tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35179305287225660882024-02-07T19:18:39.855-05:00Chickpeas, Please.Tales from a chick in constant search of her next meal.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-86163434907732222672013-10-01T14:44:00.000-04:002017-10-01T16:26:09.305-04:00The Best Seattle Things I've Eaten (So Far) in No Particular Order1. Lunchtime Bahn Mi at Pho Bac<br />
Not far from the office is a little Vietnamese spot with the best sandwich you can buy for $4. It's become an addiction at work, and all anyone has to say is "Bahn Mi?" around 1pm and we're all gathering up our coats and badges and walking toward the elevator. I once brought takeout back to the office after a doctor's appointment near the place (I swear that's not why I picked my doctor) and discovered I had committed a serious offense. I could write a whole post about this place but I'm worried more people in South Lake Union will catch on and then we'll never get a table.<br />
<br />
2. Foie Gras Milkshake from Nosh food truck<br />
Okay actually it wasn't as amazing as I thought it would be. It was kind of liver-y but mostly vanilla. Extremely rich (not to mention ELEVEN DOLLARS). But like Everest, I did it because it was there. Or something like that.<br />
<br />
3. Hand-shaven Dan Dan Noodles at Seven Stars Pepper<br />
I did not know that noodles could taste like these noodles do. Usually I am the only white person here which is an excellent sign.<br />
<br />
4. Dungeness crab dip at Alibi Room<br />
Usually I skip over crab dip on a menu because I'm from the Midwest and the crab dip there is about as real as those Louis Vuitton purses you can buy on the street. Real-crab crab dip is a dip to behold. This place does a really nice one, even though they're a pizza joint. And they do really good pizza.<br />
<br />
5. Scallops and Rice Pilaf at Fall Fisherman's Festival<br />
A drunk Italian guy in line ahead of us insisted that we order these scallops and not the ones with bacon. This was a big gamble on our part, but the dude wasn't kidding.<br />
<br />
6. Chocolate chip cookie from DiLaurenti's<br />
My friend Brianna (who I think used to work here) tipped me off to these. They always taste like they just came out of your grandma's oven. If your grandma made chocolate chip cookies. I'm actually not sure that either of mine did.<br />
<br />
7. Roast Pork Sandwich at Paseo<br />
I came here as a tourist and made the trip back as a newly-minted local. Same process both times - you wait in line at what seems way too early to be ordering lunch. You place your order and load up on wet naps, maybe grab a table if you're lucky. The sandwich arrives - you pick it up as it's passed over the counter, marveling at how heavy it is. You take a bite and your eyes swell with tears. What is this? Has God himself assembled this sandwich? How does a thing like this exist? What in my life have I done that is of equal importance to this sandwich? Nothing, that's what. Because it's the best sandwich anywhere, ever.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-70258259774427984172013-08-05T01:14:00.000-04:002013-08-05T01:14:11.137-04:00The First One's Free<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI5Lvi8sH1UoBgXcMB1iFfOzQMto7oupNTS98TWHnUK75gzotqGfPpZXkPGvlkdXQQU9XEX90Dz_e-aSjxsWL_D430nL07KanUlwhtR-O_Ojsydt0V9PUgVI_pKOxvpBqROviwZ22iRE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI5Lvi8sH1UoBgXcMB1iFfOzQMto7oupNTS98TWHnUK75gzotqGfPpZXkPGvlkdXQQU9XEX90Dz_e-aSjxsWL_D430nL07KanUlwhtR-O_Ojsydt0V9PUgVI_pKOxvpBqROviwZ22iRE/s200/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw footage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Metropolitan Market is a local version of Whole Foods, except it's a little cheaper, open 24 hours a day and per Washington's lax liquor laws, sells booze. It's a few blocks from my new place in Queen Anne, and I'd be there all the time if it wasn't for the Safeway just a block away. Last week something arrived in the mail that was well worth the extra blocks to get to MM - a 'buy one get one free' coupon for aged top sirloin steaks. A beef BOGO.<br />
<br />
Kevin and I have been eating a lot of frozen pizzas. We had a hard time getting into a habit of cooking meals regularly and find we can talk each other into going out for Thai food pretty much any night of the week. But when you're offered two premium steaks for the price of one - well what else is there to do?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La vaca.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He did the dirty work and picked up the goods. We didn't have a plan in place per se, so when I got home googling commenced and it was decided that the Alton Brown Broiling Method would be applied. Alton recommends broiling directly on your oven rack, starting in the middle then moving the meat up to the top position. The steaks got a rub down in olive oil, salt and pepper, made the magical journey through the stages of the oven, and finally spent a little time resting while we put together the makings of Ridiculously Good Steak Tacos.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gNHiZur4A4tAxWCvm0cKuI__DTiBenDAIJ65K5bb12XUl_kA5MSatsfrP5VB0Z0WYK5fx995Z2d6RfDOXoUBMNNxn_lzVIMbMKnowNrM1XjfrU5t1PlkVvg3XzLpeEflQXfQ3ryTpo/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gNHiZur4A4tAxWCvm0cKuI__DTiBenDAIJ65K5bb12XUl_kA5MSatsfrP5VB0Z0WYK5fx995Z2d6RfDOXoUBMNNxn_lzVIMbMKnowNrM1XjfrU5t1PlkVvg3XzLpeEflQXfQ3ryTpo/s200/photo+(2).JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak excitement.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Such steaks were maybe never meant to be eaten in taco form. The sirloin's 'skirt' or 'flank' brethren are most often recommended for taco use, but we didn't worry about any of that. We had meat and we wanted tacos. And they were Ridiculously Good Steak Tacos. The leftover meat also made for Ridiculously Good Breakfast Tacos the next morning.<br />
<br />
No disrespect to Pad Thai, but it was way more exciting than takeout.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-32380871336748875112013-07-02T01:19:00.000-04:002013-07-02T01:27:24.168-04:00Crashing the Garden Party<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgO-t14WkqTSh2w72jLtzA3qPbT-OCUf3uirnwVtBmn0u6rbkUFeFZ49qWn06ZSJ2yrz4YQ7xmh82EJNJ7jcEaN71moeeQqFoZrYyfYtc8Takvw2XPsbPNIO19yXRlC50jd66ElgFwjlo/s640/blogger-image-1848310968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgO-t14WkqTSh2w72jLtzA3qPbT-OCUf3uirnwVtBmn0u6rbkUFeFZ49qWn06ZSJ2yrz4YQ7xmh82EJNJ7jcEaN71moeeQqFoZrYyfYtc8Takvw2XPsbPNIO19yXRlC50jd66ElgFwjlo/s200/blogger-image-1848310968.jpg" width="200" /></a>I found a mention of <a href="http://serafinaseattle.com/" target="_blank">Serafina Osteria</a>'s garden party on some twitter feed of things to do in Seattle and I didn't read much more than "sangria" and "pig roast" before I clicked "I'm Going" on the Facebook event. So I guess I bought my way in and didn't technically 'crash.'</div>
<br />
In typical fashion, I overbooked myself. Seattle's Gay Pride parade was the same day and would be the perfect place to test the camera I'm shooting (colors! a variety of skin tones! thrusting!). Also, the forecast called for 85 and sunny with a 0% chance of my temporary apartment being air conditioned (apparently nobody has central AC here). I did what any enterprising young lady would do and I put on some sunscreen, clinical strength deodorant and wore the only thing in my closet that seemed appropriate for both - a striped maxi dress.<br />
<br />
It says everything about Seattle that I've been here for exactly two weeks and I've already seen two parades with naked bicyclists. The Fremont solstice parade was the first, and that's sort of their 'thing,' painted naked bicyclists, so much so that on the local news the night before the anchor reminded us that body paint doesn't count as sunscreen. I guess I wasn't totally shocked to see nude cyclists at the Pride parade either, but boy are some people eager to strip down and hop on a bike. Maybe if it was cloudy ten months out of the year where you live, people would ride bicycles au natural there too.<br />
<br />
The Pride parade was sweet, and weird, and colorful and festive, with big contingents of marchers from the corporations that call Seattle home, like Starbucks. The police and fire departments had marchers too, some of the uniformed men and women walking hand in hand with their boyfriends/girlfriends/husbands/wives. It was pretty touching. And then there was gay Batman on rollerblades.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGwAji-WKe7-qK6-fg9QfMLjJJd8vhm7lqZUPthHmmb6lHcLFr6DMZtuWwu2ZNkA9SlWHHdYjmqmJiO6le0IQ4sZCVhnBLmxWu9alcOJk1McxhuXONZ9_R9KfZYJmIAzWT8qCMzjLpZ8/s1600/bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGwAji-WKe7-qK6-fg9QfMLjJJd8vhm7lqZUPthHmmb6lHcLFr6DMZtuWwu2ZNkA9SlWHHdYjmqmJiO6le0IQ4sZCVhnBLmxWu9alcOJk1McxhuXONZ9_R9KfZYJmIAzWT8qCMzjLpZ8/s200/bar.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixology as a sport:<br />
lllet's get ready to muddle!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few blocks north of the parade route I hopped on a bus and arrived at Serafina, a charming little Italian restaurant on the east side of Lake Union. When I walked onto the patio I noticed first that the pig was buried in "La Caja China" and not available yet for photos (damn it) but there was a kind of Iron Chef of mixologists going on in an adjacent building (awesome). The room was crowded and it was hard to get a view of the action but man, if mixology is now a sport then count me as a fan. Outside I had a glass of perfect sangria with bite size chunks of boozy melon, took some photos of a guy breaking down a massive salmon with a knife, and talked to a couple who had just moved from my birthplace, Iowa.<br />
<br />
I traded some food tickets for a generous piece of grilled salmon (not that one, a different one) and some asparagus. As someone who grew up in landlocked states, I can tell you honestly it was one of the best pieces of fish I've ever had.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxLWBSDU8JW6NZ8Xb8kelOnOIhcVOd0ZU9_eAh3AOrV4gXsFab2fjfHEpqiMci86LtoVkLha4IMbGAfArTkZn-njocTsyP5YRRpTB_m9yBxlXiosVbOCH-qynJM3gugynMtpOUXIgzaE/s1600/photo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxLWBSDU8JW6NZ8Xb8kelOnOIhcVOd0ZU9_eAh3AOrV4gXsFab2fjfHEpqiMci86LtoVkLha4IMbGAfArTkZn-njocTsyP5YRRpTB_m9yBxlXiosVbOCH-qynJM3gugynMtpOUXIgzaE/s200/photo2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every day is like this in the summer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm getting the impression that Seattle doesn't take summer lightly. I guess when it's dark for months on end, the sun finally coming out is a Big Deal. And here's a little-known fact: when it's nice out in Seattle, it's flat out perfect. They're like that meme I'm too lazy to look up. They don't always do sunny, but when they do, they do it right. Or something to that effect but funnier. You know what I mean. Now if they just had central air they might be onto something here.<br />
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Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-67739264689666341882013-05-31T16:16:00.000-04:002013-05-31T16:16:41.938-04:00Skyline Time<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblbFX5OGrqyAvUpCZRwIabu_-4dvLW3VNZTLPN1LEoEtRYP2Qpa1O1l5_3t4ftT0wMmRp403T53B9D9DB0Kt_k0Wk_ny_dp1v749yw5VX9ShMEXgRx09ZwtQDp39alQG4EmL5xLaA8TU/s1600/photo%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblbFX5OGrqyAvUpCZRwIabu_-4dvLW3VNZTLPN1LEoEtRYP2Qpa1O1l5_3t4ftT0wMmRp403T53B9D9DB0Kt_k0Wk_ny_dp1v749yw5VX9ShMEXgRx09ZwtQDp39alQG4EmL5xLaA8TU/s320/photo%25284%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Former Cincinnati residents eat frozen Skyline.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I didn't like Cincinnati chili when I moved there after high school. I'd
see the lines forming outside of the late-night window in Oxford after
the bars let out and I'd think, "Why?" But enough of my native
Cincinnatian friends dragged me there consistently over the years, that I
think I built up a kind of critical mass of it in my system. Suddenly I
started craving it all on my own.<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.cincysdowntown.com/" target="_blank"><b>Cincy's</b></a> is a Cincinnati-style chili parlor in downtown Greensboro,
North Carolina. I know, I was shocked too. Located on a side street in
downtown, it's a stone's throw away from the iconic Woolworth's lunch
counter that's now commemorated by a civil rights museum. The restaurant
is small, but it was packed on a Friday at lunch (they're only open for
lunch). The place shows its age. There are faded Bengals and Tallstacks
posters on the walls. It doesn't look anything like a Skyline Chili,
isn't trying to look like a Skyline, and in fact from the street it
barely looks like it's open for business. The comments in the local Yelp
reviews are funny. "The cheese was processed!" "The chili wasn't spicy
at all!" Yep, that's good old Cincinnati chili at its finest.<br />
<br />How I Knew I Wasn't Actually at a Cincinnati Chili Parlor in Cincinnati:<br />
<ul>
<li>It took more than 40 seconds to get my food.</li>
<li>My waiter, bless his heart, called my coney a "chili cheese dog."</li>
<li>Lunch cost almost nine bucks.</li>
<li>My chili arrived with a completely reasonable amount of cheese.</li>
</ul>
I
was impressed by the North Carolinians around me as plates of chili
came out one after another from the kitchen. I kinda thought they'd all
order sandwiches. I didn't give them enough credit.<br />
<br />I got my small three way and cheese coney (they do offer it with
mustard and onions on the menu) and - thank god - a package of oyster
crackers. At first glance it seemed there wasn't quite enough cheese on
my little three way, and my coney was suspiciously hot-dog length, but
when I twirled a bite of spaghetti around my fork, I got a whiff of the
cinnamon in the chili and it smelled like the real deal. I actually
closed my eyes and for a second, could convince myself I was in a booth
at the Skyline on Ludlow and it was 2:30 in the morning. <br />
<br />The flavor was right on, but of course, there were some differences.
