replacements. Just the last couple of games, they have said several things that have baffled/puzzled/intrigued/infuriated me. Mostly, though, they have made me wonder. If I were a smarter/better person, I would whip out the ole sabermetrics and try to find some answers to the questions they've raised. Since I'm not, I'll just ask the questions. These are some thing that I would love to have someone (other than me) complete a statistical analysis of:<br /><br />1.) Does ritual trump athleticism or vice-versa? Commentators frequently assert that a player seems "out of sorts" or "uncomfortable" because his routine is off. Japanese players struggle because the American baseball is a slightly different size than the Japanese ball. Position players commit more errors when they play in a position they're not used to. On one level, that logic absolutely makes sense. Baseball players are creatures of habit (which makes me wonder: how much of "home field advantage" is mere comfort?). On another level, though, that logic makes no sense to me at all. These players are paid millions of dollars to be <i>athletes</i>. They should be able to throw a cantaloupe if required, right?<br /><br />2.) Every time the Sox have the bases loaded, the graphics folks at NESN kindly provide us with the hitter's career numbers with the bases loaded. Almost invariably, the average hovers around .360 and the RBI total is about the same as the AB. Then, also almost invariably, the analyst will assert that the hitter is "clutch" with the bases loaded. My question: how much of the .360 is the hitter's "clutch-ness" and how much of it comes from the fact that pitcher's are usually not on top of their game when the bases are loaded. In other words, are bases loaded averages inflated by hitters capitalizing on a taxed pitcher?<br /><br />3.) Kevin Kennedy, my favorite of NESN's stopgap announcers, constantly referred to 2-2 as the perfect "running count." Why is that? Do certain counts actually lead to more successful stolen bases? It stands to reason that first pitch steals are successful more often than steals later in the count (if only because the percentage of straight steals is higher on the first pitch). Beyond that, I have no idea. Joe Posnanski has a <a href="http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/04/21/the-count-of-counting-counts/">great piece</a> on hitters' vs. pitchers' counts. I would love to see a similar piece on what happens on the rest of the field for various counts.<br /><br />4.) The only claim that has truly infuriated me was the idea (perpetrated by both Eck and Kennedy) that a baserunner can "do more damage" by staying at first base early in a count than by stealing second base on the first pitch. The theory behind this is seems sounds: the pitcher will throw more fastballs to the hitter with the threat of the steal looming. Honestly, though, isn't it always more damaging to have a runner on second base? Would you want a speedy runner to pull up with a single instead of taking a clear double? If the guy is going to steal anyway, why not do it early in the count and increase the likelihood of him scoring on a single?<br /><br />5.) I'm always fascinated by the tension between rationality and emotion. When K. and I watch TV, she always complains that characters do things that just don't make sense. I always remind her that they are often in the midst of emotional turmoil and therefore not entirely rational. Of course, these things are not entirely mutually exclusive, but they tend not to mix well. Thus, I always wonder when commentators talk about a player being "distracted" or "consumed" by emotion. Most analysts say that they will "take" the "fiery, passionate" guy over the lackadaisical player (read: J.D. Drew). Then, they turn around and claim that players (pitchers mostly) are too emotional and therefore more likely to get distracted and not execute properly. Is emotion a strength? Does it have any tangible effect on a player's performanace?<br /><br />These are all questions to which I have no answer. I am only a baseball fan, and one with no advanced knowledge of stats, at that. I am curious, though. Mostly, though, I want Remy back.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-71787825114968384342009-05-13T19:32:00.003-04:002009-05-13T19:37:38.233-04:00Ryan Zimmerman's Hit Streak Ends :(<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgtYtAFD2II/AAAAAAAAARI/g-NxNEdA2jo/s1600-h/Ryan+Zimmerman.jpg"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SgtYtAFD2II/AAAAAAAAARI/g-NxNEdA2jo/s400/Ryan+Zimmerman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335455713689065602" /></a><br />I had no idea Ryan Zimmerman was such a ... <i>player</i>. *Laugh track.*<br /><br />Sorry for the outage lately. Big baseball post coming up; hopefully some baking posts, too.<br /><br />Until then, my friends.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-69218337411034084972009-05-05T22:41:00.003-04:002009-05-05T22:47:52.109-04:00The Life of a Graduate StudentI'm never quite sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. Graduate students, querulous animals that we are, like to complain about having lots of papers to write and grade. I would often agree: juggling all the concerns of a teacher and a student at once can be frustrating and tiring.<br /><br />But then, as I drive through the rain to go to the gym, I watch the undergrads filing from building to building, exam to exam, and I realize: I get paid to sit at home, read some books, and write some stuff. That's a pretty nice gig, right?Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-3894995369588561182009-05-04T19:41:00.004-04:002009-05-04T19:58:14.161-04:00Pecan Pie and Banana Nut MuffinsI'm moving in less than a month and will be coming into a lot of free time in approximately 48 hours. What to do but bake? I have a lot of stuff in my pantry that needs to be eaten, and baking is the best way I know to use up ingredients pre-move.<br /><br />I've had some recipes from Simply Recipes waiting, so I decided to take the opportunity to try them. First up is a classic <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001595pecan_pie.php">pecan pie</a>, which, for the record, I always seem to screw up.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf996xW16II/AAAAAAAAAQY/6gZZpoqMEH4/s1600-h/DSCN0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf996xW16II/AAAAAAAAAQY/6gZZpoqMEH4/s400/DSCN0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332118932464986242" /></a><br />This recipe is delightful, though, and the added molasses and brown sugar makes for a dark filling that isn't too syrupy sweet.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf997Bw_tfI/AAAAAAAAAQg/nN-M_QR1FIQ/s1600-h/DSCN0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf997Bw_tfI/AAAAAAAAAQg/nN-M_QR1FIQ/s400/DSCN0006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332118936869647858" /></a><br />For the record, I was able to eat a quarter of the pie in one sitting, something I would never be able to do with a regular pecan pie.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf997g_2UhI/AAAAAAAAAQo/i3X0kiprP_U/s1600-h/DSCN0007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf997g_2UhI/AAAAAAAAAQo/i3X0kiprP_U/s400/DSCN0007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332118945253446162" /></a><i><center>Grade: B+</center></i><br />The second recipe I butchered is Elise's take on <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004229banana_nut_muffins.php">banana nut muffins</a>. Of course, I only had one banana in the house, so I had to dramatically abbreviate and alter the recipe and combine it with a package of banana nut muffin mix.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf998MCkRYI/AAAAAAAAAQw/OgtYaz2aecA/s1600-h/DSCN0010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf998MCkRYI/AAAAAAAAAQw/OgtYaz2aecA/s400/DSCN0010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332118956807570818" /></a><br />Despite all my attempts to the contrary, this recipe turned out quite well.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf998tKROPI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/fKWNY82oqU4/s1600-h/DSCN0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf998tKROPI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/fKWNY82oqU4/s400/DSCN0011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332118965698246898" /></a><br />They're basically your classic banana nut muffin. The mashed banana makes them much more moist than muffins from the package, though.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf9-aSJf6_I/AAAAAAAAARA/WRSDeLnI9pc/s1600-h/DSCN0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Sf9-aSJf6_I/AAAAAAAAARA/WRSDeLnI9pc/s400/DSCN0012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332119473843334130" /></a><i><center>Grade: A-</center></i><br />I will be reviewing some other recipes in the coming weeks. The fewer non-perishables I move with, the better. I inherited almost a dozen red delicious apples, so expect some awkward apple recipes soon.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-37914547404915159532009-04-29T22:28:00.003-04:002009-05-14T19:39:56.001-04:00Raisin-Walnut Rye Bread"Don't you know that love / Is stronger than Jesus," Nina Persson croons on A Camp's new album, <i>Colonia</i>. Well, I know something else that is stronger than Jesus: bread.<br /><br />This recipe, adapted from one on the <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/">King Arthur Flour</a> website, is a keeper. It's delightfully soft, and it features both the slightly tangy taste of classic rye bread and the sticky sweetness of raisins, with a bit of crunch in there just to screw things up.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZrovEGyLI/AAAAAAAAAPA/0e5uIZRXTKg/s1600-h/DSCN0004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZrovEGyLI/AAAAAAAAAPA/0e5uIZRXTKg/s400/DSCN0004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329565556612188338" /></a><br />The best part about it is that it is easy to make, and, if you regularly bake bread, you likely have the ingredients already. If not, you can easily go out and get them.<br /><br />Mix the following ingredients in a bowl (or in your bread machine on the dough setting, if you prefer):<br /><blockquote>½ cup pumpernickel flour<br />½ cup rye flour<br />2 cups bread flour<br />1¼ cups water (room temperature)<br />2 tbsp. melted butter<br />3 tbsp. brown sugar<br />1½ tsp. salt<br />2 tsp. instant yeast (room temperature)</blockquote>Mix to form a shaggy dough. Knead 10 minutes, let sit 10 minutes, then knead some more. Near the end of the kneading process (if you're using a bread machine, when it beeps), add 1 cup raisins and ½ cup chopped walnuts. You can substitute any dried fruit and chopped nuts here.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZropFfR8I/AAAAAAAAAPI/sl-S52mM0qg/s1600-h/DSCN0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZropFfR8I/AAAAAAAAAPI/sl-S52mM0qg/s400/DSCN0006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329565555007375298" /></a><br />If you made the dough by hand, let it set in a bowl with a damp cloth over it for about an hour. It should double in size. If you made it in the bread machine, just wait until the dough cycle is complete.