Nermo

Revolutionsary T-Shirt Line

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've been doing more silkscreen designs for work lately, and for my last project, I was researching Bay Area iconography for a series of shirts I printed for an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the contemporary art center in San Francisco. Those shirts were a wabi-sabi mish-mash of recognizable Bay Area sites in bold silhouettes along with the YBCA and BAN 5 logos, but this brought me back to a series of prints that I had been pondering some of my favorite revolutionaries, including Huey Newton and Tank Man (from the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989).

Making T-Shirts for the Masses

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've been doing more silkscreen work lately, and I've been researching Bay Area iconography for a series of shirts that I will be printing for an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the contemporary art center in San Francisco. Those shirts will be a wabi-sabi mish-mash of recognizable Bay Area sites in bold silhouettes along with the YBCA and BAN 5 logos. I'm having fun with the project and I think I would like to do more of this stuff. Pics are attached below to give you a feel for the graphics I have been spitting out. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts logo Bay Area Now 5 logo Frank Chu advertising the event San Francisco Skyline Mission Dolores Cable Car Sutro Tower

RECIPES: Brunch Cocktails

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've been wanting to throw another brunch since the last time I threw the after-party brunch for an all-nighter thrown by my old roommates. I made crepes, barbecued duck hash and eggs cooked to order, toasted slices of bread from Arizmendi, bacon and sausage, . There was a jug of Odwala OJ and a few bottles of champagne, but the primary lack was a decent array of brunch booze. Here's what I am thinking of for next time: The vessels are essential. I've really been loving the glassware from CB2. It's kind of thin and delicate, but it looks great and it's inexpensive. I love the Beaker Glass Pitcher As for drinks, I'm devising a selection of agreeable liquors and mixers to be laid out in beakers and a variety of other interesting glass containers. Alcohol: Champagne Ginger vodka Fire water Mixers: Orange Juice Bloody Mary Mix Garnish: Lime wedges olives Cocktail combos: Bloody Marys Mimosas Ginger vodka and champagne Nigori saki and pineapple juice

Dumpling Engine Redux

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So, I think I will leave it alone after the next update. I have slicked out the formatting with a note-card look, moved the hyperlink from all the text to just a button, added graphics that correspond with the type of dumpling being presented, I'm now threatening to make the sushi version, the burrito version, a soup version that is better than the one at noodlr.com and finally an Olive Garden Bottomless Pasta Bowl version which I will sell to the restaurant for millions.

Japanese Pickles

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Steamer Trunk Bar

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've had a well-traveled old steamer trunk sitting in my living room for about a year just begging me to convert it from an anachronism into the swankest of retro conversions. I tore out most of the hardware and peeled off a lot of the paint and paper, but it still needs to be stripped and rebuilt on the inside. I'm going to leave the outside it's shabby olive drab, but the inside is going to be refinished in cabernet colored velvet and mohogany with...

Railroad Cross-Tie Bed

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

A few years ago I saw a very sparse, Zen looking bedroom in an add for expensive sheets. The Japanese aesthetic and beam construction of the bed in the ad inspired the concept of making an uncomplicated, harmonious design out of discarded railroad crossties, which are readily available at gardening supply stores, or under railroad tracks. I need to look into the toxicity of the materials, but otherwise, I’m ready to move ahead on cnstruction.

Greening Furniture Construction

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Green Glue: http://eclecticproducts.com/eg_premium_wood.htm Good Wood:http://www.fscus.org/ Salvageable harware:

4-Leg Table

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Meant to be versatile and planet-friendly, the legs of this table nest inside each other and it ships without a top, so that it takes up less space, cutting the ecological impacts of transportation and making it easier to store when not in use. The four legs are designed in a way that they could accommodate any number of materials to serve as a tabletop, thus giving new life to a discarded tabletop or other salvaged building materials like an old door, or could make an elegant, modern table by using just a pane of glass. Each leg has an adjustable opening near the top, where the corner of the chosen tabletop is inserted and clamped in place with a wing bolt, requiring no tools for assembly, it can be quickly and easily assembled and taken apart.

Website Icons

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm thinking for the next obnoxious website I build, I'll make all the clickable icons of images drawn on bar napkins. Here's a demo: Art Design Food News

Bosske only got the first step

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Bosske came up with a great, funky concept with their Sky Planter, a potted plant that hangs upside-down, but if they haven't noticed, it looks exactly like a lamp. So why not go the extra step and make it into a lamp by turning the pot into a lampshade (which would be really incredible cast from a classic lampshade in bone china) and illuminating it either internally, or from below. They have some high tech reservoir system, but I am wondering if you couldn't just root the plant in a sea sponge and grow it hydroponically. http://www.usalampshade.com/lampshade.html http://www.lampshademaker.com/ http://www.lampshop.com/

Craigslist Roommate Searches

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

new category irreverie modicum of common sense in responding to craigslist ads You know that I teach, so maybe using proper grammar and spelling would be a good idea. You might even want to have someone who speaks English as their first language preview your standard response email before you start sending it to everyone. When I say that I'm looking for someone who is going to do their dishes within 24 hours of using them, what makes you think I would be impressed by you telling me you can out do me by insisting on a rule that all dishes are done within 4 hours of being used. Screw that. If I wanted that rule, I would have made that rule.

Yuzu Voodoo

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Yuzu is in season from November to early spring, which means the fun is about to start... assuming I can get my hands on any. Early season yuzu are green and they get lemony yellow as the season progresses. I'm not going to wait around for extra ripening, so I'll be swinging by Nijiya Market in Japantown soon to grab some an start making some seasonal wonders. Yuzu marmalade Yuzucello Yuzu infused vodka

Wrapping Paper Reuse: Elegant Origami Ornaments

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I always feel so lousy about unwrapping presents and discarding the paper, even if it does get recycled. Origami brocades make gorgeous Christmas tree ornaments that are elegant and easy to make. All it takes is leftover wrapping paper, ribbon and maybe some little bells. 1. Unwrap presents and set aside the wrapping paper (heavier paper makes the strongest ornaments, but thinner paper is easier to fold) and ribbon. 2. Cut six squares of wrapping paper, all the same size, anywhere between 3 inches and 6 inches. You can make an ornament out of one kind of paper, but I recommend using 2 different papers that go well together. Note: 3-inch squares make 2-inch diameter brocades and 9-inch squares make 6-inch diameter brocades. 3. Fold each piece according to the video/diagram, but pause before adding the last two pieces to insert a loop of ribbon with a bell at the end diagonally through the piece, and then complete construction.

