About the Cook - An interview with Kirsten

One of my favorite bloggers, Lis of La Mia Cucina, was recently interviewed by another blogger. The idea was to ask interesting questions to get to know the blogger better, but not be one of those silly questionnaires we have been passing around since high school.

After I read Lis' interview, which was awesome, she offered to interview other bloggers and I said YES!

So, in case any of my readers out there are curious about me, read on as Lis interviews me! Enjoy!

1- You are an incredible cook - but we don't see too much baking on your blog. Do you like to bake at all? If so, what's your favorite thing to bake?
Thanks Lis! But baking, yeah, I really don't do much baking. I do like to bake, but it is a strict sport in that you *must* have all the right ingredients, in just the right proportion and it can take longer to bake than cook. (I am impulsive and impatient) My favorite things to bake when I do bake are cupcakes, brownies, cookies, tarts or muffins.

Also, another reason I don't bake much (true confession) is I am vain and am try to enjoy eating and food as much as possible and still not get fat, so I prefer to save my calories for delicious food and wine and can take or leave dessert. Also, I live alone and my boyfriend eats very healthy, so who is going to eat all my baked goods? Around the holidays I get more into baking because I can give it away! :)

2- Describe the perfect date night.
Ok, this is fun. I think the perfect date night that is a realistic possibility (so no quick flights to Mexico or anything), would be to have a early dinner at sunset at Quiessence Restaurant at the Farm at South Mountain, dining on local, seasonal, and consciously-grown food paired with delicious wine in a beautiful outdoor setting. Then, martinis and live music and dancing, then ending the night sitting outside on a patio, overlooking the city and talking.

Or, I would love a steak-and-martini retro-fabulous dinner at Durant's in Downtown Phoenix, then the symphony for some classical music - my favorites are Mozart and Vivaldi, although I tend to like anything baroque.

3- What is one of your "hidden" talents that we don't know about? Hmmm, hidden talents. Sadly I am feeling hidden-talentless as I ponder this, but I guess I would say my hidden talent is my reading ability. I can literally read an entire book in just a few hours and with good comprehension. The SAT's (not counting the math part of course) were a breeze for me, and as a kid the reading challenges or book reports felt like a non-assignment.

I read at least a few newspapers and magazines a day for work, not to mention countless Web pages and blogs and of course my food blog addiction after work, and I almost always read books and magazines in bed before going to sleep...so I still read a lot!

4- If you were told that you could only have 5 foods and 1 beverage for the rest of your life - what would they be?
Wow, that is REALLY hard. I really really embrace the omnivorous aspect of being human.

If nutrition is not a concern and I MUST pick, it would be cheese, chocolate, really good bread (french baguette) with butter, authentic bean and cheese burritos (with tons of hot sauce) and narrowing down seafood to one thing...probably shrimp? The one beverage would definitely be wine.

5- What was your favorite vacation or fun thing to do with your family when you were a child?
We did a lot of fun family trips when I was growing up, my parents always made family vacation a priority for me and my 2 brothers. We lived very comfortably, but were not wealthy, so we opted for longer trips and better sights, but did a lot of road trips and camping and didn't do a lot of resorts and such.

I always loved the beach, the lake, the river or pretty much any body of water, and camping in the redwood forests of the Pacific Northwest was a highlight. We did the Pacific Northwest trip one year in a borrowed vintage VW bus, and that was really fun. I slept in the hammock bed over the front seats.

My favorite vacation as an adult hasn't changed too much, I love to spend hours at the beach, read lots of books, eat fabulous food and drink cocktails.

Do you want to be interviewed? Here are the directions:
1. Leave a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. Beware, I may ask personal questions! Please make sure I have your email address.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Always thinking...even if it's just about food

One of my favorite fellow food bloggers Lis, who writes La Mia Cucina who is a hilarious and talented cook and writer and is constantly making the most decadent and delicious desserts, pastas and more, honored me with
The Thinking Blogger Award.