<br /><br />At this point, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled loaf pan and cover it with lightly oiled plastic wrap.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZro9EAHeI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Sklq37faDGc/s1600-h/DSCN0007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZro9EAHeI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Sklq37faDGc/s400/DSCN0007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329565560369847778" /></a><br />Let sit for another 45 minutes or so until the dough crests over the top of the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. The dough should look something like this before it goes into the oven.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZro0ZcqZI/AAAAAAAAAPY/718LPLqrb5U/s1600-h/DSCN0008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZro0ZcqZI/AAAAAAAAAPY/718LPLqrb5U/s400/DSCN0008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329565558043879826" /></a><br />Bake for about 25 minutes (or longer if you prefer a thicker crust). Remove it from the oven and tent it with foil to keep the crust from burning. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes. It's always difficult to tell when bread is ready. I've found two good ways: you can either use an instant-read thermometer (the inside of a medium-sized loaf should hover around 190°F) or you can thump the outside of the loaf with your fingernail. If it's done, it should resonate slightly and hurt just a bit when you thump it.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZrpI8WaTI/AAAAAAAAAPg/m09hZD5uY_I/s1600-h/DSCN0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZrpI8WaTI/AAAAAAAAAPg/m09hZD5uY_I/s400/DSCN0011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329565563558979890" /></a><br />When the loaf is done, slide it out of the pan and onto a cutting board. I like to cut my bread soon after it's out of the oven (my wife would disown me if I didn't give her a warm piece of bread).<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZu_f78-7I/AAAAAAAAAPo/QGjK0k4Td1k/s1600-h/DSCN0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZu_f78-7I/AAAAAAAAAPo/QGjK0k4Td1k/s400/DSCN0014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329569246223334322" /></a><br />Since water-based loaves can be rather soft and moist, I usually cut them and let them sit on a wire cooling rack for about an hour. Doing so allows them to cool and draws out some of the excess moisture so they will be easier to package.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZu_SSDOEI/AAAAAAAAAPw/9v-Gkhs_nFU/s1600-h/DSCN0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZu_SSDOEI/AAAAAAAAAPw/9v-Gkhs_nFU/s400/DSCN0015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329569242557921346" /></a><br />While it's not a true rye bread, this recipe yields a loaf that is dark and rich like a traditional rye. And the texture of the bread is so perfect that I couldn't ask for more. It's going to be tough not to eat it all now while the wife is sleeping.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-22909148974978645092009-04-28T18:00:00.000-04:002009-04-28T18:00:00.066-04:00Seven Simple Steps to Chicken Curry1.) Cut up a couple of boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.<br /><br />2.) Shake a good deal of curry powder and black powder onto the pieces and roll them through your hands to coat. They will turn dark orange.<br /><br />3.) Toss the chicken pieces in a wok (or deep skillet) with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat on medium heat until white all the way through.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZndyFy5bI/AAAAAAAAAOo/6zSNcvSoShU/s1600-h/DSCN0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZndyFy5bI/AAAAAAAAAOo/6zSNcvSoShU/s400/DSCN0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329560970399507890" /></a><br />4.) In the meantime, mix whatever yogurt you have in your fridge (plain yogurt works best, but vanilla and other flavors will do in a pinch) and add a couple tablespoons of curry powder and a tablespoon of ground ginger. Stir until combined.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZnd46T5nI/AAAAAAAAAOw/qUJkRQPrqSo/s1600-h/DSCN0002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZnd46T5nI/AAAAAAAAAOw/qUJkRQPrqSo/s400/DSCN0002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329560972230387314" /></a><br />5.) Once the chicken breasts are done, push them to the sides of the skillet (or up the sides of the wok) and pour the yogurt in a pool in the center. Let simmer briefly, then slide the chicken in and mix together, coating all the pieces.<br /><br />6.) If you want to spice it up, add some steamed veggies or stir-fry the veggies before you cook the chicken. I chose broccoli, carrots, and snow peas.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZneIXzeuI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Pouds6NPg0U/s1600-h/DSCN0003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfZneIXzeuI/AAAAAAAAAO4/Pouds6NPg0U/s400/DSCN0003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329560976380623586" /></a><br />7.) Once the sauce thickens (it won't take long, since yogurt is already thick), serve hot and enjoy. This recipe is perfect with saffron and chicken rice: I'll post that recipe another day.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-50837540196926650372009-04-27T06:44:00.003-04:002009-06-17T13:34:44.052-04:00From the Daring Kitchen: CheesecakeThe April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from <a href="http://jennybakes.blogspot.com/">Jenny Bakes</a>. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.<br /><br />I've been craving cheesecake for a while now, so it was fortuitous that my first <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/">Daring Bakers</a> challenge was to make an entire cheesecake. The recipe provided was very basic, but it encouraged us bakers "to take this basic recipe and play with it. Make it unique."<br /><br />My friend <a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/">Amanda</a> took those instructions to heart and made a <a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/2009/04/daring-bakers-maine-deer-tracks.html">Maine Deer Tracks cheesecake</a> in honor of the <a href="http://www.giffordsicecream.com/">Gifford's</a> ice cream flavor. Head on over to her blog and check it out.<br /><br />I'm nowhere near as creative, so I made a lemon cheesecake with a raspberry swirl. It was just the right amount of Springy goodness for a drizzly 50°F day in Maine.<br /><br />The graham cracker crust was, honestly, the most fun I've had in a while. I'm a cheap date.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SAsQLEOI/AAAAAAAAAMw/clvfTMAjqlc/s1600-h/DSCN0002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SAsQLEOI/AAAAAAAAAMw/clvfTMAjqlc/s400/DSCN0002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327496687290880226" /></a><br />I love my food processor, and I used it to make crumbs of these crackers in about 15 seconds.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBLBzOgI/AAAAAAAAANA/4O1dIUlCXls/s1600-h/DSCN0004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBLBzOgI/AAAAAAAAANA/4O1dIUlCXls/s400/DSCN0004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327496695552096770" /></a><br />After about a half a box of graham crackers, a stick of melted butter, a bit of sugar (which I accidentally forgot), and a splash of vanilla,<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBK7jpFI/AAAAAAAAANI/prMMTZpJqAU/s1600-h/DSCN0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBK7jpFI/AAAAAAAAANI/prMMTZpJqAU/s400/DSCN0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327496695525909586" /></a><br />I mixed it all together and pressed it into the disposable casserole dish I bought for the occasion.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBY7PicI/AAAAAAAAANQ/K_TmH6-k_Rs/s1600-h/DSCN0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SBY7PicI/AAAAAAAAANQ/K_TmH6-k_Rs/s400/DSCN0006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327496699282688450" /></a><br />(Springform pans are wonderful and all, but the recipe called for a boiling water bath, and watertight they are not.)<br /><br />Meanwhile, I got out the cream cheese and started letting it warm up to room temperature.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SA074RII/AAAAAAAAAM4/T05nQLpdzYs/s1600-h/DSCN0003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se8SA074RII/AAAAAAAAAM4/T05nQLpdzYs/s400/DSCN0003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327496689621681282" /></a><br />While that was warming, I made a simple raspberry puree by putting a container and a half of raspberries (saving the remainder for garnishing) into the food processor. It was a pain in the ass to strain out all the seeds, so I only got most of them (no one noticed, anyway).<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88aXJmrhI/AAAAAAAAANY/2xVNSR5g5XY/s1600-h/DSCN0009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88aXJmrhI/AAAAAAAAANY/2xVNSR5g5XY/s400/DSCN0009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327543307791150610" /></a><center><em>Kind of creepy, no?</em></center><br />After that, it was time for the cheesecake batter, which included three bricks of cream cheese and a cup of sugar creamed together,<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88aobwAYI/AAAAAAAAANg/bLMBg7suocM/s1600-h/DSCN0010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88aobwAYI/AAAAAAAAANg/bLMBg7suocM/s400/DSCN0010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327543312430662018" /></a><br />three eggs,<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88ao_a4wI/AAAAAAAAANo/nfytsi_Ffnw/s1600-h/DSCN0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88ao_a4wI/AAAAAAAAANo/nfytsi_Ffnw/s400/DSCN0011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327543312580272898" /></a><br />a cup of heavy cream, and a splash of vanilla.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88a-pWYSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/27W5UXDu-vI/s1600-h/DSCN0016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88a-pWYSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/27W5UXDu-vI/s400/DSCN0016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327543318393282850" /></a><br />I really wanted the cheesecake to be lemony, so I grated two lemon peels into the batter and added the juice from both lemons, as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88a4GmW3I/AAAAAAAAANw/lyjHHOVCgG0/s1600-h/DSCN0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se88a4GmW3I/AAAAAAAAANw/lyjHHOVCgG0/s400/DSCN0015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327543316636916594" /></a><center><em>Poor naked lemons.</em></center><br />Then came the hard part. To make the characteristic swirl, I poured the raspberry over the cheesecake batter and awkwardly ran a knife through it to swirl it. I stuck it all in the boiling water bath and baked it in the oven for about 45 minutes.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se89yIIn1WI/AAAAAAAAAOA/oVOZPyRKcBc/s1600-h/DSCN0017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se89yIIn1WI/AAAAAAAAAOA/oVOZPyRKcBc/s400/DSCN0017.