Backyard Garden!

Okay, so really it's not my backyard.  I live in a multi-unit apartment building with no yard.  And my bedroom and kitchen windows face the alley.  And because of the way the streets are situated around the area in which I live, there's this huge triangular vacant lot bordered by those alleys.

See, big plot of land.  Being in a quiet out of the way place surrounded by alleys behind a bunch of residences and businesses, it's pretty useless, right? WRONG!  For one thing, there's this mechanic shop across the way.  Every summer, they voluntarily keep it mowed find junk like old stumps to use as goal posts and play soccer for about half an hour or so every afternoon.  I've always thought it utterly delightful, giving the mechanics a little bit of a break and getting some fun and exercise.  But also ever since I moved from my old apartment down the hall to this one and had a full view of that vacant lot out my window the thought has also always crossed my mind, "That would be a great place for an urban garden."

I've played around in my head about how I could possibly find out to make such a thing happen.  But at the same time have also been hesitant to take a lead on something like that, because, first off, I'm a renter and who knows how long I'll actually stay in the area and secondly, the idea just seems like a huge prospect for one lone person with really no previous involvement with the community and really no huge large knowledge or experience with gardening to begin with.  I have had small gardens in the past and grown my own vegetables, but I wouldn't call myself an expert.  Dig in dirt, plant seeds and seedlings, watch them grow.  Pick and eat!  So a bit intimidating, to say the least.

About a week ago, I look out my window and see three people in casual business attire standing in the middle of the lot chatting, taking notes, making hand gestures referring to the area.  I couldn't hear a thing but it was obvious they were talking development of the lot.  I won't lie, seeing them brought out a bit of the protectiveness in me since the awesomeness of a community garden idea had fully implanted itself in my brain.  So I got suspicious and worried.

Worried for no reason!  Today, I found yellow flyers by the mailbox saying they were putting a community garden on the lot!  Meeting next week to discuss the plans and to sign up for plots!  Sending Dan to the meeting (because I have to work that night) to sign us up.  Counting my chickens before they hatch but. . . . GLEE!  I'm gonna have a garden!

Farmer's Markets

Farmer’s markets in the city. I love them. I wish I could go to them more often. But let’s face it. The products are pricier and so they aren’t the best place to go for a person on a budget. But since I love them I do try to go a few times every summer, knowing full well it’s going to bite the pocketbook a little.


I enjoy the other benefits, which is why I go to them. One, assuming you shop to the right markets, most of the products are local and mostly organic and you’re getting it as fresh as possible. So I know the food hasn’t travelled far, is better environmentally in that respect, I’m getting hit with less strange chemicals, I sometimes get to meet the people that actually produce the food and I know my money is going directly to them and their efforts. And the variety of produce we can get at the market is sometimes much better then what you can get at the local grocery store. Sometimes we discover something new. And, frankly, it’s just a great reason to go out for a walk.

I love the seasonal aspect as well. Depending when you go, only certain things are available. Once again, it’s that getting food you know is as fresh and as ripe as possible. It hasn’t been something picked too early and sitting in a crate travelling thousands of miles while it hopefully ripens by the time it gets to where it’s going, losing nutrients while it’s slowly ‘dying’. I love that I can only get squash blossoms at certain times of the year. That heirloom tomato varieties explode in late summer. That I only have a small window of time to get fresh local cherries. That I have to wait until the end of the summer and into fall to get some of the best ‘unpastuerized’ apple cider I’ve ever had. And, if you shop smart at these markets, and purchase things that are at the peak of their season then the price difference compared to the local store is really not as big of a deal.

We never buy a lot. Always go with a set amount of cash and that’s all we can spend there. We always buy a cheese. I love the cheese. You can’t get it anywhere else. If I can, I try to go to the farmer’s market before going off for actual grocery shopping for the week. Then we see what’s there, buy what we like the best and get to plan the rest of the shopping list around it. This particular trip we got squash blossoms (I was thrilled to see those. Only one vendor had them, it was late in the year for them) which were used in a tart, cucumbers for Dan to pickle, blueberries which got thrown into pancakes and oatmeals, and the goat cheese, well that was used in a little bit of everything. Including the squash blossom tart.

I kind of wish I’d been in the mood for tomatoes. They were all over the place and so many varieties. Was that time of year. But if I’m not in the mood, I’m not going to eat them. So maybe next year. I’m also considering participating in some CSA as well next year. Will depend upon whether I can find one that will fit our needs.