Kaiju Chopstick Rests

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Kaiju are the Japanese movie monsters. You know Godzilla , Mothra , Mechagodzilla, Biollante, Rodan, Minilla Anguirus Zilla King Ghidorah Battra Hedorah Gigan Manda Spacegodzilla Destoroyah Baragon Tokusatsu Kaiju Big Battel Super Sentai Kamen Rider Metal Heroes Zoanoids Clover Gamera Gorgo King Caesar Titanosaurus Gezora Ganime Kamoebas Gyaos Gappa Reptar The Flatwoods Monster Use PMC in a mold in the shape of Godzilla, Mothra, Mecha-godzilla,

Mole Dip Tortilla Chip

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I had this theory that if chili and chocolate go so well together in Mexican hot chocolate, and in a mole sauce, then why not meld the concepts in the tradition of the American classic chocolate-dipped pretzel. Mole Ganache 3-4 large dried ancho chilies 8-10 dried pequin peppers 3 tablespoons bacon fat 2 large shallots, diced 1 cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon allspice berries 4 whole cloves 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon epazote ½ cup pitted prunes ¾ cup dried black currants 1/4 cup pine nuts (40-60) 1/4 cup almonds (~10) 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds 1 bar Ibarra mexican chocolate (3.1 ounces) 1 pint heavy cream ¼ cup corn meal or grits Remove stems, seeds and pith from ancho chilies and combine with pequin peppers in hot water and let steep for 20 minutes. In a heavy skillet, heat the bacon fat and sauté the shallots. Slowly add the spices, fruit, nuts and peppers. Sauté about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the nuts are well toasted. Puree in a food processor. Add the bread crumbs and corn meal, and about 500mL broth, and blend thoroughly in a blender or large-capacity food processor. Place chocolate disk in the center of a sauce pan. Cover with the blended fruit/nut/vegetable paste. Slowly incorporate the rest of the broth. Heat until chocolate is melted and sauce is rich but not too thick. Consistency should be that of good gravy. Pour over enchiladas (chicken or pork), baked chicken, etc. Freezes well. Thanks to Wohali for the reminder, and the base recipe from which to begin.

Scoville Scale

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Don't make the same mistake I did. A recipe called for 3 dried red chilis, and after deciding they probably meant something like a thai pepper, but having none, threw in more than twice as many pequino peppers, since they were less than half as large, not remembering that generally, the smaller the chili, the bigger the burn. The Scoville Scale measures the hotness of chili peppers in SHUs (Scoville Heat Units) representing the amount of capsaicin (hot stuff) in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale 15,000,000-16,000,000 Pure capsaicin 8,600,000-9,100,000 Various capsaicinoids 2,000,000-5,000,000 Standard U.S. Grade pepper spray 855,000-1,050,000 Naga Jolokia 875,000 - 970,000 Dorset Naga Pepper (capsicum chinense?) 350,000-570,000 Red Savina Habanero 100,000-350,000 Madame Jeanette 50,000-175,000 Piri Piri 100,000-350,000 Habanero chili 100,000-325,000 Scotch Bonnet Pepper 100,000-300,000 Datil Pepper 50,000-2500,000 Rocoto Pepper 100,000-225,000 Birds Eye Pepper 100,000-200,000 Jamaican Hot Pepper 100,000-125,000 Carolina Cayenne Pepper 85,000-115,000 Tabiche Pepper 95,000-110,000 Bahamian Pepper 50,000-100,000 Thai Pepper 50,000-100,000 Chiltepin Pepper 60,000 Malagueta Pepper 40,000-58,000 Pequin Pepper 30,000-50,000 Cayenne Pepper 30,000-50,000 Ají pepper 30,000-50,000 Santaka Pepper 30,000-50,000Tabasco pepper 15,000-30,000 de Arbol pepper 12,000-30,000 Manzano Pepper 10,000-23,000 Serrano Pepper 5,000-10,000 wax peppers 5,000-10,000 Chipotle peppers 2,500-8,000 Jalapeño Pepper 2,500-8,000 Guajillo pepper 1,500-2,500 Sandia Pepper 1,500-2,500 Rocotillo Pepper 1,000-2,500 Cascabel Pepper 1,000-2,500 Cherry Pepper 500-2,500 Anaheim Pepper 1,000-2,000 Ancho Pepper 1,000-2,000 Pasilla Pepper 1,000-1,500 Poblano Pepper 1,000-1,500 Espanola Pepper 700-1,000 Coronado Pepper 500-1,000 New Mexico Pepper 500-700 Santa Fe Grande 100-500 Pimento Pepper 100-500 Pepperoncini 0 Bell pepper

Stocking the Bar

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Infuse the Booze Anyone can stock a bar, but it takes a little effort and ingenuity to stock a bar with something nobody else has. Infused booze allows the creation of interesting drinks that you can't make otherwise.