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327544815588988258" /></a><center><em>You're next, sweet, innocent blackberries, you're next.</em></center><br />It wasn't beautiful, but once decorated,<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se89yAMqiqI/AAAAAAAAAOI/ophfOMK65MA/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se89yAMqiqI/AAAAAAAAAOI/ophfOMK65MA/s400/DSCN0018.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327544813458459298" /></a><br />it didn't look half bad. Besides, I've never been good at making things look good. I learned to cook from my grandmother, whose biscuits roughly resembled potatoes left in the sun too long, and my mother, who is known for trying things like the freakish-looking <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_in_the_hole">Toad-in-the-Hole</a> (her only spectacular failure, according to my dad).<br /><br />I took the finished product to a wine reception at the University Club on campus and donated it to the cause. There was much hyperbole to be had, and the person in charge of the event made me wave to a table of middle-aged women devouring my cheesecake.<br /><br />While it was not as good as people made it out to be, I was quite pleased with the results. The recipe yielded a cheesecake that was perfectly light and fluffy (none of that dense cheesecake that will fill you up with a couple of bites). The extra lemon zest and juice gave it some zing, and the raspberries softened that bite a little.<br /><br />I am happy to declare my first Daring Bakers challenge a success!Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-41032258182346876182009-04-26T08:00:00.003-04:002009-04-26T08:40:41.226-04:00Roasted Carrots<img src="http://www.cravegames.com/games/veggietales/images/laura_sidebar.jpg"><br />I like eating cute things, so it's nice to personify my vegetables before I kill them.<br /><br /><a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/">Amanda</a>, whose culinary prowess and razor-sharp wit have netted her a <a href="http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2009/04/friendship-blog-award.html">Friendship Blog Award</a> from foodie <a href="http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2009/04/friendship-blog-award.html">How to Eat a Cupcake</a>, recently turned me onto <a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/2009/03/roasted-celery.html">delicious</a> <a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/2009/03/fear-conquering-101-brussel-sprouts.html">roasted</a> <a href="http://testone2three.blogspot.com/2009/04/best-broccoli-ever.html">vegetables</a>. I've tried a number of my favorite veggies roasted now, including brussel sprouts, mushrooms, potatoes, and broccoli. Next on the list: carrots.<br /><br />I was really worried about roasting carrots. Everytime I sautee carrots (my preferred method), I have to watch them like a hawk to make sure they are cooked without being mushy. I want crunchy-soft carrots, rather than pot-roast-style carrots. Of course, roasting vegetables is the perfect way to get them crunchy and soft.<br /><br />It turns out that roasted carrots are, I kid you not, <i>perfect</i>. They taste almost exactly like sweet potatoes.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.springhillcommunityfarm.com/recipeImages/sweet_potato.gif"><br /><br />So, cut up some carrots and pop them in the oven on a roasting pan (or any other metal pan) at 375°F for about half an hour. If you want, you can toss them in a tiny bit of olive oil and ground sea salt. Or not. They're fine just on their own.<br /><br />While you're at it, let me know what vegetable to roast next. I have some asparagus waiting in my crisper, so I might just try that.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-72349639105999549832009-04-25T21:14:00.005-04:002009-05-13T19:38:07.850-04:0016-Whaaaa?!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfO1e1rpGTI/AAAAAAAAAOg/C4puxmdx4UQ/s1600-h/Lowell.jpg"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/SfO1e1rpGTI/AAAAAAAAAOg/C4puxmdx4UQ/s400/Lowell.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328802325520259378" /></a><br />All I have to say is this: after an 11-inning marathon last night and a 5-hour slugfest tonight, it's only fitting that Sports Illustrated couldn't manage to fit the entire score of the Yanks-Sox game in one headline. (I would direct you over there, but it seems they fixed the problem <i>immediately</i> after I took my screen cap.)Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-37870044063222074892009-04-25T10:00:00.003-04:002009-05-02T17:13:17.523-04:00My Worldview<img src="http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/img/holidays/canada-day/canadian-flag-heart.jpg"><br />I don't know if you've heard, but my Canadian Literature class is a disaster. Our instructor basically gave us free reign to teach ourselves for the entire semester. That might work if he were to just listen in, but he frequently interrupts and chips in with comments that are either off-track or just plain strange. Even <i>that</i> might work if it weren't for the fact that we <i>argue so damn much</i>. I completely and totally disagree with most everything that the instructor (and one other student) says in class. As I'm sure you know, I'm prone to air my disagreements, too (rather than let them "fester"; more on that later).<br /><br />My friend occupies herself in that class by taking her notes backwards, Leonardo da Vinci style. Another friend doodles. My new pastime for getting through every Wednesday night is to use the discussion in class to contemplate my worldview and just how different it is from the other people in the class.