The noodles Cincy's uses are thick, and more pasta-ish than Skyline
noodles. And of course, the cheese. I realize how silly it is to quibble
over processed cheese, but the texture of Skyline's shredded cheese is
like nothing else. Actually, that's probably for the best. Cincy's gets
some key things right, including the York peppermint patties at the
register.<br />
<br />Cincinnati friends, do something for me - go to your favorite chili
parlor this weekend. Blue Ash, Dixie, Camp Washington, Gold Star, I
don't care. Just go, maybe bring someone who's new in town, and lift a
forkful of authentic Cincy chili in honor of everyone you know who moved
somewhere else. <br clear="all" />
Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-47491626174330957102012-08-06T19:41:00.002-04:002012-08-10T09:37:22.381-04:00Green BEAN Delivery: When Life Gives You Lemons. And Zucchini. And Bibb Lettuce.I love grocery stores, but I have terrible grocery shopping habits. I wait until the situation is dire, when my coffee maker is coasting on fumes, after I've scraped the last bits of almond butter from the jar, to make the trip.<br />
<br />
Some people are disciplined grocery shoppers. They make a "budget," I guess, before they enter. They only go grocery shopping once or twice a week. They buy ingredients with more than tonight's meal in mind. They find a good deal on free-range chicken and put it on the menu, or they see some perky looking kale and whip up a salad. Me, I head for the freezer case. Or I buy a bouquet of cilantro and only make one batch of guacamole before the rest of it turns into brown slime in my refrigerator. I try, I really do, but lately I've been leaving TJ's with more frozen pizzas and coconut-mango popsicles than actual fresh food.<br />
<br />
For those of us who don't buy as many fresh vegetables as we should, who in moments of weakness allow the ketchup on the side of a grilled cheese sandwich to pass as the night's serving of vegetables, for us there is Green BEAN Delivery (Biodynamic, Education, Agriculture and Nutrition. Clever, right?). You've probably heard of it, this is the service that loads up a bin full of organic produce every week (or every other week) and delivers it to your door on a day of your choosing. You can customize your order or leave it to chance.<br />
<br />
I tried out a bin recently. Green BEAN sends you a list ahead of time of what you can expect to see when it arrives. When mine arrived, I became the proud owner of a well-rounded assortment of vegetables including squash, zucchini, some mushrooms, a head of local bibb lettuce and some on-the-vine tomatoes, among other things. Panic washed over me. What to do with it all?<br />
<br />
I went to the place I go to when I feel lost - Google. Plotting out a week's worth of recipes, I started with the zucchini.<br />
<br />
It's been an awfully long time since I met a real zucchini face-to-face. I found a recipe on the Kitchn quickly enough for a <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-zucchini-mint-and-yogur-117173" target="_blank">Mediterranean yogurt spread</a> using zucchini, greek yogurt and the lemon that was also included with my bin. If you find yourself in possession of these ingredients, I highly recommend trying this out.<br />
<br />
There, one ingredient down, one delicious dip whipped up and ready for a few day's worth of snacking. As my week went on, I made thick sandwiches loaded with vegetables. I made salads and soup. I ate sliced peaches with my breakfast. When fresh produce is close at hand, it turns out to be quite easy to find things to do with it. <br />
<br />
Green BEAN isn't terribly cheap - a small produce bin costs $35 every week. I didn't do any precise math here, but I'm willing to bet you could get more produce for your dollar at <a href="http://www.daisymaesmarket.com/daisymaesmarket/Welcome_to_Daisy_Maes_Market.html" target="_blank">Daisy Mae's</a>, and there you'd be able to pick out and inspect everything ahead of time. I doubt you could make it out of Whole Foods with everything I got in my bin for $35 though.<br />
<br />
However, Green BEAN really can't be beat on convenience. All of the produce I received was in great shape and stayed fresh through the week. Spending a little money on the service might pay off if it replaces a lot of repeat trips to the store to find something - anything - for dinner. You can invest a little more and make Green Bean your primary source for groceries - they stock tons of pantry items, proteins, dairy products and local items like Carriage House Farm honey.<br />
<br />
Disclosure, my produce bin was provided at no cost. It was pretty darn nice of them to do it. They've also generously provided a discount code for all of you to use if you'd like to try out the service - use the code "15CPml" and they'll knock $15 off your first bin. The code is good for a week so don't slack off.<br />
<br />
Many thanks to Green BEAN for the opportunity to try the service!Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-59179622694753416232012-06-26T08:15:00.001-04:002012-06-26T08:15:18.794-04:00The Silence of the Lamb Meatballs<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sister and I agreed to host a birthday dinner at my place
for Dad this year in lieu of fancy presents (we still got him a robotic
walking crab, just in case). Should we grill? Should I make some of Ina’s
buttermilk ranch dressing and serve it over big wedges of lettuce? Will I need
to scrub my bathroom floor? We settled on lamb meatballs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yqie7NKBvMjx64JP71Dp7FMCHrQ1vafWLnM7ePi2ClFKg7cInRGODtHCrCVxp6_8_zTALATFkwgtb7gKzPw2SATDsuZGF2TpKcSVqR2DhB3Zu98uPmCjZ9-j7nFGjQ2S_QTxdnM0Vn8/s1600/lamb+meatballs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yqie7NKBvMjx64JP71Dp7FMCHrQ1vafWLnM7ePi2ClFKg7cInRGODtHCrCVxp6_8_zTALATFkwgtb7gKzPw2SATDsuZGF2TpKcSVqR2DhB3Zu98uPmCjZ9-j7nFGjQ2S_QTxdnM0Vn8/s200/lamb+meatballs.JPG" width="200" /></a>I made a version of these for a dinner party a few years
ago. Someday I promise I’ll make a real meal for a party, but until then I’m going
to keep making picnic foods and calling it dinner. The lamb meatballs are good
on their own, but they really cry out for a thick, tangy yogurt sauce on the
side. Put the whole thing on a “slider bun” and you’re ready to party.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t go crazy on the cinnamon, it tends to take over and
you’ll lose the other flavors. Form the meatballs a bit bigger than the
suggested 2 tsp if you want something more substantial, just keep them in the
oven for about 17 minutes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was able to source almost everything for this dinner from
Findlay Market. Once you know where to look, you can find almost anything
there. EXCEPT SLIDER BUNS, as a maddening search revealed. Those I got at
Kroger, the kind that come in the orange plastic bag.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Deviled eggs were served as an appetizer. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pro Tip: Want to create the smell of a room-clearing fart right inside
your refrigerator? Hard boil and peel a dozen eggs, put them all in a glass
bowl in the fridge and don’t cover them with any plastic wrap. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/13432-lamb-meatballs-with-lemon-cumin-yogurt" target="_blank">lamb meatball recipe comes from CHOW</a>. I have lovingly copied and pasted the ingredients below.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Combine all of these things in a large bowl, form meatballs and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes:</div>
<ul>
<li>1 pound ground lamb</li>
<li>1/4 cup finely chopped white onion</li>
<li>1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint </li>
<li>1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro</li>
<li>1 garlic clove, finely chopped</li>
<li>1 teaspoon ground coriander</li>
<li>1 teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon ground cumin</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
Serve with Fava beans and a nice Chianti. <br />Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-15850114303468614842012-06-15T14:53:00.000-04:002012-06-15T14:59:40.627-04:00Game On<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ML6iRhyphenhyphenDiLAE90-LMgqtaQY_bLSdZTbJxTRvH8O_YayoROcVyidWRVVQpEuQVo22ko-W2MM_MJIOUqew8Zn8ihnwF6GU3Z8q0tZdNgONSuAQz7ymDlrn06678cwsLVgY-J2iJXoY2fY/s1600/game2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ML6iRhyphenhyphenDiLAE90-LMgqtaQY_bLSdZTbJxTRvH8O_YayoROcVyidWRVVQpEuQVo22ko-W2MM_MJIOUqew8Zn8ihnwF6GU3Z8q0tZdNgONSuAQz7ymDlrn06678cwsLVgY-J2iJXoY2fY/s200/game2.JPG" width="150" /></a>I didn’t go to Disney as a kid. No mouse ears or photos with princesses for me, at least not until I was in high school. Instead, my sister and I would get to go to Mr. Gatti’s every once in a while. It’s a chain pizza place with an arcade attached. There, your family can gorge itself on a pizza buffet and play games for one reasonable price.<br />
<br />
We moved away from our local Mr. Gatti’s, and it left a little pizza-slice-shaped hole in my heart. A couple years later, we were en route from Mississippi to Ohio on one of our famous cross-country trips when Mom and Dad said they had a surprise for us.<br />
<br />
We took a short trip from the Days Inn where we were staying for the night and pulled up in the parking lot of nothing less than a Mr. Gatti’s. Kaitlin won big on that trip – we were playing an arcade version of Hungry, Hungry Hippos and suddenly tickets started spewing from the machine. We gathered them up, in long ribbons, and I think she was required to share part of her winnings with me. Our tickets didn’t even added up to a clock radio when we turned them in for prizes, but that sort of didn’t matter. I remember, indelibly, that we were winners. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOMwdlbGdOJvYP5FIaOqL1NG6_miTB1SVvaeMra5Zr-HnkeEAWVdFvZu21-3KFDf-ogaEO7-665A8IlQPaZUnJ0JfVTtGpeNtTrSY77Ox-WRcCHXRfaGAX4mm_XIu7ZCnSuCZsMN0R7I/s1600/yoyo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOMwdlbGdOJvYP5FIaOqL1NG6_miTB1SVvaeMra5Zr-HnkeEAWVdFvZu21-3KFDf-ogaEO7-665A8IlQPaZUnJ0JfVTtGpeNtTrSY77Ox-WRcCHXRfaGAX4mm_XIu7ZCnSuCZsMN0R7I/s200/yoyo.JPG" width="200" /></a>I’ve done my time covering trade shows in Las Vegas and I’ve navigated the maze of many-a dimly lit casino. I like the food and drink aspect of Vegas, but I’m not a gambler so none of that has ever looked too appealing to me. Replace all of those slot machines with air hockey tables and arcade games? Now I’m interested. Turns out, there’s a place for that.<br />