Roasted Ginger Vodka
FireWater
Chipotle Tequila
Pumpkin Pie Spice Rum
Shiso Vodka
Kumquatcello or Yuzu Liquer

Seven Sinful Sundays: Luxuria

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I like a good theme to guide my creative endeavors, and while I was dreaming up a sinfully good breakfast for myself this morning, I reckoned that the 7 deadly sins might be a good brunch theme to work with. I'm not sure I'll have the opportunity to do this every Sunday, but between now and Easter, I should be able to pull it off. The top seven list, according to The Big Guy, are lust (luxuria), gluttony (gula), greed (avaritia), sloth (acedia), wrath (ira), envy (invidia) and pride (superbia). I started off with lust, making the sexiest most luxuriant dish I could think of. I tend to favor the savory for breakfast, rarely delving into the sweet, and exploring my theme to it's fullest, I decided it had to be hot, zesty, creamy, and smooth, not to mention extravagant in nature. I wanted to make something so tempting, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of it and would feel compelled to devour with abandon... and of course, everything should be fried in butter. LIKE A ROMANCE NOVEL: Starting low and raising the heat with every step, I caramelized shallots in butter until cloyingly sweet, added spinach to the pan to wilt while I beat two eggs with heavy cream an a dash of chili powder and added them to the pan. Scrambling with orgiastic rapture while I smeared chevre (the goat is often a symbol for the devil) lavishly onto a tortilla and then poured the steaming scramble onto half the round bed before folding it back upon itself and returning it to the freshly buttered pan to melt, meld, seal and crisp. Served with sweet chili sauce and a fistful of fresh spinach leaves tossed onto the plate to seduce the unsuspecting innocents with the impression of wholesomeness. As pictured, I started off eating at the table, but ultimately decided that breakfast in bed made more sense and climbed back under the covers.

Ahead of the Cocktail Curve

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This article in today's NY Times Sunday Style section goes on about the smoked cocktail craze, but I was writing about my chipotle (smoked jalapeno) infused tequila weeks ago. Come on NYT, call me before you go spouting off on this stuff, would ya? Adding to the spicy liquor concoctions I wrote about making a few weeks ago and a few months ago, this week will see the creation of new batches of the following

Shiso (Japanese mint) Infused Vodka
3C (Coriander, Cinnamon and Cumin) Gin
Roasted Ginger Vodka
Hopefully a Yuzu liquer, based on limoncello

Recipe Collection: Infuse The Booze

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Recipe: Hot Sauce

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

A carry-over from my Bottles and Cans extravaganza, re-ignited by this entry on the Bitten blog from the Times, I made hot sauce this weekend. I never knew it could be so easy. The abreviated recipe from the blog is as follows: Rinse and stem peppers, remove bad spots and put in blender. Pour in enough white vinegar to cover, a handful of salt and puree. Trasfer to saucepan and bring to a boil. Funnel sauce into clean bottle, cover with cloth napkin and leave it undisturbed on the counter for 3 days, then pour off almost all the vinegar. Keeps for months if refrigerated.

The Pleasures of Pom

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I saw a video, probably posted in a food blog about the "quick and easy way" to open a pomegranate an extract the seeds. The video said to roll the pom on a countertop pressing down with the heel off your hand and then slice through the equator of the fruit. Criminal! Pomegranate tastes great, but that isn't what it's all about. It's about the sensual pleasure of extracting the forbidden seeds form ... Eating a pomegranate should never be quick and easy. It should be lengthy, involved and deeply focused. I like to pry it open at that porthole I call the top, and then separate it gently open into two or three major segments. From there, I peel off the thin filmy membran off the tops of the seed clusters,

Please Don't Make Curating a Meaningless or Dirty Word

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

All I Want For Christmas ...

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Apparently I am hard to shop for. I hear this a lot around the holidays. I have very specific tastes and tend to like my possessions certain ways. Tools for example need to be high quality, multi-purpose, portable and self-contained, like my new router. Currently, I would love this Bosch router table , and one of the new oscillating tools like the Dremel Multi Max or the Rockwell Sonicrafter In the kitchen,

Homebrew Resources

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Homebrew and wine-making how-tos at homebrew.com Some how-to-brew tutorials from John Palmer at howtobrew.com

Feast of the 7Fishes

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've always wanted to do a feast of the seven fishes for the holidays but have yet to go for it. Seafood is cost-prohibitive and much of it is offensive or illness-inducing to so many I hold dear, including TSB and my mother, so I have not undertaken the challenge, but this year will be different, so I am starting to plan now. Wikipedia lists the most popular dishes: stuffed calamari in tomato sauce, stuffed-baked quahogs (clams), stuffed-baked lobsters, fried smelts, oyster shooters, deep fried calamari, deep-fried breaded oysters, deep fried fish/shrimp, deep fried scallops, linguine with clam or lobster sauce, cod fish balls in tomato sauce, marinated eel, baccalà (salt cod), octopus salad, whiting, and baked or fried kale patties. I can't see myself making any of those as described above, but it is good to get a feel for the standard

My 7Fishes will likely include: a ceviche starter,a seafood salad, something breaded and fried like a tempura shrimp or some sort of white fish schnitzel, some sort of fishy dim sum like crab mangoon,

Stupid, Overpriced Things At William-Sonoma for the Holidays

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Simplifying My Life: A New Year's Resolution

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm overwhelmed by my crap and would like to lead a simpler life. I've found that my usual foot-loose and fancy-free self gets bogged down when I have too much crap (the only word I can come up with that encomapsses my finances, personal belongings, professional dealings and social network) to deal with. Finances were the biggest issue and I have just about worked them out. I've consolidated my school loans and put them on auto-pay so I never need to think about them. I also put my one utility bill on auto-pay and put both of my phone lines (land and cell) on the same bill and set it to autopay as well. I'm tempted to set it up so that my bank sends a check to my landlord on the 25th of each month, but I haven't gotten there yet. The big accomplishment in financial simplification that I have made is killing off my credit card debt. I completely paid off my lowest interest card, which also offered a super-low rate on balance transfers and then transferred my other cards to that one (you always pay off the highest interest rate last, so it's important to clear the card first), then figured out what I need to pay monthly to have it completely zeroed out before 2010 ($250 a month is a lot, but it won't kill me). I've tried to group all my essential but rarely used item into self contained kits, like carefully packing all my camping gear into one duffel bag, and I still need to make kits for all of my tools and all of my art supplies, but those would require trunks (link to cool toolkit photo), and both kits are always expanding. I've been pretty good about not buying single use gadgets for the kitchen, but my fondness for good Japanese knives is harder to overcome. I really should go through my kitchen drawers and make some eliminations. TheKitchn.com does a good job in this entry on useful kitchen items that make good gifts. I only really disagree on the ginger grater, because a microplane zester does all that and infinitely more.