<br /><br />Sometimes, it's refreshing being around people that are like-minded. I occasionally get a little tingle of joy when I realize, <i>hey, I'm in a room full of atheists</i>. Then, other times, I'm reminded that these people really are not like-minded. Here are some observations about my own worldview that I gleaned from this week's class.<br /><br /><i><b>People do not fundamentally change.</b></i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.searchviews.com/wp-content/themes/clean-copy-full-3-column-1/images/change.jpg"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 420px; height: 241px;" src="http://www.searchviews.com/wp-content/themes/clean-copy-full-3-column-1/images/change.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I'm not saying that people don't change. Of course they do. I'm also not trying to appeal to some kind of greater human nature; like any good postmodern scholar, I recognize the contingency of life and the socially constructed nature of identity. Rather, I am of the opinion that change is <i>extremely hard</i> for most people. We get into certain ruts and like to stay in those ruts. Even as adolescents, when we are changing most quickly, we fight change as much as possible. Maybe I'm straying too much into the "human nature" camp, but I believe that there are only a few exceptions to this rule.<br /><br />This issue came up in reference to Sarah Sheard's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Japanese-Sarah-Sheard/dp/1552450848/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240484124&sr=8-1">Almost Japanese</a></i>, a novel about a young girl from Toronto's obsession with an older Japanese orchestra conductor. Most everyone in the class thought that the narrator of the novel moved on from her stalker phase at the end of the novel. I can see the value in that reading, especially since I think the text <i>wants</i> its readers to read it that way. I couldn't, though, because I fully believe that her obsession, which lasts somewhere around five years, would be <i>extremely hard</i> to shake. I am an optimistic person, but I'm not optimistic that she would make the radical change others seemed so willing to believe.<br /><br /><i><b>We are all fucked up in some way or another.</b></i><br /><br /><img src="http://media.kansan.com/img/photos/2007/12/02/depression.jpg"><br /><br />I promise, I really am an optimistic person. This week's class just reaffirmed my view that everyone is fucked up somehow. This, because I discovered that 13-year-old girls are psychopaths who harbor secret obsessions for various famous people. Who knew that it's apparently perfectly normal to keep a lock of hair and a used drinking glass as keepsakes?<br /><br /><i><b>We are all deeply sexual creatures, whether or not we want to admit it.</b></i><br /><br /><a href="http://roberttorreslawfirm.com/sexual_harassment.jpg"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 412px;" src="http://roberttorreslawfirm.com/sexual_harassment.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Excluding the few <i>million</i> asexuals in the world, I firmly believe that sexuality is a major part of all our lives and that it informs our movements and actions socially. Apparently others do not entirely buy this. Some of the people in my class talked about their teenage years as if they weren't raging balls of hormones at fourteen. Some of the people in my class talked about the older Japanese orchestra conductor as if his actions in <i>Almost Japanese</i> (or anyone's actions in the book) were somehow divorced from any kind of sexual nature. Yes, sex can be on the periphery at times. Yes, it's rarely purely about sex; <i>power</i> almost always comes along for the ride. But, at least on some level, I believe it's <i>usually</i> about sex. There's some kind of saying out there that all literature is really about love. One could say the same thing for sex, for even when there isn't love, there's always sex.<br /><br /><i><b>We are steadily marching towards progress in some kind of Hegelian manner.</b></i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/progress-function-graph.png"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 417px; height: 406px;" src="http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/progress-function-graph.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I struggle with this notion constantly, but, as I said, I'm an optimist, so I like to believe that humanity's history is fundamentally the history of progress. There are <i>absolutely</i> steps backward. There are times when progress is stalled. Just looking at the history of America, the Jim Crow period post-emancipation completely stalled all progress. But, we slowly have resolved a number of issues over our history as a nation.<br /><br />Here's where the "festering" comes in. One student made a comment that fascism and bigotry is "more dangerous" when it "goes underground" and "festers." Her argument was that "festering" fascism leads to crazy totalitarian states like the one in Margaret Atwood's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Handmaids-Tale-Everymans-Library/dp/0307264602/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240485710&sr=8-1">The Handmaid's Tale</a></i>. On some level, this argument makes sense. On another level, it doesn't make the slightest bit of sense (at least to me).<br /><br />You see, the opposite of festering fascism is outright fascism. It's state-supported bigotry like Jim Crow laws. On this level, I would <i>much, much</i> rather racism be "festering" and "underground" than out in the open and acceptable. Hatred is <i>never</i> more dangerous than when it is an acceptable part of society.