Friday, November 23, 2012

Developing Tradition

This was a Thanksgiving of development. 

It started with a Long Beach flea market find I took upon myself to hang the day before Thanksgiving.



The unknown West displayed. 
We're both still developing.



My idea of development was trying something new and maximizing resources. 
So basically trying to find a couple dishes using similar ingredients. 
Otherwise my development would end along with my sanity at the checkout line in Vons on Thanksgiving eve. 

The only problem...
how does one make three different dishes using repeated ingredients 
...and get away with it? 

1. Make each dish for a different course (app, salad, side)
2. Pretend like someone else made one of them...
3. bring a bottle of wine to confuse and distract

App: Pumpkin dip
Salad: Quinoa spinach 
Side: Whipped sweet potatoes


See those pumpkin seeds? They get used later in the salad.


See the stale bread? It also becomes croutons.



But seriously. Did anyone know that this is what the inside of a nutMeg looked like?
Serious developments. 
A little sprinkle in the pumpkin dip. A little sprinkle in the sweet potato puree. 


Brown Sugar caramelized pecans...
Some to top the whipped sweet potatoes,
Some to add to the quinoa concoction.


Some dried cranberries go to the quinoa;
some to the pumpkin dip.


You've got to use what you've got. 
Trays made out of aluminum foil is what I was working with.
But I was working with some good timing. I planned that one well. 
...What I lack in materials I make up for in good times. 


What a development. We ate outside on Thanksgiving. A first for this midwest girl. 
You know those pottery barn catalogs you look at and go "Oh c'mon! Seriously? Who actually has pillows and decorations outside?"
LA does. All. Year. Round.


Brady made the shot.


This is Lil Kim getting in on some free smells. 


This is Lisa and Sondra surveying the yield. Getting some fixins. 
This is me trying to develop. 
Some experiences. 
Some friendships.

Friday, November 9, 2012

On the radio we heard November rain...

A blink and October is over. I used to try and write once weekly. Once weekly became twice monthly. Twice monthly became once monthly. And then there was the day that October was over. Flew by. 


The month began in St. Louis, visiting and celebrating. 
Wineries, brewpubs, being a wimpy Angelino and complaining of the cold. Pathetic.




Then the arrival of a new roommate. 
Acclimation is key.
And what better way to acclimate and celebrate her birthday than a trip to Malibu wineries?


Then the arrival of a best friend for a visit. 
All the food, fun, music, flea market and whisky one can get their hands on.






Then every pumpkin flavored anything I could get my hands on. 
Beer. Pancake batter. Ice cream. Dip. Frozen yogurt. 
The list probably goes on but for self preservation, I'm stopping there.

Then came the flu after a conscientious employee got her vaccine. 
Word to the wise, skip the vaccine this year. And for that matter skip the flu. It's particularly nasty. 4 pounds down with zero appetite. Guess what, it all comes back.

Then Halloween. 
I never realized how offensive the smell of beer on someones breath was until I went out for Halloween with the flu. 

Then the anticipation of pops for a weekend. 
Was really wonderful to see pops.







And here we are. Mid way through November. With my favorite holiday round the corner. Can't believe it. It was 57 degrees tonight. I thought I was freezing to death and also loved it. Two sides of me fighting. I'll be staying in SoCal for Thanksgiving. Maybe up to Santa Barbara for some wine tasting the days following. 

And then it'll be the holidays. 
I'm going to have to stop blinking altogether. 
I'm barely keeping up.