Simplifying my Life: A New Year's Resolution

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

New T-Shirt Line Idea

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Abominations, like growing a human ear on the back of a mouse, or... or Dick Cheney.

I Want To Go to MIT

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm fascinated by the Media Lab at MIT, and while I don't know if I have the technical chops to cut it, I'm sure I've got the overall creativity and innovation to make a go of it. I'm most fascinated by the Computing Culture, Lifelong Kindergarden, and High-Low Tech. Teach Tech

Stupid Things People Like

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There are just a few trends that have irritated me to the point of writing something about it, but not agitated me to the point of doing something about it. Legal Absinthe: Absinthe was cool because it was illegal. It was illegal because it contained a potenetionally harmful, questionable psychadellic substance. Now absinthe is legal. It is legal because the stuff now sold in the States contains little or no thujone, the abovementioned substance. What you are left with is licorice-flavored booze, none of which is particularly well-balanced or enticing to the palate. If you like licorice flavored booze, drink sambuca or uzo or something. If you are ordering absinthe, it's probably just because you think it is cool. Fixies: Single, fixed gear bikes seem to be all the rage among the hipster set (still). What started out as a ligitimate training tool for bike racers has become a stupidly dangerous and inefficient accessory for bike messengers and anyone who has a friend who is a bike messenger. No brakes! Why? No reason... Well, except that it looks much cooler to skid sideways in order to stop and people who do that instead of using their brakes look like total ass-clowns, and people without brakes can justify it by their lack of brakes.

Dinner Party under $100?

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The big trend these days (NY Times, TheKitchn, Penny Plastic) seems to be throwing a dinner party for under $100, and I love the idea, but the next dinner party I'm throwing isfor Lunar New Year and I'm expecting 20-30 people. Entertaining 8 is great, but there is no way I can keep costs to $5 a head, is there? If I decide to go super-budget, here are some strategies I might utilize:

Bring your own bowl: This was the strategy for the first LNYDP in 2004. Invitations instructed guests to bring their own bowl, which they could wash themselves and bring home. I don't have 20-30 matching bowls for the noodle course, so I figure it's best if nobody matches, and it gives folks a chance to show off their flair with their most outlandish, gorgeous or silly bowl.
Homebrew: Good wine is expensive, as is good beer, but making it myself is cheap. Even with the ongoing world-wide hops shortage, my latest batch will cost me about $15-$20 for 5-gallons (60 bottles), which should suffice.

Apple Cider From Scratch

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, VT makes the most incredible apple cider in the world, which, amazingly enough, is made from just pressed Macintosh apples. Apple cider here on the west coast seems to be entirely comprised of lousy commercially produced apple juice, maybe with some cinnamon thrown in. I've always wanted to make hard cider, but even Cold Hollow pasteurizes their cider (thanks a lot, Louis P.), which makes the stuff damned near unfermentable, a moot point, since the cider out is is rubbish anyway. So, I am thinking that I need to make my own, starting with apples. The process is really simple:

Grind apples into pulp: a new garbage disposal unit mounted to a board over a bucket would do the trick.
Press the juice out of the pulp: I might pick up a used wine press, or else rig something up with clamps.
Discard the pomace: easily composed or fed to livestock.
Ferment the cider:

http://www.fermentarium.com/content/view/43/58/

Brewing Measurements

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Homebrew ingredients are measured in all sorts of strange units. Here's the simple breakdown: Grains: Hops are measured in AAUs (alpha-acid units), http://www.brewwiki.com/index.php/Alpha_Acid_Units the unit obtained by multiplying the alpha-acid rating of the hop (a percentage value) by the weight (ounces) that you intend to use. For example, 2 oz of a 6% alpha-acid hop equals 12 AAUs. Every package of hops you buy will list the hop's alpha-acid rating. To figure out how much of a hop you will need for this recipe, just divide the AAU target by the alpha-acid percentage on your hops. For example, 12 AAUs divided by 12 (Nugget hop's alpha-acid rating) equals 1 oz; 12 AAUs divided by 8 (Perle hop's alpha rating) equals 1 1/2 oz. Yeast:

Buy Me Things So I Can Save The Earth

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is a wish list, with questionable justification for why buying these things for me will be beneficial for the environment Soda Club: Making soda at home prevents the carbon footprint of factory production and for transporting soda from factory to store and from store to home. Plus I can carbonate all sorts of weird things, which will be hours of entertainment keeping me off the streets and out of trouble. Miracle Fruit Tree: Trees give off oxygen, eat up CO2.

For Pete's Sake

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I took TSB to my local brew supply store last week and she was fascinated by the packets of saki koji-kin, but I think a little too overwhelmed by the environment to suggest we make a batch of sake, so last time I was there, I picked up koji-kin, citric acid and yeast and let her know that whenever she is ready, all she needs to do is buy rice. Since the first time I tasted it, I loved sake, and While I was researching Japanese culinary culture and values on a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a few colleagues and I were treated to a lecture and private tasting led by LGYKUGY, the president of the larges sake importer in North America. I feel in love with the "nama nama" sake that he told us he had to steal from the brewery in Berkeley, CA. Sake is pasteurized (because if you don't kill the yeast with heat, it will continue to turn rice sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, eventually causing the bottle to burst). The ISDHUFGHA sake brewery was making test batches of unpasteurized draft sake, with the hopes that they could get government approval to sell it, but still uncertaing if they would sell it, should they be allowed. Mr. aGKUHSGUH was gracious enough to send me home with a bottle, and clear instructions to drink it within the next 48 hours (with which I happily complied!) My new hero is Beau Timken, one of Chow.com's obsessives and owner of True Sake in San Francisco.