<br />
This week I was invited to take a look inside a newly remodeled Dave and Buster’s. Flashbacks to Mr. Gatti’s ensued. I was told I would be able to play skeeball if I wanted. I said yes, obviously.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRcuUL2z0DcHxwp3JjIWBfEwz4OJhy7_Le6Jh25-XyVjtEEtR5NSVeqn2c4IJ6TCkwRQUo63IJL8zsFeiynJxiKkYQ0-XwjSgcVGrRrrbWUFYS34Hf9qvCFr4IWb0BWSPebl3QCmdHSk/s1600/diningroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRcuUL2z0DcHxwp3JjIWBfEwz4OJhy7_Le6Jh25-XyVjtEEtR5NSVeqn2c4IJ6TCkwRQUo63IJL8zsFeiynJxiKkYQ0-XwjSgcVGrRrrbWUFYS34Hf9qvCFr4IWb0BWSPebl3QCmdHSk/s200/diningroom.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
I’ll admit, before yesterday I’d never set foot in any Dave and Buster’s. The lure of game play alongside the availability of alcohol was intriguing, sure, but never enough to sway me. The new look is pretty striking. Big screens, modern décor, and lots and lots of flashy games. <br />
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I sampled some of the menu items. On a scale of food court to upscale restaurant fare, it ranks somewhere around a TGI Friday’s. And sometimes, that’s all you really want. There are piles of nachos, buffalo wings, hot dogs wrapped up in soft pretzel dough, and a monstrous salad known as “The Lawnmower.” I’ll admit I have a soft spot for this kind of stuff. I blame my Midwestern upbringing, salty over-processed chicken wings and anything served with ranch sauce signals “fun” in my brain. Every once in a while I have to indulge – be it a Chik-fil-A sandwich, nuggets, an order of buffalo wings, or a road trip McDonald’s Filet o Fish. I’m not too proud to admit that I occasionally dabble in these “foods.”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6gHcsCgoto6Ft1YcXxkF0iCvq4nNj2zST8GMogbXmBzxqgH2TG4rYth4QPobYEXqpiXS0UIyTKZFLqYhID-wkBWKzhX6jNS0GfEsXJT8gGT8Tar704Eb8MFczMJlJGf9OVaIbesZD-c/s1600/food2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6gHcsCgoto6Ft1YcXxkF0iCvq4nNj2zST8GMogbXmBzxqgH2TG4rYth4QPobYEXqpiXS0UIyTKZFLqYhID-wkBWKzhX6jNS0GfEsXJT8gGT8Tar704Eb8MFczMJlJGf9OVaIbesZD-c/s320/food2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Walking through the midway, I was surprised at how strong my own urge was to jump in and play. There have been some significant technological developments in arcade gaming since my Mr. Gatti’s days. Star Wars, Fruit Ninja, four-way air hockey, they’re all here, wrapped around a brightly lit bar. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm45xg_kAjN3i56qPSrTuWVTGvDg9r5KVKqsV_CFBfVV5k1s8BPL3Kg-JP7beNSYCdKlATBqabWFuSTSV7dppTIxjxOfSvNYqovdPTAStrGZc-Mk97s0Hm0wjqOHMdWHC_0hU_LwCLXk/s1600/gamebar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm45xg_kAjN3i56qPSrTuWVTGvDg9r5KVKqsV_CFBfVV5k1s8BPL3Kg-JP7beNSYCdKlATBqabWFuSTSV7dppTIxjxOfSvNYqovdPTAStrGZc-Mk97s0Hm0wjqOHMdWHC_0hU_LwCLXk/s200/gamebar.JPG" width="200" /></a>The bottom line is that if you find yourself at Dave and Buster's, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the renovations and the expanded menu. The food itself isn’t worth the drive up to the outer limits of I-275, but D&B has clearly taken some care to keep its food offerings current and give the place a more modern look. It’s a Las Vegas casino experience for someone who would rather play skeeball than black jack. And if that’s you, well, you’re an arcade gamer after my own heart.<br />
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<i>Disclosure, my meal was free. I had to leave before I could actually play skeeball.</i>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-66902745413880717492012-02-29T13:02:00.004-05:002012-02-29T13:12:28.080-05:00Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Falafel chipsHow many times have you thought, "Man I could really go for some falafel right now, but the prospect of finding some and/or cooking it is so unpleasant that I'll just forget it and finish this bag of Taco Doritos" ?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03udIWxBsQQNBfn9mmtc0IHe0BkTFkxde9iWi_wnNVj0HL_9fVY1uleq4RlC5PvddqJ8KfU7ztROL58aIHmI-pMbIyKGB_n6GYiASziDa0qwog0QtWAYJZMO72YxeuntPGqHguE3_mPk/s1600/falafel.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03udIWxBsQQNBfn9mmtc0IHe0BkTFkxde9iWi_wnNVj0HL_9fVY1uleq4RlC5PvddqJ8KfU7ztROL58aIHmI-pMbIyKGB_n6GYiASziDa0qwog0QtWAYJZMO72YxeuntPGqHguE3_mPk/s320/falafel.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714620909851766018" border="0" /></a>For us, Trader Joe's has cleverly presented falafel in chip form. The packaging is bright and appealing. The product is simple, un-messy, doesn't require that you subject yourself to the humiliation of picking up a to-go order from the mediterranean restaurant in your pajamas. Finally, falafel for lazy people.<br /><br />Here's a revelation: Falafel chips taste just like falafel. Also, they're a little corny and salty, like a Frito. The chip is firm and doesn't yield as I scoop up globs of tzaziki. And man, I'd eat tzaziki by the spoonful if there wasn't anything within arm's length to use as a dipper. But thanks to TJ's, I've got a big sack of falafel chips by my side to sustain me. And just like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll never be without falafel again.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-20517960009904489122012-02-02T10:45:00.005-05:002012-02-02T11:44:36.710-05:00Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Chili Spiced MangosInitially, I set out to review the lemon heart cookies. Because it's February, and they're cute, and there's a picture of my spirit animal Alice in Wonderland on the bag.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWquedRw_VHZQ4Dz6bs3F8I2oJBwJGMuoTBlViA4J1QjrxnzsnOYc1dsXC17VMUhibPLKz-X_3bV5_PKrK_Wq5XioFx1rxbzQngTICIAhOq4gm4gNPZiYQ0EIrNBr7GDYnWBxv-DfOgI/s1600/tj_hearts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWquedRw_VHZQ4Dz6bs3F8I2oJBwJGMuoTBlViA4J1QjrxnzsnOYc1dsXC17VMUhibPLKz-X_3bV5_PKrK_Wq5XioFx1rxbzQngTICIAhOq4gm4gNPZiYQ0EIrNBr7GDYnWBxv-DfOgI/s320/tj_hearts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704574305872819426" border="0" /></a>Forget that, they're not that good. Have you had the chili spiced dried mango slices? Let me just wipe off all of the orange chili powder from my fingers so I can write about how you should go buy some right now.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYX1rzyVLscdgKjDw1dASvRUQm8WloO5CjA2bD6-M2VOWSzJ0qgQasasOhtVRUeLfxiSlAWoYUNVi9fV-pfdr7Bdo0wENxxDTgbT5-KucQnRhjBA1wT3CtmceBtrlGo3mzy1UelZRUmw/s1600/tj_mango.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYX1rzyVLscdgKjDw1dASvRUQm8WloO5CjA2bD6-M2VOWSzJ0qgQasasOhtVRUeLfxiSlAWoYUNVi9fV-pfdr7Bdo0wENxxDTgbT5-KucQnRhjBA1wT3CtmceBtrlGo3mzy1UelZRUmw/s320/tj_mango.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704575019254033170" border="0" /></a>They have a quick, front-of-the-mouth burn, with a hit of smokiness. For me at least, it never crosses the line into unpleasantly spicy. It stays comfortably at the top end of my happy spicy range. And what's not to love about dried mango slices? These are of the plump/juicy variety, not all leathery like lesser dried mango slices. Those are gross.<br /><br />I like them as an at-my-desk snack right around the time of my daily 3pm blood sugar I-hate-everything crash. The chili provides a great kick, wakes you right up out of your afternoon slump. Soon you'll be filing TPS reports like a boss.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-15361418762038636972012-01-23T11:21:00.007-05:002012-01-23T13:24:39.445-05:00Who Needs Martha?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k3p6mrmfOxroCJcS_ZXnOu_O91oFdBytfx8lKduV9CSDth_q57LFZ83Usb-jWhlr0U4BV1Dl-mZVtwp9sYyY0YOuQsYzzMWFtb4T5WjCNLthCCeivdmlDzysZqKCUlhPxilIjf5dpw4/s1600/spoons.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k3p6mrmfOxroCJcS_ZXnOu_O91oFdBytfx8lKduV9CSDth_q57LFZ83Usb-jWhlr0U4BV1Dl-mZVtwp9sYyY0YOuQsYzzMWFtb4T5WjCNLthCCeivdmlDzysZqKCUlhPxilIjf5dpw4/s200/spoons.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700864340538631234" border="0" /></a>I'm trying out a new thing. If there's something I want to do, and I'm feeling a little unsure, I just sign myself up to do it and I work out the details later. That's how I ended up hosting Soup Cinema #2. It's a fun and pretty self-explanatory project my friends TJ and Julie put together. Someone hosts and makes soup, someone brings a movie. As the newly minted owner of a 32” merry-Christmas-to-myself flat panel and with no actual DVD or Blu-ray player, I volunteered to host and figured I’d get it all worked out in time.<br /><br />Also, I should mention, I have a Type A tendency to want everything to go perfectly when I host a party. How Type A am I? When I was seven I typed out a set of rules for my playroom on my little typewriter and posted them on the door. I hate to say that I haven’t made a lot of progress since then, especially when it comes to hostessing. I want to be Martha. Everything should be in its place, everything should look effortless. For every stray hors d’oeuvre toothpick there is a ready and waiting trash can; for every thirsty guest there is a clean piece of stemware and a wine chilled to the appropriate temperature.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhyBEkZEPYFsQhn8yPObWGbMTV-1GWhlcpt7U5cq2yYIFUmIceKuxz_lhZkRLL1h_BN6tUgrxbK4ihWKKg6HBu3jrcTyRCBkM3MtTqGVtAyOvdTBvkoWJ3odKg-7PVKDL2_47W0NYQfU/s1600/crowd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhyBEkZEPYFsQhn8yPObWGbMTV-1GWhlcpt7U5cq2yYIFUmIceKuxz_lhZkRLL1h_BN6tUgrxbK4ihWKKg6HBu3jrcTyRCBkM3MtTqGVtAyOvdTBvkoWJ3odKg-7PVKDL2_47W0NYQfU/s320/crowd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700864056832986994" border="0" /></a>Yeah right. What actually happens is I whip myself into a frenzy before party time. There’s never enough time, never enough clean knives. I exhaust my supply of cutting boards making just one pot of soup. There is shouting - at cookware, myself, a pet, a neighbor’s pet, anything close by. This time around, <a href="http://www.adorkandhispork.com/">Jeff</a> came early to lend a hand and he bore the brunt of my pre-party insanity. He bravely leapt into action, arranging carrots and celery, hauling my recycling to the trash room. TJ arrived soon after and supplied chairs, pillows and blankets, and of course, the movie.