Status Report

During a recent visit, my mom politely reminded me that I haven't posted here in nearly two months... It's not that I haven't wanted to write. It's just that I haven't had much to share.

In the 3 months that we've lived in LA, I can count on two hands how many times I've turned on the oven to create a proper meal. LA is the land of salads and fast stove top sautes. Plus, we've been adjusting to our new schedule (including my husband's crazy commute), which means quick meals - sometimes even impromptu trips to grab a bite out, even on a weeknight - are in order.

This weekend, I did make these awesome veggie burgers - which took nearly 2 hours, but were delicious (and made extras, so now we have half a dozen stashed in the freezer for future).

I have had a few baking incidents, including those lemon bars that ended up being waaaaay too tart (And pithy. Next time I won't include the rind, as directed.) And a funny little episode with a Dutch Baby where I wound up using 4 times the amount of flour instructed and jammed the Cuisinart. (As a wise owl - ahem, mom! - has oft repeated: Read the recipe at least twice before you start. Now I know why!)

I'm also not quite sure where I am with meat vs. vegetarianism. Oh yeah, that old debate. It's resurrected!

All told, I haven't felt there's that much worthy of sharing - but at least now I have an entry in my time-log for 2012!

More soon, I hope - including the continued quest for that Glenwood Tomato Soup. My current question: Is it Velveeta?

La La Love You - LA's Bounty

I am in love with California's bounty. No dis on Seattle intended - after all, our homegrown tomatoes and state-grown apples are things of beauty. And the fresh salmon, flown in from Alaska, is heaven, one slab at a time.

It's just that SoCal's produce - much of which grows year-round - is fresh, delicious, plentiful.

Just look at the size of those shallots!

And artichokes!

It's also inexpensive! I really didn't believe farmer's markets were cheaper than (or even equivalent to) what I could get in a top-quality grocery store at home. I've had many a conversation about this, including a discussion with Angela from What's My Deal? But California is a game-changer. A trip to the farmer's market no longer leaves my wallet $30-40 lighter; here, we can fill our bags for under a 20-spot.

An even better deal is free-99. We can stretch our arms into the communal lemon tree in our apartment building's courtyard to pluck a ripe fruit anytime we need some zest. I see a lot of lemon bars in my future. In fact, I'm prepping to make a batch of David Lebovitz's whole-lemon bars this week for our new neighbors.

A current rave that brings this all together: simple salad. In my last post, I raved about the Olive Pit's 18-year balsamic vinegar, so luscious and aged that it drizzles like syrup over a salad. Paired with an equal drizzle of olive oil and a crack of pepper is all I need to top intensely dark green spinach and a harvest orange heirloom tomato for my favorite salad of the moment. (It's pretty great with chunked tuna and garbanzo beans for extra protein, too.)

This picture really doesn't do it justice. The green of that spinach was so dark, it was like a forest at night. I felt healthier just handling it.

This is what's on my table right now. I can't wait to discover new local gems - like the persimmon I've been eyeing at the store. Stay tuned!

An LA Story - The Next Installment

I've been absent.

The past few weeks have been go, go, go!

In September, we visited LA. In October, we moved to LA.

My last few weeks looked like this:
Rented apartment in Westwood
Nate accepted job
Returned home to Seattle - go time!
Sold furniture
Packed house
Cried
Enlisted more help to pack house (Thanks, mom!)
Listed house for rent, found tenants
Continued packing
Said goodbyes
Packed truck
Hit road (at 10/10 - 10 a.m., for those who like numbers)

Our road "trip" took a little over 3 days. We travelled with my mom and stepdad (so thankful for their help!) + our two cats. Our itinerary and highlights along the way:

• Day 1: to Ashland. Cats were quiet. Lunch @ Oaktree. Dinner in Medford/Denny's.
• Night 1: in Ashland. Remy-cat kept us up all night, literally bouncing off the hotel walls and yowling.
• Day 2: to Bakersfield (hint: this is a LONG way from Medford). LaQuinta Inn for breakfast. Lunch at the Olive Pit - yummy, syrupy balsamic vinegar on the Greek salad. More on this soon. It's become a staple on my salads. Dinner at McD's. Those Filet-o-Fish sammies are still quite delicious.
• Night 2: Remy now drugged on tranquilizers. Felt like our hotel was in the 'hood and fretted about truck in lot - with all of our possessions - all night long.
• Day 3: LaQuinta again for breakfast + one of those new SBC iced lattes from gas station. Zing!  Arrived in LA to a traffic jam on the 405 + a heatwave - in the high 90s. Unpacked half of truck - helpers Aunt Sharon & Uncle Tom also brought amazing pastries from Porto's. Ate 3 cream-cheese puff pastries with big grains of sugar, unabashedly. Put a moratorium on moving around 4.30. Too. HOT!
• Night 3: Dinner at Native Foods Cafe - vegan & delicious. Crashed asleep.
• Day 4: Up at 9 to unpack the 2nd half of truck (all boxes + a few heavy items); all boxes done by 11.30, but it took nearly 2 hrs to get the other items - just 3 heavy pieces - up the stairs. Oh yes, did I forget to mention? We had to haul everything up 30 stairs in this 90+ heat. It should be noted that next time we move, we will hire movers.