My Little Brother, the Playwright

Recently my brother came into town on business. He’s a playwright. And I admit I love saying that because he is my brother and he’s actually writing plays and getting them read or produced and being recognized for it. It is a tough thing to do being recognized among the sea of artists that exist in the world. So I’m very proud of him and the work he’s put into it. I admit to also being oddly perplexed by the awe this recognition garners from other people when I mention my brother is the playwright because again, he’s my brother and I used to bloody his nose and babysit him.


This visit to Chicago is actually probably the first time I’ve gotten to experience that odd juxtaposition. My little brother, the recognized playwright. Edith Can Shoot and Hit Things is one of his newest works. It was chosen out of many plays from up and coming minority playwrights to be read at the Victory Gardens Ignition Festival this year. I was very excited about this as I’ve not had a chance to see much of his work since he’s based in New York, I actually had suspicions when reading the synopsis of the play that it referenced our lives, and it was just great to be able to see him.

Distance keeps us from seeing each other much. And Lord knows I’m not the best at keeping in touch through phone calls and other connections. So I’m not the best at communicating that I love and care for my siblings. But they are most definitely a part of me. And when I do manage to see them or speak with them, I am more than happy that they are part of my life. And I’m glad that when we get together we get along so well. I do think a good part of that attachment is because we share a unique bond because of our experiences growing up. Which is not to say we’re the only people who have been through what we’ve been through, just that we were there together and it has had a profound effect upon our lives.

A good portion of the plot in Edith Can Shoot touched very much on that part of our lives. My brother literally pulled out some of the essence of what were his, my sister’s and my teenage/pre-teen years and squished it into a two hour play. They say the best writings you do are based on what you know and this proves it without a doubt. It’s a work in progress, needs a few tweaks and some of the actors could have been better, but overall the writing did very much express the emotions and drive of the characters. And I definitely felt for the brother and sister. I understood where their words and actions came from. I knew exactly what these kids were feeling. Because I was there. I had felt those same emotions, said and heard those same words. And it was weird. Good! But still weird. I was seeing our lives being played out on stage.

And I had to constantly remind myself while watching it and during the Q&A afterwards that the rest of the audience had no idea how personal this was to me. There were definitely distinct differences between our lives and that of the characters. For example, our mom isn’t dead. And there are other things, but I hesitate to mention them because it would be giving away plot. But the emotional base of our childhood was there. I found myself rolling my eyes and laughing quietly listening to the people’s responses of pity and worry for these kids and kept thinking “We turned out just fine.” At the same time the empathy was strong. There was one specific moment in the beginning of act two that really hit me and then by the end of it I did want to cry. So even though the audience’s responses made me chuckle, I also had to resist walking out because the emotions were too overwhelming.

I did cry, by the way. When the Q&A was over, my boyfriend came to me asked me if I was alright because I’m fairly sure the look on my face was expressing something not normal. I said yes I was fine and no, I want to cry and leaned on his shoulder and did.

I know. I’m biased. But it was a profoundly good play.

Kare-Kare

Oxtails.

They are classified as offal.  Like all the guts and blood  and extremities of the cow, it's considered a throwaway piece in modern meat processing.  Recent exposure of these little chunks of meat and bone by celebrity chefs fueling the trend for wholesome and nostalgic dishes, have pulled oxtails out of the waste bin and the secret depths of grandma's stewpot.  And where you used to have to go to a specialty butcher or an ethnic market to find them and buy them for maybe $1/pound, these days you can now find them in most meat sections of the big box grocery stores at the exorbitant, trendy price of $5/pound.  Luckily, I live in the culturally diverse precincts of Chicago and the Korean market is nearby where I can get them for $2-3/pound.  Not the cheap garbage price of 10 years ago, but much more manageable for the pocket book.

These bony pieces of 'waste meat' are, in my opinion, one of the best cuts of meat in existance.  And not necessarily because of the meat itself which is tough and stringy.  Oxtails are collagen filled bombs.  It's the bone, cartilage and marrow that make these bits awesome.  The best way to cook oxtails is by stewing them.  Throwing them into a pot of liquid and letting them simmer on a slow low heat for hours.  What you get is some of the richest, most gelatinous, most flavorful stock you've ever tasted.  And the meat, which has now been sitting in this stock has also absorbed all that flavor and is now soft, tender and fall off the bone goodness.  A few pieces of oxtail can make alot of stock, and from that stock you can make stew.  And that's what I do.  I make a stew.  I make kare-kare.