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmB7S2tRS4HKE-5keymih0HfIC5JO4EGOX_4_vAkn9Ez0IUkSXJ4OESRob5NQthnhw28U193isffK69E3Tu8OOXrPLYGeROtE7lGGzSQ4c2ek3YVTcQvejgUvXTQDcn-BMAN32SnWKdA/s1600/couch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmB7S2tRS4HKE-5keymih0HfIC5JO4EGOX_4_vAkn9Ez0IUkSXJ4OESRob5NQthnhw28U193isffK69E3Tu8OOXrPLYGeROtE7lGGzSQ4c2ek3YVTcQvejgUvXTQDcn-BMAN32SnWKdA/s320/couch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700864852079671490" border="0" /></a>Soup-wise, I made a ridiculously simple sweet potato chili. It's straightforward until you get to the very end and add a little orange peel. A little sweet-spicy, one-two combo. I like to serve it with sour cream to prevent it from seeming too healthy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxPTrDYU0-bGa0sjhvQTyuQkdKgvCL0HGws4duw1xS21pV71tXrVw6TUi4yoj1vAXlWehj9wUmHDm0kruNR7_HAMhMaTUS2pjEallYJhs9JJKLp8ijjrDmc10_QD4jpSUXRTnOpjrYos/s1600/soup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxPTrDYU0-bGa0sjhvQTyuQkdKgvCL0HGws4duw1xS21pV71tXrVw6TUi4yoj1vAXlWehj9wUmHDm0kruNR7_HAMhMaTUS2pjEallYJhs9JJKLp8ijjrDmc10_QD4jpSUXRTnOpjrYos/s320/soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700864619699149890" border="0" /></a>If you can, I encourage you to have a neighbor like my neighbor <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchrisglass.com%2F&ei=taIdT52cAYOrgweuw9DiCw&usg=AFQjCNF-WJ1BekZjO6042H5Gb6YE2YTBRg&sig2=lsKjLonPlITurDyASvKAhQ">Chris</a>. He arrived with homemade cookies and then made multiple trips back upstairs to get a power strip, extra spoons, crackers and more chairs. Julie brought a loaf of bread across state lines for the occasion. TJ came through in a big way with the movie, introducing it first with a multimedia presentation and finally presenting Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil as our feature.<br /><br />As movie and soup nights go, I think this one was first-rate. You should watch Tucker and Dale if you like parody comedies and the whole Evil Dead thing. My still-newish apartment was filled with friendly faces. People were fed, laughs were had, and then we all went to the bar afterwards. I didn’t pull off a Martha-esque feat here, this was a collaboration. And isn't that more fun?Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-52246593763828791902011-12-14T10:54:00.006-05:002011-12-14T11:07:13.977-05:00Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Chewy Egg Nog Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-aja5tg7n-rRht9dZtkBn6R1lmgmOAMwbaL5Mktyn0C3wkmFIJHFnzKMSjKhaxWewCAdJkpurg7JCXPD_DLbrtIYNXLpaVAzgdqdtSn8Hz3AN2JdTZqZeIUvXrVDTzidN2VLqXgHcqs/s1600/nogbox.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-aja5tg7n-rRht9dZtkBn6R1lmgmOAMwbaL5Mktyn0C3wkmFIJHFnzKMSjKhaxWewCAdJkpurg7JCXPD_DLbrtIYNXLpaVAzgdqdtSn8Hz3AN2JdTZqZeIUvXrVDTzidN2VLqXgHcqs/s200/nogbox.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686015993057337474" border="0" /></a>This time of year the little nutmeg shaker lives on my counter. I don't bother putting it away and getting it out again night after night. What a waste. In fact, I leave it right next to a bottle of rum, just so the two don't get lonely.<br /><br />It's egg nog season. Try and describe egg nog to someone. It's hard to find any other adjective to describe it except that it's "noggy." And "creamy." And if you're doing it right, "boozy."<br /><br />Trader Joe's is selling egg nog in cookie form. They're about the size of a Nilla Wafer (oh God I JUST NOW realize Nilla was short for 'vanilla'. The lie I have been living.) but they're soft with a drizzle of icing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlddv-7oAtsW3_UP7q57ISkXvTUdIKGHOrXeMHhwtLtL4RQw7zkwFSmRkZkyt6bQK93JQ6QiwCkPIkZzxDX2QWbUfu8iJGcqHyaChGP6Rfik8D88lom-_71BiIJMWHVMxInqg3ANwBLw/s1600/photo%252823%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlddv-7oAtsW3_UP7q57ISkXvTUdIKGHOrXeMHhwtLtL4RQw7zkwFSmRkZkyt6bQK93JQ6QiwCkPIkZzxDX2QWbUfu8iJGcqHyaChGP6Rfik8D88lom-_71BiIJMWHVMxInqg3ANwBLw/s320/photo%252823%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686016219571731090" border="0" /></a>Not surprisingly, they taste noggy. There's a hint of spices, maybe some of that nutmeg, and the icing melts fast under your fingertips. I find it hard to eat less than five in one session. And that's okay, because they're tiny, and noggy, and it's the season, right?Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-78295615703709985172011-12-05T19:05:00.016-05:002011-12-05T20:36:56.855-05:00Will the Real English Muffin Please Stand Up?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJbtr6645lD_DOj77Bl9omj-Pz6YjAmI7P7lwGELijuhbUSziGAt3Iz6gLmOBxRN9ZbIhej_3tEtEm3nlGVpd0xgwfilZkip6YOIe8Yc5XFNy_578UXg23kVS3tdVjOoUISuPNGCe7WY/s1600/photo%252813%2529.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJbtr6645lD_DOj77Bl9omj-Pz6YjAmI7P7lwGELijuhbUSziGAt3Iz6gLmOBxRN9ZbIhej_3tEtEm3nlGVpd0xgwfilZkip6YOIe8Yc5XFNy_578UXg23kVS3tdVjOoUISuPNGCe7WY/s200/photo%252813%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682800179241969826" border="0" /></a>Like me, you probably grew up knowing an English Muffin as a small, bread-like substance with no observable similarities to an actual muffin. It's sold in a little rectangular box of six. It might have chewy little raisins, and if your mother was like mine and you were only ever allowed the low fat Pop Tarts, it might be whole wheat.<br /><br />We've been lied to. Those things in the box at the grocery store? They aren't English Muffins. They're the bread cousin of hockey pucks. If you want to experience a real English Muffin, you're going to have to pay a visit to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Oven-Bakery/166529466692452">Blue Oven bakery</a>. Even after they sell out of every other kind of glorious bread they haul to Findlay Market on a given Saturday morning, they're bound to have their English Muffins on hand.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ml-ZgiiVZOdRHQysvVgg9bVo2hhz2H8yFkWMVytr_NX-hd8hiH0-sGsrwMth1eKjRJ_e7VfUNR-m59Uvwi3zTZA9CloeqgnynJMQUoLYAy_hRKX1nX6KhKdhSy3w8WBdPZ196Pu1jN4/s1600/photo%252811%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ml-ZgiiVZOdRHQysvVgg9bVo2hhz2H8yFkWMVytr_NX-hd8hiH0-sGsrwMth1eKjRJ_e7VfUNR-m59Uvwi3zTZA9CloeqgnynJMQUoLYAy_hRKX1nX6KhKdhSy3w8WBdPZ196Pu1jN4/s320/photo%252811%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682803002244143986" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i>The Slim Shady of English Muffins.</i><br /></span></div><br />When you bring your muffin home and take it out of the bag, you'll think to yourself, "This can't possibly be an English Muffin. It looks too delicious and smells kind of like a donut." Stop wasting time asking questions, find your serrated knife, cut it in half and get it into your toaster pronto.<br /></div></div><br />You will know your Blue Oven English Muffin is almost ready when it starts to sizzle. Ideally, you'll pull it out just before it catches on fire. Unless you have a very robust toaster, it won't actually "pop" when it's done because the muffin halves are too heavy. Yeah.<br /><br />Remove your muffin and apply toppings. I'm partial to jam on one half and a fried egg on the other. It's crucial that the yolk soaks into the muffin properly, spilling through the internal nooks like rushing subterranean rivers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp1f45eMnIsg2OL-QxmFX0VIiUPxPYWAXsuZgeyZ3kAAKyVRyxyrYSufY0-CQhtvvFsnnTQF9jKJ9XrIWhhnHqBLG37yCqhL_k01u9cZnk3W4RYAD-8zGuKaRQOsBPRaSO_PX0zf1cX0/s1600/photo%252818%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp1f45eMnIsg2OL-QxmFX0VIiUPxPYWAXsuZgeyZ3kAAKyVRyxyrYSufY0-CQhtvvFsnnTQF9jKJ9XrIWhhnHqBLG37yCqhL_k01u9cZnk3W4RYAD-8zGuKaRQOsBPRaSO_PX0zf1cX0/s320/photo%252818%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682802618989824194" border="0" /></a> It has a richness and mild sweetness and little pathways and tunnels running through it. It's dense and soft enough to soak up egg yolk, with a nice crust and crunch on the exterior. This, my friends, is an English Muffin worthy of its name.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-74388610814724848122011-11-23T07:51:00.003-05:002011-11-23T08:35:43.260-05:00Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Candy Cane Joe JoesWhen I'm ready to pay and leave Trader Joe's, I don't choose my lane based on the apparent speed and efficiency of the checkout clerk. I pick the one with the best free samples. And Trader Joe's does samples right. They don't give you a little sliver of a cookie, they just open a whole pacakge and let you have your way with it.<br /><br />Let me preface my review by saying I'm just as much of a "Hey Christmas GTFO It's Not Thanksgiving Yet" person as you are. We need to celebrate one holiday at a time, blah blah blah. But when I was presented with a free Candy Cane Joe Joe at checkout, I forgot about my principles. Oreo cookie with candy cane IN IT! Put it in my mouth!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3hX9T251CqxjuYpQr4lEXAA_-ldXO5tD8RTxGG3nDKUFs2tPe5IrZr0zRODfZfjPWLfP0AljtGp_f3_BfF3byVHH14AR6WN9q35gM83EHSFE4M6h47PRwBpFYwEuSaH-TMHK5piX0uY/s1600/joe.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3hX9T251CqxjuYpQr4lEXAA_-ldXO5tD8RTxGG3nDKUFs2tPe5IrZr0zRODfZfjPWLfP0AljtGp_f3_BfF3byVHH14AR6WN9q35gM83EHSFE4M6h47PRwBpFYwEuSaH-TMHK5piX0uY/s320/joe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678184180549820146" border="0" /></a><br />The peppermint chunks are small but potent. Eating a handful of candy cane Joe Joes is like having Oreos and brushing your teeth at the same time. You're left with a pleasant peppermint aftertaste and cookie crumbs in your gumline.<br /><br />As I ate that first Candy Cane Joe, I actually heard the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack cue up. I heard sleigh bells, I felt a whisper of snowflakes against my cheek. And later I looked in the mirror and realized I had oreo dust all over my mouth.<br /><br />Tis the season. Well, almost.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-60448601972122308872011-11-16T14:39:00.003-05:002011-11-16T14:45:27.899-05:00That's NutsHey there, remember me? I used to write a blog about food. I stopped for a while, because life got in the way, but I'm back. I make no apologies - and anyway my coworker ordered me not to apologize because it sounds kind of presumptious and condescending. I think he's right. But either way, I love writing about food and I'm glad to be doing it again. And if you missed me, even just a little, then that's okay. I missed you too.