Yes, it's been crazy - but thrilling and dare I say fun, too. We're excited for what lies ahead! Now settling! More soon, hopefully with some pictures.

An LA Story, Part 2

Our next move?
The view from the hilltop Silverlake apartment is sweeping. To the right and down, houses cluster together amid the trees. Off in the distance, mini skyrises form geometric blocks flanked by the famed Hollywood sign rising monolithically in the backdrop. Further afield: a gauzy haze covering what I know to be Santa Monica and the Pacific. Dreamy.

I could get used to this.

We're here for two weeks in LA, housesitting for my oldest friend in the world while she and her family gallivant around eastern Europe. For us, the trip is a little bit R&R and a little bit work. We're here to decide whether Los Angeles will be the next move in our game of life.

It got off to a fantastic start. We arrived yesterday morning, and as the wheels bumped down at Bob Hope airport in Burbank, Nate and I exchanged glances. It's Go Time. Decisions ahead. But first, a bit of downtime to settle in.

We crashed into catnaps following the early rise, then were off to a posh Hollywood Hills house (now a working studio for a friend of Nate's) for a BBQ/birthday. If anything will sway our decision, it's the remote chance that we could possibly land a view like this:

Or this:

It's still much too early for a decision, but first impressions mean a lot.

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Sept 6 update - Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
The temperature on the LA Times website says it's 90 degrees. We're only partially there, headed for 98 degrees tomorrow, then possibly 100. Thank God for air conditioning.

On a related note, I'm going to need to rethink my beverages if we move to LA. My steaming cup of coffee seems wildly inappropriate. At Starbucks yesterday, I tried a lime "Refresher" - a drink being testmarketed here in LA + also in Arizona. It uses green coffee for its base. The barista described it as akin to a mojito, minus the booze. I thought it too limey - it tasted like the tart pith. Nate thought it tasted like hay (what green coffee smells like). I'm not so sure it's a hit. Apparently there also was a passionfruit flavor that was so successful, it's already sold out.

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Sept 9 update - Gonna take a trip...
We saw Band of Horses last night at the Wiltern, a historic old theatre similar to the Paramount Seattle. I slagged off this band for their first album (yawn-inducing). A couple of songs on the second album piqued my interest. But the third effort, Infinite Arms, is on regular rotation now. BoH was supposed to be opening for Kings of Leon, but KoL had to cancel the tour while their singer gets himself straightened out. So BoH culled together a short, spotty headlining tour. So happy we are in LA right now to get to this show because they sounded pristine.

Forever ingrained in my mind will be the live rendition of "Laredo." I already love the song, but as they played it live, I felt the goosebumps rise on my arms as I watched from our mezzanine level seats. The band, warmed up and grooving, was clearly at their peak of the night. The swagger, the harmonies, the confidence... I didn't want the moment to end.
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Sept 19 update...This is happening
So, it's been 10 days since my last entry. That week and half has been full of questions, answers, and action. First, here are some scenes from coffee shops where we had good talks and made some decisions.

The honey-vanilla latte at Urth Caffe - a thing of beauty:

And the pastries at Intelligentsia (paired with a smooth Gibraltar on the side - a double shot of espresso gently caressed by a topper of cooler-than-normal steamed milk, so that it emulsifies):

Lest you think all of our decisions were made in caffeine frenzies, I present the famed flaming margarita at El Compadre:

So after caffeine and questions (my specialty), we made a decision: We are moving to LA!

We've found a place in Westwood, only partially decided upon due to proximity to the Paris Bakery and its macarons:

We move in just a few weeks.

Honestly, we knew deep in our hearts that we'd end up in LA. It was just a matter of securing a place (done), a job for Nate (done), and a renter for our Seattle house (not done - are you interested?).

It's time for an adventure, new scenery, and some sunshine. More to come in the weeks ahead!

This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship

Jack, meet Ginger. Ginger, meet Jack.

Jack - this gal Ginger... she's just your type. A little sweet, a little spicy, and she'll keep you warm on a cool night. But she's also just as comfortable on a summer evening. She's refreshing, surprising. Even a little zingy. 

Ginger - let me tell you about Jack. He's strong and rugged. A classic. But he's also sweet. He'll feel like a warm hug enveloping you. And that honey-coated throat. Oh me oh my. He'll have you wrapped around him in no time.