I am flattered beyond belief that my recipes, cocktails and musings made her list!

So, I am doing the same. Here are five of my favorite blogs that make me think - and why!

1. The Technicolor Kitchen by Patricia Scarpin, a blogger who has been a passionate cook since the age of 11 and resides in São Paulo, Brazil. I read the English version of her blog, and her unique perspective on food, cooking and ingredients makes me think. Also, the translation of recipes from metric in some instances literally makes me think - and use math! :)


2. A very new blog here in Phoenix, Arizona called PHX Rail Food written by a fellow food lover and is about restaurants around the stops of the new Metro Rail system in Phoenix, slated to be running by 2008. I know it's unfathomable as the 6th largest city in the United States, but the only public transportation we have is an only so-so bus system, so a modern rail transit system is so exciting for our city, especially downtown Phoenix, and this blog makes me think about city life, supporting independent restaurants and supporting the right kind of growth in Phoenix. Looking forward to new restaurants listed and riding the rail once it launches!

3. Freya and Paul from Writing at the Kitchen Table for their intelligent and laugh-out-loud tales of cooking and married life in a country far from mine. They get me thinking about new ingredients, different lifestyles and what married life is like! Plus they often post fun comments on my blog, once again getting me thinking that this is a public diary and I do have readers! :)

4. My dear Peabody, author of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, who has been a loyal reader of my blog for a while, and who is constantly making me think about the hows and whys of baking and food photography. Plus, she used to live in Phoenix, so she makes me think about changes to the Phoenix area in the food world since she was living here. Lastly, she makes me think how ANYONE can be that effortlessly talented with pastry/baking!! Just today she posted a recipe and some mouth-watering photos for Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes...I mean!

5. Another local blogger, Seth Chadwick of Feasting in Phoenix, a local guy who freely admits he's just an average guy who is not paid by anyone but just loves to try restaurants and shares his thoughts with the world. People love him for his honest, every-man reviews. He gets me thinking about restaurants I have forgotten, places I have never been and all of the many, many facets of good restaurants - and it isn't always just about the food!

If I named your blog, here is what you are supposed to do:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

Razz Cherries, Martinis, Spring Weather and a Beach Vacation

It's spring in Phoenix. At least 80 every day and lately over 90 degrees, and all I can think about is the beach, a cold cocktail and light food that hasn't been touched by an oven. That and relief from terrible allergies.

Last Friday night, after many long months of being too busy or grown up to go out, I went out with one of my best girlfriends and had at least a few too many martinis. This (road trip not recommended when hung over) preceded a Saturday road trip with some dear friends and their darling baby.

We went to Cottonwood and mile-high Jerome Arizona for a quaint day trip of shopping, lunch and a tremendous view.

And...after sampling these on a cheese plate a local restaurant, I personally procured my own Razz Cherries at Mount Hope Foods in Cottonwood - a wholesaler and retailer of delicious gourmet food. Razz cherries are dried cherries infused with raspberry and they are like candy, only better.

So...cocktails and razz cherries in very hot weather during spring break which is paradoxically the busiest time of year for me at work? What does that add up to? All it means is that I haven't been cooking at all. Which will change.

Just as soon as I get back from the beach...

Gin Martini:
(serves as many as you would like)
Ice cold gin (store in freezer), I like Tanqueray
Clean, fresh ice
Splash vermouth

Directions:
Pour cold gin over ice in a martini shaker, add splash vermouth. Shake vigorously, strain into a frozen martini glass. Serve with your favorite garnish. In this weather, I like a twist of lime.

Arizona Wine Country? No, not kidding...

(this amazing photo from Adventurist.net, photos from my trip coming soon)

I am off to Arizona Wine Country and a tour of Southern Arizona (Tucson, mainly) for food, wine and live music/nightlife - plus a chance to get away.

I'll be back soon, inspired to create new recipes.

Paradise

I live in paradise. Today I slept in, ate leftover coconut green curry from a restaurant I love, Fate, got in my car, put the top down and went to a farmer's market I have never visited.