Brew Log: Pete's Sake

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Round 1: Making Malt Rice

.9 pounds (400g) polished short-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon koji-kin (sake mold spores)

Wash rice, soak 1/2 hour, drain 1/2 hour, steam cook without direct contact with water.
Cool rice to 85 degrees F (30 deg. C) and sprinkle in koji-kin.
Keep rice at 85 degrees for 40 hours, stirring every 10 hours.

Round 2:

3.3 pounds rice (1500g), steamed as above
.9 pounds koji mallt rice from recipe above
1 teaspoon citric acid
4 liters (.9 gallons) chilled water
1/2 packet (.55 grams) red star wine yeast

Cool steamed rice to 85 degrees.
In a 2.5 gallon (10 liter) container, dissolve citric acid in water.
Add the malt rice and steamed rice and mix well
Pitch the yeast and put the lid on the container (tight? fermentation lock?)
After about 2 weeks, the fermentation process will be complete

recipe adapted from http://www.tibbs-vision.com/sake/instrct.html

BK's New Advertising

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Great Pâté, Mom, But I Gotta Motor...

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Cruising around the Fancy Food Show, looking for the latest and greatest, I ate a lot of charcuterie/salumi. I picked at pâtés, sampled sausages, tasted terrines, chewed Capricola, ravaged rillettes, bit into bacon, tore at trotters, helped myself to head cheese, jawed into Jamón ibérico, snapped up Serrano hams, gorged myself on galantines, and consumed confit, but more to satiate my hunger than in anticipation of a great discovery… …UNTIL I happened upon the foie gras terrine from Hudson Valley Foie Gras http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A2t%C3%A9

Adult Soda

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There seems to be a trend toward marketing soft drinks to target adults with more refined palates and greater health concerns. These bottled pops (I've never seen one in a can) have drier/ less sweet flavors, are never flavored with corn syrup and tend to use more natural ingredients than Coke and Pepsi products. Here's the rundown of what I sampled at the Fancy Food Show with tasting notes, links and my thoughts on their potential as cocktail mixers. Bionade has a fascinating story. The owner of a small beer brewery in Bavaria believed that barley malt could make a good base for soda, as it does for beer, so he spent ten years doing off-hour experiments to find the right bacteria to ferment the malt into a soda that wouldn't turn to alcohol or vinegar. It's all organic, with unique flavors including Elderberry, Lychee, Herbs and Ginger-Orange, and they are sweetened with beet sugar. All four flavors were well balanced, flavor-forward and enjoyably well-carbonated. In true German form, they make great wine spritzers, ginger-orange pairing well with white wine and elderberry with red. They also mix nicely with vodka or gin. Dry: Supporting truth in advertising, Dry was the driest of the bunch. Really, I felt it was dry to the point of boring, had less flavor than most flavored mineral water, and greatly lacked potential as a mixer. The Juniper flavor was promoted as being, "like a non-alcoholic gin and tonic," which seems an abomination to me, and didn't taste a thing like a G&T regardless. Gus: Fizzy Lizzy: Vignette: made from wine varietal grapes, this is the farthest thing from what is commonly known as grape soda, and one of my favorites on the market. Made in Northern California, the . Golden Star Tea: I'm not a tea-drinker, but this carbonated tea is more like an herbal champagne sans alcohol. Although I'm assuming it wouldn't be the greatest mixer, it's sweet and not too herbacious. It might make a pleasing mix with Jager or Fernet Branca.

Webding ASCII Art

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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Smoker Bags/Melanie's Ribs

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

One evening after the Fancy Food Show, I met a gal named Melanie at the hotel bar. You might think this story is about to get hot, but it's more smokey than steamy. She told me to stop by her booth the next day, and when I did, we got to talking about ribs and grilling. When I turned back from talking to her husband about graphic design, she loaded me up with a Smoker Bag, a bottle of sauce, and a jar of Stellar Steak Rub, and would have none of my protesting until I promised to give her Smokey Pork Ribs recipe a try. I'm not one to welsh on a promise (I wonder if that is as offensive as "Indian giver" or "gyp"), especially while loaded down with freebies, so now that things have quieted down, I gave her gizmo a run for it's money. The sauce and rub were delectable, but they were less the thrill to me, since I usually make my own rubs and sauces. The smoker bag was what intrigued me. Smoking meat is smelly, messy and time consuming. The Smoker Bag eliminates most of the hassle. I have strong feelings about kitchen gadgets and waste. I'm opposed to the silly, single-use gadgets, and I try to minimize the amount of "stuff" I need to throw in the trash. I had my doubts about the Smoker Bag on both accounts, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The smoker bags are made of foil with wood chips stored between and inner layer and an outer layer, perforated on the inside, so when you put your meat in the bag and throw it in the oven the chips start to smoke and the smoke cures your meats without filling your house and without the hassle of rigging an indoor smoking contraption in your oven. Time Saver: Resource use and Waste creation: Smells and smoke in my kitchen:

That's Expoitainment!

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Art Curriculum

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Text Art Silkscreens (3.5.09)

Art Curriculum: Rapid-Fire Silkscreen

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

As an introduction to silkscreen printing, I give my high school students a half hour to deisgn a simple image. The blue series was free-form and the purple woven into a common theme (In this case they elected for "anarchy & peace"). Each student first sketches on plain paper until he or she is satisfied with the image and then traces it through wax paper with an X-Acto blade to create a stencil. A screen is already taped to the right size (students use 8.5 by 11 paper and are instructed to leave a one-inch border), and flooded with ink (a good way to use up colors left in abundance from previous semesters). The student lays the wax paper stencil onto the underside of the screen, which is tilted vertically and then gently rubs out the air bubbles (note: pressure from the squeegee does most ofthe work to press out bubbles, which leaves the first two or three prints splochy, so don't be alarmed), and then prints five to eight editions of the image. Despite the rushed nature of the activity, I have seen students produce some of their best work during this lesson.