Kare-kare is a Filipino stew, oxtails and vegetables in a peanut sauce. Alone it is a rich and thick delicious meal.  But it's made even better with a side serving of bagoong, a fermented salty shrimp paste that is so pungent it'll scare off alot of people with just a whiff.  But when added to kare-kare, even in the smallest of quantities, it adds that extra touch of umami that makes the dish heavenly.  Altogether, served over lots of rice, it is my favorite thing to eat.

This is my version.  This version would be the 'Americanized' style with green cabbage, green beans and eggplant from the local Jewel.  Depending on where I go shopping the day I decide to make it, the added ingredients will vary.  If I want to go more asian, I'll find me some chinese long beans and japanese eggplant, some baby bok choy or maybe okra.  Maybe go that extra mile and find some banana blossom shoots.  Toss in some tripe or add some color with annatto.

It's really very simple to make.  It just takes time since you have to stew the goodness out of the oxtails.  Normally I braise the oxtails the day before.  Season them heavily with salt, toss them into a pot of water with chopped onion and garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns and then let them simmer for 3-4 hours.  Set it on the stove or in a crockpot and let it go.  When they're finished, I'll pull out the meat, strain the stock into a container to remove all the cooked onions and herbs then put all the meat back into the stock and let it cool overnight in the refrigerator.  I don't have to do that, I could make it all in one day.  But the advantage to this is mostly me being a little health conscious.  The next day, the chilled stock has a solid layer of fat on the top.  I scrape that off and throw it out.

So then I'll heat some oil in a pot, saute some chopped onion and garlic because more is better and if I have it, this will also be where I add a some annatto oil or powder.  It gives it a more orange color which some people find more appealing.  I'll then toss the gelatinized stock and meat into the pot and let it heat back up and once it's got a good simmer to it add in the peanut butter.

Yes, peanut butter.  You could go all authentic and get some peanuts, roast them up and then crush them by hand or in a food processor, or you could always just buy peanut butter.  I usually read the label.  I take that back.  I usually just buy Jiff, Extra Crunchy.  Peanuts and sugar and salt.  That's it.  I don't buy the reduced fat stuff, I don't buy the less sodium stuff, because they throw in things like corn syrup or soybeans.  I want peanuts, salt and sugar and nothing else. And I buy Jiff because that's what I grew up on.

So I mix in the peanut butter, let it melt into the stock, toss in all my vegetables, let those cook a few minutes until cooked through, season with salt and pepper as needed and then voila!  The best stew ever!  A bed of rice, some bagoong and dinner is served.

And I also get to enjoy it for days after.  A pound of oxtails can make enough kare-kare to stretch over half a week for two people.  Not bad for $5 of meat.

Grocery Carts

You ever take the time when you're in line at the grocery store and look at what's in other people's carts?  I do.  All the time.  And then consider what it says about the people pushing those carts.  And start imagining what it says about them.  The contents can tell you if they're single or have a family.  If they're having a party that weekend, maybe.  If they think about nutrition, if they're a carnivore or a vegetarian.  If they have time in they're days or not.  If they like to cook, if they're a foodie.

One thing I've noticed in general.  People don't cook as much as they used to.  I suppose I don't need to look at carts to know that.  Eating out has increased over the decades.  I know so many people who admit they can't even cook ramen, heh.  But then you look at grocery carts and see lots of cans and bags and boxes and frozen items of pre-prepared ready in a few minute foods.  And not as much fresh meats, fruits and veggies.

I wonder what my cart tells people about me.

I know what this week's shopping haul says to me.  Sometime in the next week or so I plan on cooking the following - turkey noodle casserole (because I'm feeling retro 50's), pork chops stuffed with spinach and mushrooms, brown rice and black-eyed peas, enchilada pie with guacamole, yogurt chicken, pot roast with herb potatoes, ratatouille and . . . kare-kare.

The Carrot Cake Hunt

We've had this tradition since we've been together of getting my boyfriend, Dan, carrot cake for his birthday. We could, of course, get it anytime of the year. We could even bake our own. Who knows? We might do that next year. But getting it almost exclusively just on his birthday just makes it that special kind of special.

And while we've had decent cakes each year, we've not yet found THE cake of all carrot cakes that makes us want to go back for more. (Actually we have, but it is no longer available so not worth mentioning.)  So this year we went out hunting for the best carrot cake in town. With a list of nine Chicago bakeries in hand we cruised around the city, ended up visiting seven and came home with five tempting and delicious little treats.