The weather is perfect: 70 degrees, bright and sunny with a clear blue sky and slight breeze. And my new farmer's market? It will become a favorite. Less than 5 miles from my house, it's small but with a great variety of locally grown produce and crafts.

I am compelled to share a few items I bought. Cooking and recipes with my purchases will appear soon!

Kumquats

Lime & Lemon Quats - apparently like kumquats but lime and lemon

Thai Bananas (about 4 inches long, cute and delicious!)

Brussels Sprouts

Butternut and Acorn Squash

Blood Oranges

Adopted

I was adopted by a blog (and blogger) I adore: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. It was so sweet and flattering and it challenged me to adopt my own blog.

Well, that was virtually impossible as there are literally thousands of great food blogs. Finding one was hard, so I finally I just had to choose.

Anne's Food
Anne from Sweden blogs about recipes and food with great writing and very attractive pictures. Not a new blog (she's been around since '04) but one that I just discovered recently and don't see on many other blog reading lists.

One great thing about her blog is the food is usually completely different that what I typically make, which is great because it helps me be more creative. She posts frequently too - which I LOVE.

Happy Birthday...to Me

Yes, today is the big day - 27 years.

In celebration, my boyfriend bought me a new set of knives. Previously, I had only one decent knife so it is really amazing that any of my culinary adventures ended happily. Ah, the bliss of new, sharp knives.

And, Sarah, my ever-so-talented graphic designer, coworker and friend, created cupcakes for me. Double chocolate chip, with a center of cheesecake with chocolate chips, topped with cream cheese frosting and chocolate curls. Rich and really really delicious. Thanks Sarah!

Black Bottom Cupcakes:

For the cupcakes:
2c cake flour
1c sugar
1/4c cocoa
1t baking soda
1/2t salt
1c water
1/3c vegetable oil
1T white vinegar
1t vanilla
1 large egg

For the filling:
8oz cream cheese softened
1 large egg
1/3c sugar
1/8t salt
1c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions for the cupcakes:
Sift together the cake flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Slowly add the water until you achieve a nice batter consistency. Whisk the vinegar in with the oil, then add the oil/vinegar mixture, one of the eggs, and vanilla; beat well.

Directions for the cream cheese filling:
Whip the cream cheese to a soft consistency. Combine the cream cheese, the other egg, sugar and salt. Add the chocolate chips and stir in.

Fill muffin cups/papers 1/2 to 3/4 full of chocolate mixture. Dollop a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese batter in center of each of the unbaked cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool and frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2-8oz packages of cream cheese softened
2 sticks of unsalted butter softened
2 cups of powdered/confectioners' sugar, sifted
1t vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter together, add vanilla then slowly add powdered sugar. Top the cupcakes with bitter sweet chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler to create the shavings from a bittersweet chocolate bar).

And, not to be forgotten, tonight I am seeing Imogen Heap in concert (her music is awesome if you are unfamiliar with it.)

A little craft project...

I just found out I am hosting Thanksgiving (my first ever!) for my family last evening due to some last minute sad events, so I am busily piecing together a memorable looking and tasty feast - fast and on a budget.

After a breakdown in the grocery store produce section while buying cranberries, I have wiped away the tears and am excited to make the most of our family Thanksgiving feast. Grandma - we hope you are feeling like yourself very soon. It just isn't Thanksgiving without you.

I know this isn't a recipe per se, but it is a recipe for a low-budget fabulous table decor idea so it sort-of counts. I started my preparataions with the table, and now am moving on to food. I'll post the entire menu soon.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone - what are you all serving for Thanksgiving? If you have a spare moment - share your menu by posting a comment to this post.

Festive Votive Candles:
Plain glass votives (about $1 at a craft store or less at IKEA)
Wide, satin ribbon (again, about $1 at a discount store)
Permanent double-stick tape or hot glue

Directions:
Measure out and cut ribbons to length, tape or glue around votive. Enjoy!