I just know you two would make a nice pair. You should meet, soon. Icebreakers will be no problem. You'll be comfortable in no time. 

Like any good match, remember - both of you bring equal weight to the relationship and complement each other. This one's 50-50.

I think this is the beginning of something beautiful.

Jack & Ginger (Sweet & Spicy)

Crush ice and fill a highball glass. Mix equal parts Reed's Extra Ginger beer and Jack Daniel's Honey into the glass.

Stir.

Sip.

Sigh.

Adventures in recreating signature restaurant items

Tonight's was a simple meal: garlic bread and tomato soup. But there was more than met the eye.

I had set out to recreate two beloved restaurant menu items. One new - the garlic knots from C&O Trattoria in Venice Beach. I've only tasted them once (well, on one occasion. On that on one night, I probably ate half-a-dozen!). And one old - the beguiling Glenwood tomato-cheese soup I ate bowl after bowl of in Eugene.

We'll start with the tomato soup, as this is now my third post about this elusive recipe. Tonight, I inched ever closer to recreating the Glenwood's magic. The soup base wasn't quite right - some herbs and flavors are still missing. (Tonight I tried this recipe, subbing in whole milk for cream, forgetting to add the butter, and tossing in some shredded cheese.)

But tonight I may have unlocked the cheese's secret. Glenwood's cheese never melts - no matter how hot the soup. After mulling the question How? for nearly two decades, I posted here about the quandary. A couple of dear readers have found my post and provided what I now think is exactly the secret: vinegar.

On try #2, I tried cheddar steeped overnight in apple cider vinegar. The texture was right, but the flavor much, much too overpowering.

Tonight, I opted for a mellower combo: approx a cup of shredded mozzarella steeped in a few tablespoons of white wine vinegar; also, I let the two mingle for only four hours vs overnight, and rinsed the cheese before I stirred it into the pot.

Voila! Bouncy, intact shreds of cheese sans vinegar! My husband even commented that he preferred this cheese to Glenwood's. Well, I'll be!

I think we have won part of the battle! If only I could perfect the base... I think the soup needs a bay leaf (or several), maybe a sprinkle of sugar. And... ____. There's a gap. I'll keep working on it.

Next up: the garlic knots, aka "Killer Garlic Knots" from Venice Beach's C&O. My cousin took us out to C&O when we visited LA in April, and I've been drooling over these garlic knots since (I'm probably still breathing their pungent fire, too!) They're a free appetizer at this charming, communal eatery - but they were the highlight of the meal.

Since I don't live close enough to C&O to pop in for a bite - and a two-hour flight seems a bit extreme for a freebie - I decided I need to make these at home. I surfed the net and found a few recipes to start with. This post from Misanthropichostess looked spot-on and well-researched, so I started there.

I followed the recipe to the T, and am beyond thrilled to report these are a-ma-zing. I halved the dough recipe as she suggests (stashing the other half in the freezer) and came out with 22 knots. Only 8 are left - a testament to their sheer deliciousness, as are our stuffed bellies. (For the record, I liked the batch baked for 15 minutes better than the 12-minute batch, and I sprinkled a pinch of salt atop the warm knots for added kick.) These are a sure-fire hit that I will make time and time again.

C&O's - more gloss (it is LA, after all)

Mine (via Misanthropichostess). Even better than the real thing?

The last menu item wasn't from a restaurant, but it's worth documenting because it was so darn easy: Mini pies baked in muffin tins.

I went to a lovely BBQ this weekend, and one of the guests brought a similar treat. I had 2 bags full of fresh Rainer cherries on hand + some frozen pie dough, so I threw together a concoction:

Fill the muffin tin with just enough dough to line it, disregarding perfection ("rustic" is chic). Toss halved cherries with some sugar, flour, lemon juice, and almond extract (not measuring). Fill dough. Cover with leftover dough scraps any which way you like. Bake at 375 for approx 15 minutes. Enjoy! (PS - these can be eaten on the go. They'd fit perfectly in the palm of your hand en route to work, with a steaming mug of coffee on the side. Hello, pie for breakfast.)

So that's it! A resounding round of success in tonight's meals. Leave me a comment if you have any other tips on that Glenwood tomato-cheese soup base!

Happy Blog Birthday!

Amy Dishes is officially entering the terrible twos- though let's hope they aren't so terrible. It's been two years - 730 days - since my first post. I think I've stuck pretty well to my mission, with a few deviations here and there.

This past year has been a bit slow due to my schoolwork, but I'm getting back on track.

I'm happy to have you all as readers and encouragers and look forward to many more years with you!

Cheers!

PS: Thanks to my friend dj for the red velvet doughnut - in honor of National Doughnut Day (and serving double duty for blog bday)