<br /><br />I moved into a new apartment. It has a lot of light and industrial loft charm. Left unattended, I will browse Target and Ikea online for hours and squander every last penny of my paycheck on console tables and shelving. To make room for my new furniture buying habit, I'm resolving to spend less on food.<br /><br />Henceforth I am getting myself back into the blogging spirit by reviewing foods you can buy at Trader Joe's. There you go, something else that you didn't need or ask for being provided to you at no cost on the internet.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today's Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Lime and Chile Mixed Nuts</span></span><br /><br />Saturday night I had a couple of friends over for drinks, and when you do something like that you're supposed to provide little snacks too so nobody gets blitzed and vomits on your new bathmat. It just seems like good hostessing to provide food with booze.<br /><br />How fun, I thought. Spicy nuts. Perfect food for having people over for drinks. Think again, amigos. This stuff is seriously spicy. Like, make you cough and sneeze spicy. Not a sexy party snack.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWc09DDdSgt0mjszCbE32aJeq-9UbtQ22GGMfMw-nPpfEw9rEbPHwOS5fiAC1W-GW1OTmoBXHnQlevulRAoszQWMTuFOsjvzCzyBIvQLDash9UKc4-OaWzIYKESRazZsCFnuktQ1pLAA/s1600/nuts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWc09DDdSgt0mjszCbE32aJeq-9UbtQ22GGMfMw-nPpfEw9rEbPHwOS5fiAC1W-GW1OTmoBXHnQlevulRAoszQWMTuFOsjvzCzyBIvQLDash9UKc4-OaWzIYKESRazZsCFnuktQ1pLAA/s320/nuts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675681242581284866" border="0" /></a>The heat creeps up on you. After the first handful you think, yes, I'll have another. Then you're hacking and looking around for a tissue box. There's also a lingering pine-sol after taste, and little flecks of what looks like wood shavings.<br /><br />I'll be picking up the rosemary marcona almonds next time I'm at Joe's and leaving the spicy nuts on the shelf.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-1457489472525411172011-07-12T10:08:00.004-04:002011-07-12T10:24:55.084-04:00Pigging Out: Eli's Pulled Pork Barbecue SandwichMost people reading this blog will already know that I’m now working weekends at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/dojo-gelato-cincinnati">Dojo Gelato</a>. If you were coming here for my unbiased ice cream reviews, then you should probably go somewhere else. I am no longer unbiased. Dojo Gelato is the best thing you can put in your mouth.<br /><br />Working at the Doj' has been challenging in ways I couldn’t have imagined, exciting, rewarding and I get to say I work at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/findlay-market-cincinnati">Cincinnati’s best and oldest public market</a>. I also get to do a lot more eating and shopping there. I’m conveniently at the market before there’s a line at Blue Oven. I get a vendor discount at most places. As far as fringe benefits go, a job at Findlay Market is pretty sweet if you’re obsessed with food. And lately, I’ve been extra obsessed with the pulled pork sandwich at Eli’s Barbecue.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lXhbixByzNmYHN-ZkLcplUnK_8Ge6H8ABX4KiiVRRY0nfVGW_H8ud7KPdiP2cSoFvl3h0y_6hHBXnhsADPFF000CxNukXlI2jZ9RfC0QNY7U29k1A12WTvW5eXDnZGvMXHQzWTdScl4/s1600/elisbbq.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lXhbixByzNmYHN-ZkLcplUnK_8Ge6H8ABX4KiiVRRY0nfVGW_H8ud7KPdiP2cSoFvl3h0y_6hHBXnhsADPFF000CxNukXlI2jZ9RfC0QNY7U29k1A12WTvW5eXDnZGvMXHQzWTdScl4/s320/elisbbq.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628468977993290738" border="0" /></a>You can find him under a white tent, outside on the south side of the market building with a chalkboard sign. There’s one sandwich on the menu. You can get away with that if your one sandwich is phenomenal.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/dojogelato">Michael</a> isn’t one to dole out praise when it isn’t due. So when he returned from his lunch break and declared he’d had the best pulled pork sandwich of his life, I took him seriously. One of my coworkers ordered the sandwich on her break. Same results. After that whenever either of them talked about the sandwich they got a glassy, far-away look in their eyes.<br /><br />It was a few weeks before I finally got around to trying it and my expectations were sky high. Eli’s operation is as small as it gets. With one sandwich on the menu, there’s one side offered – coleslaw, cut thick and generous with a creamy dressing.<br /><br />When you order your sandwich, and I know you <span style="font-style: italic;">will</span>, Eli throws down some pork shoulder on the flat top, sautéing it until it gets these crunchy caramelized bits, like a crust. He uses a pizza cutter to break it up and give it the right texture. The bun is buttered and toasted on the griddle, the pork meets the bun, gets a dose of tangy barbecue sauce and it’s served open-faced with coleslaw on top. Actually that’s optional, but only a fool would ask for the coleslaw on the side. Hand over your five dollars, take napkins and a fork. Bring your sandwich to the Biergarten on the Elm Street side and enjoy with a cold Hudy Amber.<br /><br />Get this sandwich. GET IT. And stop by Dojo afterwards, I’ll more than likely be slingin' ice cream. Just don’t expect me to be unbiased about our gelato, or Findlay Market, it’s the best place you can be in Cincinnati on a Saturday.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-62010994117291654952011-06-28T22:56:00.007-04:002011-06-28T23:20:17.255-04:00Mix and ShoutA few days before my birthday I got this ridiculous idea in my head that my parents had gotten me a car. It would have been a timely gift, since I'd recently totalled mine. They'd been dropping hints about my present, saying it was too big to bring to the restaurant and that maybe I could come by the house to get it. My mind jumped from,<br /><br />"I don't want anything big for my birthday. Just dinner with the family," to "Holy shit, what if they got me a car?"<br /><br />Then I felt shame wash over me. What is this, my super sweet sixteen? I don't want my parents to buy me a car. I have a 401K, shouldn't I be buying my own cars now?<br /><br />The big reveal came and turns out, it wasn't a car. It was better. It was a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. A few weeks later I unboxed it, releasing it from its styrofoam shackles to reveal a gleaming stainless steel beauty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH7oqUNeZmBYIXfagEyNgpbuWxP2eg-VnfAviN2mb817QhuG2GMy2LWvOz_NXxcqzelCoroHYkW0eJQ585d6IisJ718Qi4NNp3NzHQHd0Hig6h41X_bGHdTWnTW3g0rUoo-o3oJSH8Us/s1600/kitchenaid_front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH7oqUNeZmBYIXfagEyNgpbuWxP2eg-VnfAviN2mb817QhuG2GMy2LWvOz_NXxcqzelCoroHYkW0eJQ585d6IisJ718Qi4NNp3NzHQHd0Hig6h41X_bGHdTWnTW3g0rUoo-o3oJSH8Us/s320/kitchenaid_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623471365156083474" border="0" /></a>Even the instructions for the KitchenAid Stand Mixer are smug. Over and over again it implies that your new mixer will run laps around your other kitchen appliances. Such gems, unedited from the handbook, include:<br /><br />"Your KitchenAid Stand Mixer will mix faster and more thoroughly than most other electric Stand Mixers."<br /><br />And,<br /><br />"The Stand Mixer may warm up during use. Under heavy loads with extended mixing time periods, you may not be able to comfortably touch the top of the unit. This is normal."<br /><br />I couldn't decide which recipe to try on its maiden voyage. I didn't want something complicated and liable to fail. What if I cursed my new mixer? I consulted <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/adorkandhispork">Jeff</a>, who suggested bread, and I agreed that a life-sustaining staple like bread would be a great way to start. Then I disregarded that advice and made <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/">Smitten Kitchen's Strawberry Cake</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU50Ue45QDGOawCqeqhkWjK1wcp6YN8prYzVPV4ZgZc-2BWhnfbhcM3jMYaC3imwO6x8MBGKHUyMkc3G9HRg54VtG6N8VE5JPbCuna_AU2a6ugcOtGj-QLiR_BX-UNEGxXdBW1sE46TMM/s1600/kitchenaid_cake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU50Ue45QDGOawCqeqhkWjK1wcp6YN8prYzVPV4ZgZc-2BWhnfbhcM3jMYaC3imwO6x8MBGKHUyMkc3G9HRg54VtG6N8VE5JPbCuna_AU2a6ugcOtGj-QLiR_BX-UNEGxXdBW1sE46TMM/s320/kitchenaid_cake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623471898032960306" border="0" /></a>I'll spare the suspense and let you know that it came out really well. There was an episode of burning cheese in the oven, remnants of a frozen pizza, that sent me throwing windows open through the apartment and re-distributing fans.<br /><br />And the mixer. To borrow a line from the marketing team behind Stella Artois, "She is a thing of beauty." Smooth, sophisticated, self-assured. It made cake-making quick and easy, which is helpful when you start a cake at 11 PM on a Monday night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7i1DuwflSxjBWbItDgr3I784IDuCbmL8bUf2zabVXGPBrb7E4-tgHj2iScfTSHo0QaTjDFn3aKpiTdubHU4W4RKjWYFyRdAeoddTvqDoinbJ84fD5dZRbjYbzvIBOJl3pZGbczWbrkk/s1600/kitchenaid_numbers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7i1DuwflSxjBWbItDgr3I784IDuCbmL8bUf2zabVXGPBrb7E4-tgHj2iScfTSHo0QaTjDFn3aKpiTdubHU4W4RKjWYFyRdAeoddTvqDoinbJ84fD5dZRbjYbzvIBOJl3pZGbczWbrkk/s320/kitchenaid_numbers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623471577409203650" border="0" /></a>I could go on about it but it's time for me to catch up on Wimbledon matches on the DVR, and I have a slice of strawberry cake to attend to.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-49612146492690691952011-05-18T11:36:00.008-04:002011-05-18T12:26:44.691-04:00Tray Chic: Lunch at Jean Robert’s Table<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahMgwWGrr_yE9rM_Xrs5-RT18nbE2PvbNCLLornF22qJck7z5rpoK7Fb6lm9bnM3ju8gqC_FVofghJtPreMxjlPsIZSk265GaI5feDdYQht1e9buQeXXgYsX54zRD6KFWlMShKhDroww/s1600/tray_above.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahMgwWGrr_yE9rM_Xrs5-RT18nbE2PvbNCLLornF22qJck7z5rpoK7Fb6lm9bnM3ju8gqC_FVofghJtPreMxjlPsIZSk265GaI5feDdYQht1e9buQeXXgYsX54zRD6KFWlMShKhDroww/s200/tray_above.