<br /><br />That is the fundamental reason why I see our history as a country as a history of progress. We have had and will continue to have problems—hell, we still treat Native Americans like third-world citizens—but we have mostly made racism, sexism, etc. <i>go underground</i>. I happen to think that's a good thing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dost-dongnai.gov.vn/portals/0/tinkhcn/200810/20081015/ape%20to%20man.jpg"><img style="anchor:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 421px; height: 293px;" src="http://www.dost-dongnai.gov.vn/portals/0/tinkhcn/200810/20081015/ape%20to%20man.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>Ignore the inherent racism of this image, please.</i><br /><br />I'm sure you've had enough of my poorly-argued-for worldview. I leave you with this thought: next time you're in a situation where it appears that you disagree with almost everyone in the room, whether it be a class or a meeting or something else entirely, don't get angry or defensive. Instead, take the opportunity to ponder your worldview and revel in the fact that, as Whitman would say, you "contain multitudes."Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-26729705384196929892009-04-24T15:27:00.004-04:002009-04-24T15:29:39.536-04:00Bodies of WaterEver fall in love with a band that has only released a couple of albums? Ever wish that band had released dozens of albums so you could listen to them all in a row, never tiring of the different iterations of the same basic musical formula?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/bodiesofwater">Yeah, I'm there</a>.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-67305684306423062552009-04-24T08:00:00.004-04:002009-04-24T08:04:16.085-04:00Chivalry = Chauvinism<img src="http://artofmanliness.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/man-opening-door-for-lady-tm.jpg"><br /><br />I'm going to pull an ENG 101 student here in order to show that two words that are technically opposites are really the same.<br /><br />According to <a href="http://wordweb.info/free/">WordWeb</a>, my new dictionary friend, "chivalry" is defined as "courtesy towards women." "Chauvinism," then, is "activity indicative of belief in the superiority of men over women."<br /><br />Really, though, aren't they the same thing?<br /><br />Let's unpack this box: modern notions of chivalry—holding the door open for women (more on this later), opening car doors, etc.—are informed by medieval chivalry. We all know medieval chivalry: women on pedestals, women as inspiration figures. These women were entirely without agency, though. They were allowed to keep up their knight's weapons and hand their knight his sword before he rode into battle, but they certainly were not allowed to follow their knight into battle. In other words, wars were fought <em>over</em> women, but never were they fought <em>for</em> women. This is the history of woman (see <em>The Iliad</em>).<br /><br />If we shift the example from medieval to modern chivalry, it becomes clear how chivalry = chauvinism. One of the most infuriating things in my world is when an adult male refuses to go through a door opened by a woman—"Hell, no! My mama raised me better than that!"—somehow relying on the crutch of chivalry as the final bastion of civility. That form of unthinking chivalry, though, rests on the assumption that women are somehow more delicate, more <em>in need of</em> having a door opened for them.<br /><br />I also love what happens when one guy opens the door for another guy who happens to be into the whole chivalry thing. I love destabilizing people's world view, so I will frequently force chivalrous people to go through a door I'm holding open for them. Just the other day at the gas station, I had one guy refuse to go through the door four or five times, until I looked him square in the eyes and said, "Please go through the door, sir. I promise you that my holding it open for you is not some kind of homoerotic gesture."<br /><br />He quickly hung his head and beat a hasty retreat for the nearby bar, likely puzzling over just what "homoerotic" meant and wondering whether or not I was hitting on him.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-75585365328415288322009-04-22T23:58:00.004-04:002009-04-23T00:18:40.082-04:00Big Papi<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se_pWkjybEI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/yKmwLjnAHzs/s1600-h/Big+Papi+Pointing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se_pWkjybEI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/yKmwLjnAHzs/s400/Big+Papi+Pointing.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327733458182761538" /></a>I absolutely lurv the phenomenon, nay, the force, that is David Ortiz, or "Big Papi." Everything about the guy—his fractured English, his knack for big hits, his playful demeanor—makes him an absolutely joy to watch both on and off the field.<br /><br />The subject of today's post, though, is Big Papi <em>running</em> (if you could call it that). As any Red Sox fan knows, there's a bit of cringing and some laughing whenever Big Papi motors around the bases.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se_pWpc7NwI/AAAAAAAAAOY/YKO-yXYA7Z0/s1600-h/Big+Papi+Stealing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m8e_HdRfGcc/Se_pWpc7NwI/AAAAAAAAAOY/YKO-yXYA7Z0/s400/Big+Papi+Stealing.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327733459496154882" /></a><center><em>Can't you just feel the earth shaking beneath your feet?