(clockwise from left) Molly's Cupcake, Sweet Mandy B's,
Bleeding Heart Bakery, Bulldog Bakery, (center) Alliance Bakery

We first tried the one from Bulldog Bakery.  Yes, it did get a little smooshed during travel.  That didn't hurt the yum though!  It was simple, but in a good way.  You could taste the orange in it and the spices were not overwhelming.  It was a moist cake with decent crumb.  The frosting was sugary with the cheese flavor just hinting.  It actually made me think this is what I would get if someone's mom made it at home.  It felt homemade, and I liked that.  And at $1.75 was the cheapest of them all and a decent value.

We were given a choice of frostings at Molly's Cupcakes.  They have five to choose from, but we did go with the traditional cream cheese frosting.  The little carrot shaped sprinkles were a cute, decorative touch.  Their cake was the least crumbly of all the cakes we tried, denser and a little drier.  But it was all around a good cake.  Ginger was the flavor that stood out.  Both the cake and the frosting were not too sweet.  It was the least sweet of all the cakes we tried.  The frosting itself had the most cheese flavor of all we tasted.  That's actually what made Molly's cupcake stand out for us.  Though I actually think if we'd chosen another of the frostings, a sweeter one, it would have been a better balance.  We will have to go back and find out.

Speaking of frostings, Sweet Mandy B's was the best of them all.  It was sweet, it was cheesy.  That frosting hit my tongue and my brain just went "Yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm".  And the cake was nothing to ignore either.  It was dark and soft and moist and crumby and fell apart when I bit into it.  Sweet and nicely spiced.  Just what I love.  The one downside. . .it was too nutty.  I don't mind nuts in my carrot cake.  I like them, in fact.  Yay, texture!  And lots of different things get thrown into a carrot cake from nuts to raisins to coconut to orange peel, depending on the recipe.  But the flavor of the walnuts were so much a part of this little cake I was almost wary of calling it a carrot cake and wanted to call it a nut spice cake instead.  But if you like nuts, it's not a problem, because aside from that, it was a damn fine frosted cake.

I had hoped none of the cakes would disappoint me.  But, alas, there was the little cupcake from Alliance Bakery.  It was just bland.  And I'm pretty sure there was shortening in the frosting.  Left that sticky feeling on my tongue.  Sigh.  I won't say anymore.  Well aside from the fact that because it was the second most expensive cake we tried, it made it even more of a disappointment.

And then there was The Bleeding Heart Bakery.  No frosting, but then it wasn't a cupcake.  It was a teacake.  When we opened up the bag you could just smell the richness of molasses and brown sugar.  It was moist, it was rich, it was dense and crumbly.  It was sweet, it was potent and it was the best of all that we tried.  It was just a powerful piece of cake.  The flavor and texture were bold.  Full of spice and coconut and whatever else was in there.  But none of it dominated.  It's definately denser then I like my cakes, but it was just this mixed up bomb of rich, delicious flavor.  It didn't need the frosting.  Who knows, it might have been a ringer since it wasn't a cupcake like all the others.  But it was well worth the price, which at $3.25 was the most expensive, paying the premium for a 'green' product.

So the teacake was the best of them all this year.  Who knows what will happen next year, we might try this again if we don't make one on our own.  It was fun and I admit I was a little surprised at the variety of a simple cake.  I'm compelled to hunt for more because of it.

On a final note, I also purchased a lemon bar from Bleeding Heart.  I couldn't resist.  Lemon curd is my weakness and their lemon bar was huge!  And I'm telling you now, it is the best lemon bar I have ever had.  Pure and clean and thick and delicious.  Yes, we will indeed be going back to Bleeding Heart when we can afford to go.

The First Post

Well, here it is.  My first post.  My first blog.  At least a year, maybe more, in the making.  'The making' being me randomly saying many times, "If I had a blog, I'd totally post about this."  And so now we have it.

What is this going to be about?  Well what else would it be.  My life.  My musings on it.  The random things which make it my life.  Food.  Definately food.  I can guarantee without a doubt that there will be food.  My family, which is small and dispersed across the country.  And whom, despite my own personal failures of communication, I still love them to death and hold them dear to my heart.  My computer game habit.  Which is not huge.  I don't play many games, but the ones I do, I play with dedication.  Yes.  I play World of Warcraft.  And just those random thoughts both profound and otherwise which just pop into my head and make me wonder what other people think and do about those same thoughts.

Doesn't sound too complicated.  Yep.  Sounds fairly basic.  Well, we'll see where it goes!

I would just like to add as a last note a thank you to my boyfriend for inspiring me to finally take that first step and do this.  Said inspiration will follow shortly.