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608081405095503986" border="0" /></a>The afternoon lunch rush just got a little more chic. <a href="http://jrtable.com/">Jean Robert’s Table</a> recently began serving a tray lunch Monday through Friday – a $14 meal including a soup, salad, savory dish and dessert. No substitutions allowed and no reservations necessary.<br /><br />The tray program is promoted as a quicker, more efficient way to have a full meal without overextending your lunch hour. With all four courses served at once you’re free to set your own pace once the tray has arrived. It’s the water slide rather than the lazy river.<br /><br />Don’t be fooled though, as with any meal at Table, careful prep and excellent ingredients make up each dish. If it’s truly speed that you need, grab a sack of coneys from down the street. But if you have a full lunch hour to spare, a seat at the Table bar is waiting for you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3ekebCQTJZlBOpg-pqT9hMgG6zsHsbVLQRd7-q-7Pakmp8X5TyTrBplhA36q7NkO49TsCJkyVyLIOtNN6jPRu1lpOO9MnNp0zwLEp8DhgHXP-MASs76bpe2aEN5yWxgICpUbQT4ZrCw/s1600/tray_salad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3ekebCQTJZlBOpg-pqT9hMgG6zsHsbVLQRd7-q-7Pakmp8X5TyTrBplhA36q7NkO49TsCJkyVyLIOtNN6jPRu1lpOO9MnNp0zwLEp8DhgHXP-MASs76bpe2aEN5yWxgICpUbQT4ZrCw/s320/tray_salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608081598671382770" border="0" /></a>I stopped in on a work-from-home day this week. I may have been there a little bit late in the lunch time frame, and it was a rainy afternoon, but everyone around me seemed to be lingering rather than rushing back to the office. I probably spent a full hour in the restaurant from the time I took my seat at the bar to my exit back to the cold, drizzly sidewalk. I wasn’t in a hurry.<br /><br />As promised, four courses arrived at once – a mushroom soup, salmon salad, duck confit and a small square of flourless chocolate cake with a pillow of white chocolate mousse propping up two slivers of strawberry on either side.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodyBMM2WdIKTcLOAcBnQ0wIXpvXTCGUuqbcAzHHFDke4bcQ-Ok1XWVLbcZOuYf0rbhW-k7szme45PDHrYT2kDnDECEc1rtICi3RN7PNHtwgK1q6jOGkK2KDRd4gLL4cpNE4cF8Ik6Ihg/s1600/tray_overview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodyBMM2WdIKTcLOAcBnQ0wIXpvXTCGUuqbcAzHHFDke4bcQ-Ok1XWVLbcZOuYf0rbhW-k7szme45PDHrYT2kDnDECEc1rtICi3RN7PNHtwgK1q6jOGkK2KDRd4gLL4cpNE4cF8Ik6Ihg/s320/tray_overview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608081825295217330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">What do the French do to potatoes that makes them so much better than potatoes? I have my suspicions. </span><br /><br />I started at the soup and worked my way counter-clockwise to dessert. Portions were just right, and my petite dessert was a perfect way to end my meal without sending me careening toward a 3:30 sugar-induced nap. I left completely satisfied and just $14 poorer – for a weekday lunch, it’s a great fine dining option without the fuss.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-80306092013476095322011-05-12T09:07:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:49:52.206-04:00The GetawayI spent Monday afternoon and night at the Inn at Cedar Falls nestled into the heart of Central Ohio's Hocking Hills. It's an adorable, rustic-yet-sophisticated inn and restaurant with a cluster of cottages and cabins. Alex and I spent a night off the grid in said adorable cottage with no internet, TV or cell reception. It was glorious.<br /><br /><object height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626579247203%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626579247203%2F&set_id=72157626579247203&jump_to="> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626579247203%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626579247203%2F&set_id=72157626579247203&jump_to=" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />A full post is on the way, in which I will describe how I overcame my fear of ticks and tasted some of the best mushrooms I have ever put into my mouth. For now, take a look at my photos from the Inn and the surrounding area. And then maybe turn off your computer, phone, TV, and find a place to kick back for a while. I promise it's not as scary as it sounds.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-26649236964324127702011-05-11T07:58:00.010-04:002011-05-11T08:30:44.980-04:00Shooting Your Food<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcIxupVqDSvdvN3sy-EO2HtYdL6zrbVH4TVn7gBxoGk2FRJBGuN1J-w9JQ-A86gB5Ntd951tmnlUbFvqsJml1JxRABR_qZWlWqa_LHhyzAiTvp_1t1aMXYpkS-GkSyYIbTefzyTEqkOE/s1600/foodie_16.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcIxupVqDSvdvN3sy-EO2HtYdL6zrbVH4TVn7gBxoGk2FRJBGuN1J-w9JQ-A86gB5Ntd951tmnlUbFvqsJml1JxRABR_qZWlWqa_LHhyzAiTvp_1t1aMXYpkS-GkSyYIbTefzyTEqkOE/s200/foodie_16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605430652868188514" border="0" /></a>Restaurants are pretty much the worst when it comes to photography. Anyone who has pulled out an iPhone at a mood-lit bistro to snap a photo of her dish knows this. Extreme low light and colored light sources can make the most mouth-watering entrée look disgusting in a photo. For examples, please look at <a href="http://www.chickpeasplease.com/2009/02/bootsys-funkalicious-or-just-funky.html">any picture I ever took at Bootsy’s</a>.<br /><br />A big DSLR fares much better in low light, but say goodbye to anonymity when you pull it out in that brand new restaurant. And don’t forget that you’ll have to haul it around through sessions of pre-dinner cocktails and whatever you’re doing after dinner.<br /><br />It’s a no-win situation.<br /><br />In recent years though, compact camera makers have attempted to load point-and-shoots with specialized modes for low light situations. Higher end compacts offer bigger sensors with better light-gathering potential, but they also cost about the same as an entry-level DSLR.<br /><br />Sony’s WX9 attempts to fight the good low-light fight at a reasonable price. I was recently invited to test it out with a group of food bloggers in San Diego over two days of diet-busting indulgence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgqYjy2r2WIicB_cCMbSCYu7aCzPYzMiIcoOr4OlBk-7Dl6G830_NjBiulde75iKHEPMuA3ymXuV4-85bQ0cDSw4eg3KKQojpKpbvoUA6TQFmtoKWzF964U_DVmcK-LbpllCPEcMHaCs/s1600/foodie_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgqYjy2r2WIicB_cCMbSCYu7aCzPYzMiIcoOr4OlBk-7Dl6G830_NjBiulde75iKHEPMuA3ymXuV4-85bQ0cDSw4eg3KKQojpKpbvoUA6TQFmtoKWzF964U_DVmcK-LbpllCPEcMHaCs/s320/foodie_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605434341489216178" border="0" /></a>We photographed a lot of food that was styled specifically for our needs as eaters and photographers. Therefore, what you see here could be thought of as somewhat a-typical of normal dining circumstances. We had lunch under the open sky on the beach. This is not how I usually photograph food.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0g-C47I5xTX1K_bClRVQmo2G_S2cdtlLSRWpJmic12hneBgAHWvchqxlb0qwGfCGUczwMyeXPtT6KlvKtXReKbJoFaZJkbLIVc9sMu_mqqCRqsJE17Mzctg7ZOnNprmLGVmHXu_Vlgo/s1600/foodie_sandwiches.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0g-C47I5xTX1K_bClRVQmo2G_S2cdtlLSRWpJmic12hneBgAHWvchqxlb0qwGfCGUczwMyeXPtT6KlvKtXReKbJoFaZJkbLIVc9sMu_mqqCRqsJE17Mzctg7ZOnNprmLGVmHXu_Vlgo/s320/foodie_sandwiches.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605431285460678594" border="0" /></a>But putting that aside, it was really, really fun. The WX9 will make most of your photographic decisions if you want it to, and it generally does a good job at getting things right. You think less about your settings and more about how you want to compose your shot, and then more importantly, how you want to get the food on your plate into your mouth.<br /><br />We were also turned loose on a farmer’s market in Oceanside. Note that in the image below hot oil had soaked through the napkin and was scorching my hand. I kept still anyway for the photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-v6kEvNJJcxsPuixKHqYQ0cDAHjobU3-idYFHqQIPxpPc8VbcTbQDZ0MRlYKG9j77WKqclbzK-u_6Zu0Nl6DM0VYI40y26TMpQUdyMqUqCvLvR3Rt1zTL5rfDTHAwBfBCc7zWnB86CA/s1600/foodie_chips.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-v6kEvNJJcxsPuixKHqYQ0cDAHjobU3-idYFHqQIPxpPc8VbcTbQDZ0MRlYKG9j77WKqclbzK-u_6Zu0Nl6DM0VYI40y26TMpQUdyMqUqCvLvR3Rt1zTL5rfDTHAwBfBCc7zWnB86CA/s320/foodie_chips.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605431771014697746" border="0" /></a>Like most other point-and-shoots, the Cyber-shot WX9 fared very well in the ample sunshine of the farmer’s market. A lot of food bloggers aren’t going to do much editing or tinkering with settings anyway, so it might be ideal for the person who wants to snap a photo and move on to the next one.<br /><br />We were also provided with plenty of interior lighting during dinner – all twelve courses of it. Chef Chris Ivens-Brown, VP of Culinary Development at <a href="http://compass-usa.com/Pages/Home.aspx">Compass Group</a> prepared a beautiful meal for us to capture with our cameras and our forks. It was a delight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ne9myHiikBEXoi5QLBT2DKp4QpmNFFZGGyEl_BLfrRqCk4_h4lHLqouOIAx70DPtlvZ2HTDXzCqSUax-_d5ra_lf3iIDGN1UVvWC7r9R-mNW5ImsQcjHKpplRK7Lcn-dKn9SCNJaj8/s1600/foodie_25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0ne9myHiikBEXoi5QLBT2DKp4QpmNFFZGGyEl_BLfrRqCk4_h4lHLqouOIAx70DPtlvZ2HTDXzCqSUax-_d5ra_lf3iIDGN1UVvWC7r9R-mNW5ImsQcjHKpplRK7Lcn-dKn9SCNJaj8/s320/foodie_25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605432134218127970" border="0" /></a>Dinner was served at Sony’s San Diego headquarters in a lovely dining room on a top floor, providing us with the opportunity to use the camera’s Sweep Panorama mode. This is a feature that Sony pioneered and now offers on nearly every Cyber-shot camera. You’ll press the shutter and pan the camera across a horizontal or vertical scene while the WX9 captures a handful of rapid-fire images and then stitches them together to create one panoramic image. It’s intuitive and mindlessly easy to use.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH51pUGwo_WkReaB28-fDYxRVoeAnhgnzIGLwiWS9qUEELGcpnpkkkObgGKYnjm3-jBsqUND2dHK5hl5PmdLI3UrPPvjCHaCanAXmp_uO1z57hjdUj37L-_fHs3bwpzvgr4_nzZrcdhI/s1600/panorama.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 70px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH51pUGwo_WkReaB28-fDYxRVoeAnhgnzIGLwiWS9qUEELGcpnpkkkObgGKYnjm3-jBsqUND2dHK5hl5PmdLI3UrPPvjCHaCanAXmp_uO1z57hjdUj37L-_fHs3bwpzvgr4_nzZrcdhI/s320/panorama.