Silkscreening Live at BaconCamp SF

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

After sharing my bacon shirt design on twitter, the blog and the BaconCamp wiki, a conversation with the organizers began and they invited me to print t-shirts on-site at the event Saturday. Bring a red shirt, tote bag or whatever else you've got and I'll make it all snazzy with the BaconCamp Logo BaconCampSF Logo on one side and my own bacon illustration on the other. I'll have a few spare shirts on hand to sell and all proceeds go to support the American Heart Association. Details:

Date: Saturday March 21, 2009
Time: 1pm - 5pm
Location: 500 3rd Street, Suite 510, San Francisco, CA

View Larger Map

Silkscreen Shirt Deisgn

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I love silkscreening and designing shirts, everything from limited production runs of t-shirts, to printing promotional t-shirts on-site at events to creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art on a shirt. The following is a list of resources I have compiled on the topic of designing and printing Books: Fuel for Design's How to Start A Clothing Line (E-book) Designers, Designs and Lines I find inspiring: Articles worth Reading: The T-shirt Designer’s Toolbox from DeadWings Cottonable on Burger King Studio Cottonable on the plethora of t-shirt blogs for inspiration and promotion

Simple Art that Makes Me Happy

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/03/milk_crate_sphere.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890 http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/03/staggering_papercraft_art_from_aoya.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/inspiration/inspiration-paul-villinskis-beer-can-butterflies-at-modish-078317 http://www.likecool.com/Freaking_Awesome_Centipede--Design--Gear.html http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/the-gallery/the-gallery-jill-storthz-070049 http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/brainstorm.html http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/gorgeous_art_quilts_from_luke.html?CMP=OTC-5JF307375954

Inspired Furnishings

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Split out at least lighting if not more http://www.likecool.com/Double_Up--Seating--Home.html http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/seating-sofas-armchairs/ultimate-work-at-home-spacesaver-trio-sofa-071642 http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/beds-mattresses/coming-soon-a-greener-murphy-bed--072300 http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/hard-flooring/modular-leather-belt-floor-tiles-from-ting-london-072224 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/hot-posts/shelving-storage-best-of-2008--072550 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/roundup/roundup-best-space-saving-foldup-home-furnishings-049645 http://gizmodo.com/5118336/bird-pendant-decorates-exposed-bulbs-the-easiest-way http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/bedroom/etsy-find-4-cool-headboards-073286 http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/energy-power/help-power-your-home-with-a-really-chic-patio-table-073353 http://www.likecool.com/Danese_Kada_Stool--Design--Home.html http://www.sunset.com/home/decorating/great-ideas-for-home-shelves-00400000039111/ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/roundup/roundup-diy-lighting-ideas-074596 http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/beds-mattresses/bedroom-furniture-by-ohio-design-075204 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/look/lighting-installation-10meterforest-from-catherine-kullberg-075689 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/inspiration/inspiration-woven-privacy-wall-dwell-076318 http://www.pravdo.com/installations04a.php http://www.dudecraft.com/2009/02/chop-it-up-make-it-fresh.html http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/northeast/iannone-design-ecofriendly-modern-design-077390 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/pillows-decorative-office-accessories/curator-photo-wall-mounting-system-077767 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/amazing-chandeliers-by-eva-menz-077966 http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/new-david-wiseman-2.html http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/artwork/etsy-find-crafteralls-wall-topos-078048 http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/design-in-the-world-outside-lithuania-2.html http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/recycled-car-hood-tables-078741 http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/walls-made-from-salvaged-drawers-cclamps-079077 http://designexplorer.net/newscreens/phd2006/target71.html http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/seating-dining-sidechairs/facundo-poj-design-075466 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/look/lighting-installation-10meterforest-from-catherine-kullberg-075689

What Should I Do This Summer?

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It's spring break (I teach and provide counseling at an art college. I'm not a student), and with the weather warming and the students away, I'm starting to think about summer. I have (please don't get mad at me for this) about 7 weeks of vacation left. Yeah, I get a lot of vacation. Here's what I am thinking:

Tour of the northwest:

thinking by motorcycle, but I would need to buy a bike and take the safety course and all that.

Pros: Cons:

Southeast Asia:

never been and always wanted to spend some time in Vietnam.

Pros: Cons:

Order your BaconCamp T-Shirts Here

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Homemade Bitters

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I plan to make bitters, starting with the sorts you can buy in the store and moving on to outlandish things that nobody else would think to make. Now I'm wondering why, if flavored bitters in alcohol are so popular, are there not sweets, savorys, spicys, sours and saltys. Bitters were originally sold for their medicinal value, to aid digestion, incite appetite, ease nausea, and less reputably for any number of ailments as seen on the 1883 White Mountain Bitters label (never trust anyone from New Hampshire). Here's my research:

There are two kinds of bitters: potable bitters like Fernet Branca and Jägermeister, and aromatic bitters such as Angostura Bitters , Peychaud Bitters ,and Orange Bitters .
Aromatic bitters are comprised of 3 main components: high proof alcohol, bitter herbs and additional flavorings.