</em></center><br />I thought pretty much all the jokes about Big Papi running had been made by now. But I was listening to the <a href="http://www.weei.com/">WEEI</a> broadcast of tonight's game against the Twins, and the announcer said that Big Papi "rumbled over to third base on the play." <em>Okay</em>, I thought, <em>rumbled is a nice word to describe that. Not exactly <a href="http://fatallyambiguous.blogspot.com/2009/04/2004-boston-red-sox-major-league-iv.html">original</a>, but nice all the same</em>.<br /><br />The announcer followed that call with the rather innocuous statement that Ortiz "moved from second to third." The prefect juxtaposition of "rumbled" and "moved" sent my mind into overdrive. The image I got in my head is this: Big Papi packing up his moving boxes and reluctantly renting a U-Haul to drive all the way over from second base to third. This is a delightful image for a number of reasons, most notably because Big Papi really does take up residence on one base.<br /><br />This line of thought inevitably led me to wonder: What other metaphors could we use to describe Big Papi running? What are some good verbs to use, other than "rumble"? I would like to expand my vocabulary for making fun of Big Papi, and the more elaborate and complex, the better.Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635692434975341299.post-46819450034605987492009-04-20T20:26:00.004-04:002009-04-22T09:23:43.335-04:00A Feed ConversationThe following is a creative piece I wrote for my Young Adult Literature class last semester. It's an imagined conversation in the vein of M.T. Anderson's sci-fi novel <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Feed-M-T-Anderson/dp/0763622591/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239928127&sr=8-1">Feed</a></em>. I feel guilty posting things I didn't write specifically for the blog, but I rather like this piece and think it stands on its own very well, even for those of you who haven't read the book.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /> <em>Titus? Are you awake?</em> She was chatting me. At one o'clock in the morning. I rolled over and tried to go to sleep.<br /> <em>I just had this awful dream. The feed somehow knew I was dying. I don't know how. Maybe FeedTech realized how bad my state is, even though the bastards denied my maintenance. Maybe it ran a self-diagnostic or something or other. But it </em>knew<em>.</em><br /> <em>And so it kept telling my dad about grief counseling and sending him ads for funeral homes.</em> <span >"</span>Duckett-Robinson wants you to know that cremation <em>can</em> be affordable! This week only, cremate one body, get another half price!"<em> and that kind of shit. And you know what it sent me?<br /> What?</em><br /> <em>Wow! Here I thought I was talking to myself.</em><br /> <em>I didn't wake up until you were already chatting,</em> I lied.<br /> <em>Anyway, you know what the Feed sent me? An ad for the latest spa on the moon. It thought I should beautify myself. Look nice for the end, you know. Feel a little better being dead, because it would ease the burden on the living if I looked good dead. My dad told me that we, humans that is, like to think of death as clean, peaceful. Apparently, back in the day, they used to do funerals with the casket open. But they would only do that if the deceased—my dad says that's the word for a dead body—had died in a way that left the body looking perfect. They wouldn't do that for someone with AIDS—that was their version of the lesions everyone has—because that would make death seem violent, you know?</em><br /> I didn't know. I could hardly follow her when I was awake lately, so I had no idea what she was chatting about now. She kept going, though. She was like,<br /> <em>My dad said that most death is not peaceful. He's not very good at comforting people. Who the hell am I kidding? He's not very good at people. Do you think he's right? Will it be painful? Maybe I won't feel anything at all. Like when my legs go completely numb. Titus?<br /> I don't know. I don't know what death is like, since I haven't died yet.<br /> There's no need to be an asshole. That reminds me. I came up with a theory.<br /> A theory?</em> I said. <em>You sound like your dad.</em> And she went,<br /> <em>Yeah, well, that isn't such a bad thing. Anyway, I think maybe the Feed is at its best/worst—it thrives—when </em>we<em> are at our best/worst. So when I fall down the stairs because something in my head is broken, it tries to sell me deodorant. And when I'm dying, it tries to sell my dad grief counseling.<br /> That was just a dream,</em> I interrupted.<br /> <em>I know. Let me keep going. But it's not just when we're down. It takes the best moments of our lives and makes them its own, too. Like when you give birth. Well, not </em>you<em>, but, you know, people. Women. It has to show you something, so it probably sends you the latest sales on baby clothes. Maybe a place to sell your maternity ones. Maybe more counseling, you know, for postpartum depression.</em><br /> She kept chatting. <em>We're a nation—minus the people without the Feed—of people not used to silence. We never hear silence. I bet silence would be blissful. Or music. And dancing.<br /> I'm scared, Titus. What happens next? I know, you don't know what happens next. I think I might welcome whatever it is, though. Maybe somewhere else, it's silent. And maybe, like me becoming my dad, that's not such a bad thing after all.</em></span>Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212296753182365751noreply@blogger.com1