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605429557932852562" border="0" /></a>As point-and-shoots go, the WX9 has a lot to offer at a tasty price. For my money, it doesn’t solve the low light problem, but it is a lot of fun to use. And here’s the better news –<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Sony has provided me with a <a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666290663">Cyber-shot DSC-WX9</a> to give away to a lucky Chickpeas, Please reader!</span> Leave a comment on this post and tell me about <span style="font-weight: bold;">what you most like to photograph</span> and you'll be eligible to win. I'll keep the contest open through a week from today - Wednesday May 18, at which point I'll randomly pick a winner. Good luck and good shooting!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclosure: Sony paid for my travel to and from San Diego, ground transportation, two nights at the Rancho Bernardo Inn and all of my meals over the course of the trip. The WX9 camera I used was mine to keep when I went home. A review of this camera was published on Digital Camera Review where I'm the site editor – we did not keep that product sample, and we never keep the cameras that we review.</span>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-29924127247127541292011-04-21T16:15:00.008-04:002011-04-21T16:39:57.326-04:00Cirque du Soleil OVO Tapis Rouge: Enough to make you blush<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp3tGXzYqKEKBcI2ctWeoxv7-iDkr3wgt3vkNfHbD5qmZ1lj_d_H9rgfgyyB2z6pDglgJxdUOKg0MHQvwJWpsImUcPwF4SXqQRtxFURadGIwjdWdOqivB5y3dY404A576lKk8zbkJ4-E/s1600/ovo_bcrd.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp3tGXzYqKEKBcI2ctWeoxv7-iDkr3wgt3vkNfHbD5qmZ1lj_d_H9rgfgyyB2z6pDglgJxdUOKg0MHQvwJWpsImUcPwF4SXqQRtxFURadGIwjdWdOqivB5y3dY404A576lKk8zbkJ4-E/s200/ovo_bcrd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598136547465915650" border="0" /></a>For a time in high school, I was a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil. Admittedly, that's a weird thing to be a huge fan of, but we all have our weird stuff, right? ...right?<br /><br />Anyway, during this time, I learned a lot of useless knowledge about Cirque du Soleil. For example, did you know that Cirque is pretty much the NFL of circuses? It's where all jugglers/contortionists/Ukranian children aspire to perform one day. They have 401Ks and dental insurance. It's the big leagues.<br /><br />Also, there are touring shows, such as OVO. For those a caravan of semi-trucks descends on a vacant parking lot in a major city, assembles the Grand Chapiteau and basically sets up a little Cirque village for the run of the show. There are also permanent shows in theaters across the globe. Vegas has a Cirque show on every quarter mile of the strip.<br /><br />You can imagine I was excited when my dear friend Darcy Little told us a few months ago that Cirque would be visiting Cincinnati. Not only that, but she was going to be handling PR for this tour stop. She's kind of a badass like that. She was very kind to get me into the OVO preview show last night with Tapis Rouge tickets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVNa_sKN9sTI7vbaD_lXg_pfT382XgSWEbZqBIor0_3t_OQFmv4kY-Ip4KwWsbA8nnbdq5i0YhhW97Y4KsMlftNfj4wa3I9DRZmW7po4gNw-ICaA1XEIH1W4VS_nktNf6ksg61KixW8Y/s1600/ovo_plate.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVNa_sKN9sTI7vbaD_lXg_pfT382XgSWEbZqBIor0_3t_OQFmv4kY-Ip4KwWsbA8nnbdq5i0YhhW97Y4KsMlftNfj4wa3I9DRZmW7po4gNw-ICaA1XEIH1W4VS_nktNf6ksg61KixW8Y/s320/ovo_plate.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598135863668859170" border="0" /></a>So what is Tapis Rouge? For merely hundreds of dollars you get a premium seat, a sweet parking space, a cocktail hour before the show and desserts during intermission.<br /><br />The food is a mix of comfortable cocktail party fare (think goat cheese crostini) and more exotic eats, like the edible orchids with chicken salad and - oh yes - sweet and sour chicken on a stick wrapped in cotton candy. This sounds awful. I could have eaten twenty of them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJBo_0zp5QaS-YNedpn3BwcOSGVmIofKQAK3zLs-ZG9TWYbvg9UkcPM_KdGq5fnSfgo5TeY1_K9c6_hGp2KDVd-x8qFowZYpKc6whaIdRGfcof3Etl36qAc_uz3L9ohRQl9u3M4CLlAg/s1600/ovo_chix.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJBo_0zp5QaS-YNedpn3BwcOSGVmIofKQAK3zLs-ZG9TWYbvg9UkcPM_KdGq5fnSfgo5TeY1_K9c6_hGp2KDVd-x8qFowZYpKc6whaIdRGfcof3Etl36qAc_uz3L9ohRQl9u3M4CLlAg/s320/ovo_chix.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598135393397713778" border="0" /></a>At intermission Alex and I sprinted back to the Tapis Rouge tent, shouting at all of the friends we saw along the way "Can't talk! Must get cupcakes!" Sorry friends.<br /><br />If you want to splurge, I highly recommend taking the Tapis Rouge route. Wine and beer is included in the ticket - we brought ours to our seats when it was time for the show. The food is fun and there's more than enough to make a meal. (Vegetarians be warned, your options are slightly limited.) You're guaranteed an awesome seat, though there really isn't a bad one in the place.<br /><br />Whether or not you go all in on the Tapis Rouge experience, you <a href="http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/tickets.aspx">really shouldn't miss OVO</a> while it's here. It <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> the NFL of circuses, after all. After two hours of mind-blowing contortion, trapeze-ing, singing, juggling and jumping, you'll be glad you went.<br /><br />Many thanks to Darcy and Vehr Communications for the tickets! It was a blast.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-29467326001219694512011-04-04T09:40:00.005-04:002011-04-04T20:43:39.552-04:00Yelp Drinks, Cincinnati Edition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XGw8ptMAteFAAvLRU6iTRE2YTX3mOWsj0J9vpm7Ei4EliJuvyNv2x447yYjnWOIYIiVlYBk5TagKVzhr1xh0zGUrNY0EubeFn_kNheuT9pIomdpvMHd1Ni7c-hSAfu1bC5PI6J7JZ5Q/s1600/yelp+drinks.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XGw8ptMAteFAAvLRU6iTRE2YTX3mOWsj0J9vpm7Ei4EliJuvyNv2x447yYjnWOIYIiVlYBk5TagKVzhr1xh0zGUrNY0EubeFn_kNheuT9pIomdpvMHd1Ni7c-hSAfu1bC5PI6J7JZ5Q/s200/yelp+drinks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591729052665081218" border="0" /></a>Looking for something to celebrate? It's Cincinnati's first ever bar week, sponsored by Yelp.com! Today through Sunday 21 local bars will be featuring specialty cocktails, wine and beer for half price until 9pm. What does that mean exactly? When happy hour rolls around, stroll into a participating bar such as Neon's Unplugged and get a drink like their featured Elderflower Gimlet for $4. Find all of the bars and drink specials <a href="http://www.yelp.com/events/cincinnati-yelp-drinks">here</a>.<br /><br />You'll find cocktails and other drinks priced somewhere between 3 and 5 dollars. Here are some highlights:<br /><br /><ul><li>Drafts for $2.50 at Lackmann</li><li>Kentucky Bourbon Ale for $2.50 at Molly Malone's</li><li>Old Fashioned for $3.75 at Virgil's<br /></li></ul>In addition to the special prices available all week, Yelp is hosting an official Happy Hour each night at various participating locations around town. These events are open to anyone and include free appetizers. There's a complete list of those events <a href="http://www.yelp.com/events/greater-cincinnati-official-yelp-drinks-happy-hours-with-free-food">here</a>, starting with Dilly Deli tonight with its famous beer cheese, provided for free. All of these special Happy Hours run from 7 to 9pm.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Full disclosure, our local Yelp Cincinnati Community Manager happens to be my boyfriend. Not that this is a surprise to anyone reading this blog.</span>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-60121440105293956002011-04-03T20:49:00.006-04:002011-04-03T21:06:28.604-04:00Waste Not, Want Not<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rWilZQpNwQ2a-19mnMpyapxO3MbFKDfyRRCcK5XMsWknmKfCxV2kXFs6-cKpvAsMX-b5u6vjhH3tQP1HJeH-ryXjHfrp5LJmBbYImQfFOLW8EWGw74mbV9rCe-pZP-rR6IfiLmb4gNA/s1600/carrot_ingredients-2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rWilZQpNwQ2a-19mnMpyapxO3MbFKDfyRRCcK5XMsWknmKfCxV2kXFs6-cKpvAsMX-b5u6vjhH3tQP1HJeH-ryXjHfrp5LJmBbYImQfFOLW8EWGw74mbV9rCe-pZP-rR6IfiLmb4gNA/s200/carrot_ingredients-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591524895358126018" border="0" /></a>Grandma Johnson, like a lot of other grandparents, lived through the depression. I guess because of this she developed, as anyone might, a reluctance to throw away food. She was sitting at our kitchen table on one of her visits enjoying some baby carrots (our family has a long history with <a href="http://www.chickpeasplease.com/2008/09/baby-carrot-incident.html">baby carrots</a>) and she dropped one on the floor. She didn’t hesitate, just picked the carrot up – it had rolled onto the living room carpet – and said:<br /><br />“Waste not, want not,” popping it into her mouth.<br /><br />Mom pleaded with her to throw it out as she was doing this, arguing that she could actually see cat hairs stuck to the dewy carrot skin, but Grandma Johnson lived by her words. She was an English teacher, after all.<br /><br />We as a family remember this with mild horror and affection. We still bring it up occasionally when we think of her. “Waste not, want not.”<br /><br />I’ve talked before about my own struggle to be a frugal yet creative cook. You know <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cook_home">that Oatmeal comic about cooking at home</a>? It pretty much sums up my first frustrating experiences going solo in the kitchen. In fact, my dear friend and former roommate <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/jonorjonathan">Jon</a> just reminded me of the first time I tried to cook chicken and the destruction I caused in our tiny Oxford, Ohio kitchen. We remember it fondly of course, and the photographic evidence lives on in Facebook glory.<br /><br />I’m trying to evolve into a resourceful home cook with a well-stocked pantry. I want to develop a repertoire of tasty and cost-effective recipes I can fall back on when inspiration fails to strike. I’m not quite there.