The big challenge is finding the bittering agents (gentian, angostura bark, cascarilla, cassia, quinine, angelica root, artichoke leaf, unripe orange peel, blessed thistle leaves, goldenseal rhizome, wormwood leaves and yarrow flowers), since they aren't the sort of thing you would find in a grocery store. DIY instructions: Cherry Bitters and Boker's Bitters, Orange Bitters, Amere de Familles bitters, Hess House Bitters, Bitters 27, Batch #3, Easy Bitters, Hostetter's Bitters, German Bitters, Celery Bitters (pdf), Swedish Bitters, Cherry-Vanilla Bitters Articles: Bitters Making a Happy Ending, Bringing Bitters Back, How To Heroes demystify the Bitters on video, I'll start, as recommended by Jamie Boudreau, making separate containers of each ingredient infused in alcohol and then mixing and matching to find the right balance for each recipe Sazarac syrup My own Chili Mango Bitters

All My Heroes Have Become Verbs

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm realizing that everyone I admired as a child has begun to work their way into my vocabulary in odd ways. I'm not the only one to use MacGuyver as a verb, but of late, Mr. Rogers is the term I have begun to use around the office for the shoes and sweater I keep under my desk. I may have a colleauge or admin asking me to check in with them the moment I come in the door, but adhering to the office's "snappy casual" protocols, the sneakers I walked to work in do not meet the dress code, so I tell whoever is after me that I will be with them just as soon as I Mr. Rogers my shoes, which I often do again before lunch Mr. Rogersing back into my sneakers. After a night where I don't make it home before work, I quickly Mr. Rogers into the sweater I keep in my filing cabinet so nobody is the wiser.

404

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My latest idea for nermo.com is to create an alternate access point to my creative wackiness through an unexpected portal, the 404 file not found error page. At the time I am writing this, a misguided link to my website yields the generic message:

Not Found
The requested URL /404 was not found on this server.

I was recently reminded by the visionary @jeffmorin via twitter that one can customize the 404 page, turning a user's mistakes into amusement or an opportunity to be guided back onto the path he or she seeks. It was the 404 page for Chartbeat, which prompted me to realize (click on the left side of third black box to see why) that I haven't seen a 404 page used to amuse users while guiding them onto an alternate path, divergent from the one they seek. I have so many random, graphic and web-based concepts, ideas and fragments that I have never fully explored, so now I am thinking, why not string them all together in an irreverent adventure of false ephemera and hypertext narrative This hypertext narrative would be accessible only from the 404 page of nermo, so it isn't discovered until the user is already lost. My primary influences are the Alice stories of Lewis Carroll, choose your own adventure books

Leftover Links

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

http://www.geekologie.com/2007/09/magical_basket_mirror_baffles.php
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/fuo/1097703738.html
http://jillsantopietro.com/
http://www.koernerunion.com/#works/
https://www.couchsurfing.com

http://www.areallygoodejob.com/
http://www.elsewherepublicworks.com/
http://food.theatlantic.com/back-of-the-house/what-if-food-changed-mid-meal.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/04/28/ST2009042801525.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/page100/
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/prweb2360754.htm
http://flavorwire.com/17964/the-8-albums-you-need-in-your-arsenal
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jLfUyEuMrHk/SPjoaFOMFPI/AAAAAAAABLY/glC0a3CbLWw/s1600-h/GABF+Medal+Map.jpg
http://www.sfcitydish.com/events/soma/free-bbq-golden-gate-meat-company
http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2009/mar/25/seven-deadly-sins-nationwide/
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R904291000
http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/04/publics_demand_for_bacon_vodka.html
http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-04-22/restaurants/b-p-nh-t-i-and-the-evolution-of-the-banh-mi/
http://www.killingtime.com/Pegu/2009/02/21/cocktail-photography/
http://www.make-digital.com/craft/vol10/?pg=108&pm=2&u1=friend
http://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/44100382.html
http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/padma-lakshmi-likes-it-hot/7434
http://www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=9130&post=2823518
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go
http://kyotofoodie.com/

http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061687273
http://buildmakecraftbake.com/2009/05/make-your-photos-look-like-miniatures.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/reviews/13wine.html?_r=1&ref=dining
http://www.jejuneinstitute.org/archives.htm
http://www.chow.com/lists/2012
http://www.pleasantholidays.com/PleasantHolidaysWeb/Welcome.do
http://www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13/
http://greatbrewers.com/beer-sommelier
http://7x7.com/neighborhoods-issue-your-san-francisco
http://www.dwell.com/articles/innovate-it-submit-your-entries.html
http://www.gauthier-poulain.com/gp.htm
http://www.ryenanderson.com/
http://socialdesigner.com/competitions/local-flavor
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/05/a-list-of-street-food-vendors-trucks-carts-using-twitter.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/apr/21/space-raspberries-amino-acids-astrobiology
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/joinery/jointer-alternative/?sssdmh=dm17.380512&esrc=nwwood47_09g&email=1642987024

Urban Apiary

Get Bees Helps You Setup Your Own Beehive

Interior Design/Furni

Sweet Shoe Rack

Food and Recipes

Drunking

Craft

I will...

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

definitely:

go down swinging

likely: possibly: probably never:

be satisfied

never:

Papercraft

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've always enjoyed making crap out of paper, particularly kinetic, sculptural paper
Pop-up books have been a personal favorite since before I could say the word book
I have a half-baked plan to create a pop-up book about erectile dysfunction called "But Jake Can't"
The title is a Hemingway reference, sort of. It's my own subtitle to "The Sun Also Rises"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBxeDN4tbk

Links to papercraft instruction:

Links to papercraft artists I like:

Frontpage Design Advice?

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I like the overall simplicity of the nermo.com frontpage, but I feel like I need to spice it up a bit, or rather, round it out. I recently sketched out a few icons to mark the sections and added my favorite photobooth pistolero picture, but I am wondering what else to do with it. Currently, the there is a lot of white space with only a self-portrait with contact info in the upper-left and a simple, illustrated navigation menu on the lower right I've been making more t-shirts and off-beat design projects, so I was thinking that I may want to do a box under the portrait with newsie content (headline and two photos perhaps). http://wefunction.com/2009/04/quality-within-web-design/

Frontpage Design Advice?