<br /><br />I thought of Grandma Johnson and her famous words when I found <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/11060-carrot-slaw">this mustardy carrot slaw recipe</a> on CHOW. I loaded up a <a href="http://www.findlaymarket.org/merchants/madisons-at-findlay-market">Madison’s</a> shopping basket with about two pounds of carrots (the adult ones) and brought them home to meet my box grater. I figured if I made a few side dishes and tasty spreads at the start of the week, I could work my way through them at lunchtime from Monday to Friday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13nbtffxOv_lzW6CFniz_Eo1Sorr_i3qkd1-Y0UzNy_KyueZm5kFcVxiNkkFzH5Ui_kW-yz__Fmca7tb5QMSNkAW_zeywm8kFBi9-DOIO3dbDi-5XRTjQL710U_VXSQYJs3NE6FVcdl8/s1600/carrot_slaw.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13nbtffxOv_lzW6CFniz_Eo1Sorr_i3qkd1-Y0UzNy_KyueZm5kFcVxiNkkFzH5Ui_kW-yz__Fmca7tb5QMSNkAW_zeywm8kFBi9-DOIO3dbDi-5XRTjQL710U_VXSQYJs3NE6FVcdl8/s320/carrot_slaw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591525444082406098" border="0" /></a>Grating two pounds of carrots turned out to be more work than I imagined. I got through it, mixed up the dressing and worked it all together with my bare hands. I didn’t have chives on hand and had to substitute white wine vinegar for red, but the taste is still zingy, sweet and mustardy.<br /><br />I juiced the orange that I had used for its zest and fished a tiny bottle of bubbly from the back of the refrigerator. Waste not, want not? I can live by that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgEJqc21st1AYiGVKsz1jpvhX-crvpQGz1Xhu4TiADir0kvk_yn7lqzlSQ20A8hyphenhyphenmZ2YEXZiCJGC0abwEdVg7MPeIN7rxeRxHVrgmRZV8shHLpOEpu3rNmuj1hMUuEb61X788MfBWV8o/s1600/carrot_mimosas.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgEJqc21st1AYiGVKsz1jpvhX-crvpQGz1Xhu4TiADir0kvk_yn7lqzlSQ20A8hyphenhyphenmZ2YEXZiCJGC0abwEdVg7MPeIN7rxeRxHVrgmRZV8shHLpOEpu3rNmuj1hMUuEb61X788MfBWV8o/s320/carrot_mimosas.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591526996016536754" border="0" /></a>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-42783477002555901162011-03-24T19:32:00.004-04:002011-03-24T19:42:27.329-04:00Greetings From Sunny San DiegoHey there! I'm in San Diego right now as a guest of Sony's Cyber-shot group. I'm lucky to be part of a gathering of food bloggers from around the country. We spent the afternoon in Oceanside at a wonderful <a href="http://www.sunsetmarket.msoceanside.com/">farmer's market</a> and then we had a ridiculously indulgent "picnic" lunch at the beach.<br /><br />Tough afternoon, I know. We've been set loose with <a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666290663">Cyber-shot WX9</a> cameras; check out the sample images below and look for a review soon on, you know, that <a href="http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/">other website</a> I work on.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626218229141%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626218229141%2F&set_id=72157626218229141&jump_to="> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626218229141%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fallisonjo1%2Fsets%2F72157626218229141%2F&set_id=72157626218229141&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br />I have more eating ahead of me. For now, check out some photos from our afternoon while I go put on my stretchy pants and get ready for dinner.Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-79638092475015298512011-03-22T16:12:00.005-04:002011-03-22T17:05:55.863-04:00Be Gratin-ful For What You HaveWhen countries are shredded by waves or dictators or bombs, that’s a good time to go to the market and get a bunch of leeks. In the grand scheme, this isn’t outrageous, but it felt kind of thrilling handing over three cash dollars to the folks at <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/DaisyMaesMarket">Daisy Mae’s</a> and leaving with a heavy, leafy bundle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKDhzkifIK3jbAw2-0kSnTusLv0kJYmVblo2bL3vZ63dXvFwVCMa-XAnBT94xLXNJhKt5e0goJPu0LFdMtP67WqYo9hRdc3gq9vA0yqk8NPgXzCVlFVsGb0bzjrfcYch9AWYo9C8QZKA/s1600/gratin_leeks.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKDhzkifIK3jbAw2-0kSnTusLv0kJYmVblo2bL3vZ63dXvFwVCMa-XAnBT94xLXNJhKt5e0goJPu0LFdMtP67WqYo9hRdc3gq9vA0yqk8NPgXzCVlFVsGb0bzjrfcYch9AWYo9C8QZKA/s320/gratin_leeks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587011158417199122" border="0" /></a>My inspiration came from a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/dining/16appe.html?_r=1&ref=dining">recent article in the New York Times</a>. It wasn’t the delicious photo that convinced me I needed to make this recipe. It was the description of that moment the author spent rinsing grit from the farmer’s market leeks and how soothing it felt to see the dirt being washed down the drain. That sounded like something I could use.<br /><br />Very soon after the rinsing comes sautéing in a large amount of butter. The cooked leeks go on top of the potatoes, some heavy cream spiked with nutmeg goes over that and a big handful of shredded Gruyere goes over the whole thing. <p class="MsoNormal">I mistakenly used a casserole dish instead of a gratin dish, thinking they were interchangeable. The resulting dish was therefore pretty shallow but still delicious. Because leeks and potatoes do not a meal make, I whipped up <a href="http://epi-ventures.com/">Courtney’s</a> wonderful <a href="http://epi-ventures.com/recipes/chicken-with-balsamic/">balsamic glazed chicken drumsticks</a>. I recommend that you do the same.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I had been pronouncing this dish as “gra-TAN,” which threw Alex for a loop. In fact he asked me as we sat down to eat,</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“Why didn’t you tell me you were making potatoes au gratin?” Opting for the accepted GRA-‘n pronunciation.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSkRRFcSEWCwxzhNU2qoo-HlQjF3hanvjkDK_HrVzFuMRVnan88o4aAezv6iwjn8hARQmYOYFAzEBEdLquH_h9bkPWwiMmEnGykwwx7rRW1g7rEZeYGSpBDvbq-ymLvI9q4N546kNYk4/s1600/gratin_finish.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSkRRFcSEWCwxzhNU2qoo-HlQjF3hanvjkDK_HrVzFuMRVnan88o4aAezv6iwjn8hARQmYOYFAzEBEdLquH_h9bkPWwiMmEnGykwwx7rRW1g7rEZeYGSpBDvbq-ymLvI9q4N546kNYk4/s320/gratin_finish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587011315383222610" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After a brief survey of several free online dictionaries, I didn’t come to any conclusion about who was right or wrong about the pronunciation. And does it really matter when you have a cheesy, buttery gratin sitting in front of you? And in the grand scheme, isn’t that really a lot?</p>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3517930528722566088.post-89279276067981115592011-02-09T09:04:00.008-05:002011-02-09T10:23:36.049-05:00Magic Pop: Extreme Rice Cakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcogXIU5oFkaaAnTw7xgT1j5h3sidximH1t3RO6__esro9aSDxbxoOgGQwTnOF01KE81VzN000oRLz-5Cu7-9Y0xn09aLYc3z88rV-3MueR8kg8Yb3bwzNHpXPBYBra71d9PckGej40uA/s1600/magicpop.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcogXIU5oFkaaAnTw7xgT1j5h3sidximH1t3RO6__esro9aSDxbxoOgGQwTnOF01KE81VzN000oRLz-5Cu7-9Y0xn09aLYc3z88rV-3MueR8kg8Yb3bwzNHpXPBYBra71d9PckGej40uA/s200/magicpop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571692975245761394" border="0" /></a>I was strolling through the Murray’s cheese section at Kroger last night, looking for samples, when I noticed a small crowd gathered near the bakery. They had collected around a contraption about the size of a popcorn machine, with a plexi-glass partition keeping onlookers back. <p class="MsoNormal">Every ten seconds or so, the machine would make a loud popping sound and a cracker about the size of a pita was expelled at high speed, hitting the glass and falling into a basket. There was an attendant on hand, feeding the machine, or keeping it from turning loose and eating everyone in the store, I couldn’t tell what.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Getting closer I could see the words “Kim’s Magic Pop,” on a sign above the crowd. Next to it was a platter of cracker samples served alongside a half-eaten container of hummus. I walked a full circle around the Magic Pop, noting a pervasive fake strawberry smell not unlike the stuff they spray on landfills. It reminds you of strawberry but your nose tells you it’s not.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I reached in for a sample, ignoring the hummus. There were two varieties of magic crackers on hand for tasting, a plain looking kind and another with light pink splotches. I took a sliver of the pink stuff. It tasted just about how it smelled, and it lingered in my mouth for an uncomfortably long amount of time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I did some <a href="http://www.kimsmagicpop.com/">research</a> at home and read all about the <a href="http://www.kimsmagicpop.com/magic-pop-story/">Magic Pop Story</a>. It seems there’s a couple in South Korea who got the idea in their heads to both terrify and delight the people of America by creating a machine that would pressure-cook rice cakes and fling them at high speeds. There’s also a wonderfully Photoshopped image of Magic Pop “HQ” in South Korea. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I also discovered that there are a variety of Magic Pop flavors, including shrimp – shrimp! Magic Pop’s website lists the benefits of its product and insists that the rice cakes are “especially good for little ones and the elderly.” Coincidentally, I can’t think of anyone who would be more frightened by the concept.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What's amazing to me is how the Magic Pop machine turns a bland food into a supermarket spectacle. Is there a less interesting, less enticing food than a rice cake? No. But if you show people how it's made and send that food flying through the air with the speed and ferocity of a hockey puck, people will eat it up. The small crowd watching at Kroger had already loaded their carts with pre-packaged sacks of Magic Pop crackers. Marketing genius.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The best part of my chance encounter with the Magic Pop was when the employee tending to the machine accidentally moved his hand into the line of fire. He saw me standing in front of the basket of samples, my eyes glazed over in awe, and he said “Good evening ma’am.” And then a cracker whizzed out of the machine and hit him in the arm.</p>Allison Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08979633913585965204noreply@blogger.com5