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I like the overall simplicity of the nermo.com frontpage, but I feel like I need to spice it up a bit, or maybe just round it out. I recently sketched a few icons to mark the sections and added my favorite photobooth pistolero picture, but I am wondering what else to do with it. Currently, the there is a lot of white space with only a self-portrait with contact info in the upper-left and a simple, illustrated navigation menu on the lower right I've been making more t-shirts and off-beat design projects, so I was thinking that I may want to do a box under the portrait with newsie content (headline and two photos perhaps). http://wefunction.com/2009/04/quality-within-web-design/

The Jejune Institute: First Encounter

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've always wondered about those posters offering classes on how to communicate with dolphins and personal force fields taped to telephone poles in San Francisco, but always wrote them off as a joke, not bothering to investigate any further. Not bothering, until last Saturday that is. Amanda (my fake wife) and I met up around noon at 580 California, signed in at the front desk, where the guard commented on what a good woman she was, "and sexy too," and how I had better not let her go. We rode the elevator up to the 16th floor and walked to the front desk of suite 1607, traded an ID for the key with the receptionist and went into the office indicated on the keychain. As we opened the door, a voice told us to enter and sit. There was only one chair, so we took turns sitting while the other took pictures around the room. A video played, to which we payed little attention, going on about the accomplishments of the Institute. I pulled open the drawer next to the chair to find monogrammed pencils and cards.

Travel Cooking Kit

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I was told the kitchen at the Sonoma house would be fully stocked, and though the Wolf range was great, the knives were dull as posts and there were only three square inches of plastic wrap. Thankfully, I had brought a few knives, a speed peeler and a pair of tongs. The situation inspired me to put together a toolbox of all the things I forget that I can't live without until I get to someone else's house to make dinner. Requirements: easily portible, low cost in case I leave them behind, easy to clean

Knives: Victorinox/Forschner knives with the Fibrox handles are great and inexpensive. I'll pack a paring knife, 6" utility knife, 8" santoku and a 10" chef's knife.
Speed peeler: I hate traditional peelers
Microplane zester/grater
Oxo sillicone tongs
Oxo sillicone balloon whisk: easiest thing in the world to clean, and at home I have the whisk drill
Meat thermometer with the temp. guide on the sleeve (I can never remember)
Chinoise
Sriracha - Why does everyone not keep this on hand? It never expires and it sets the world on fire both in good ways and bad. Respect the rooster.
Squeeze bottles
funnel

Pickled Rhubarb Relish

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

http://www.chicagogreencitymarket.org/recipes_public.asp?a=r&id=1808 Pickled Rhubarb Stephanie Izard - Scylla Sides Summer Ingredients: 4 stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced 1 C. sugar 1 C. white balsamic vinegar 1 t. salt Method: 1. Bring sugar, vinegar and salt to a boil. 2. Pour over rhubarb and let sit for at least 3 hours. 3. Serve with grilled asparagus, sliced almonds and goat cheese. 4. If desired, add thinly slice prosciutto. http://chestofbooks.com/food/recipes/Economical-Cookery/Rhubarb-Relish.html http://clubweb.interbaun.com/~elien/pickles.htm

Urban Bee-Keeping

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've recently been pondering what a great project it would be to have an urban apiary, you know, bee hive. In wine country, I was entranced by the flowers on the citrus trees, and on the road back, I saw a sign offering to sell me bees. I took it as a sign. I've heard that it's the less appealing plants that make the best honey, and having tasted pure red clover honey, I can concur. It isn't the sort of plant you want to put in your mouth, but it makes some fine confections. Pros: Free honey Cons: Free honey as the result of insect slavery

Travel to Vietnam

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I want to go to Southeast Asia this summer. Particularly, I want to go to Vietnam and most specifically, I want to study the food. I love Vietnamese food passionately http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/vietnam/overview.html http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/vietnam/where-to-go.html http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E0D7133EF93BA35754C0A9619C8B63&fta=y

Songs That Kill Me

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Snow Patrol - Run Tom Waits - Never let go The Killers - All These Things That I've Done The Scientist - Coldplay

It's Gotta Be Perfect

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Simply a list of the things that I love when they are done well and can't stomach when they are less than perfect. When they are great, they are amazing, but when but when executed in any way less than great, they are awful: Gnocci Fish Taco Mojito Cream of (any vegetable) soup

Happiness is an Extended Happy Hour

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sunday: Jade all day $2 Jade cocktails, $2.5 drafts and well drinks, $2 off wine
Monday: John Collins happy hour all day ($2 Domestic beers, $5 well Cosmos, $4 well drinks)
Tuesday: Magnolia $3 brews all day
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:

Digital Ephemera Porn Datebases

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/ http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/rbpehtml/ http://photojojo.com/content/guides/copyright-free-public-domain-photos/ http://www.avgeeks.com

Smirnoff

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

underrated, underpriced,

Who I am

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Soul searching isn't my strongest ability, but in this time of transition (TSB and I are no longer together, but we are on the best of terms, I love her as much as I ever have and she is still my best friend. We're just trying to get to the point where we don't cry when we are together) Not only to I make a decent living thanks to my art degree, but I ahve more work than I can manage Conditioned hypereating: http://www.businessweek.com/careers/workingparents/blog/archives/2009/04/how_mac_n_chees.html

Places I Would Like To Convert Into Live/Work Space

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Abandoned Missile Silo Shipping container Old church

Harder, Better, Faster, Blogger: Meta-Blogging

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've gotten accustomed to traveling efficiently, packing quickly and still being fully gadgeted-out on the road. As I plan for my trip to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, I realized how much I have paired down my tools. Here's what I will be packing next week: Dell Mini 9 JVC Everio AEE Mini-DV iPhone 3G Samsung WEP200 Bluetooth Headset Wacom Bamboo Fun Tablet Rather than a heavy MiniDV cam, I have two lighter flash memory cameras, one so small that I clip it to my lapel and it goes mostly unnoticed, and the other is better quality with a 35x optical zoom, which the poplar Flip-cams lack. My meaty Mac Book Pro will probably come as far as the the hotel with me but my 1-pound Hackintosh (Dell Mini 9 running Mac OSX) will stay on my person at most times at the event so I can post from the field

Double Secret Items on Fast Food Menus

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It's becoming common knowledge that places like In-N-Out burger and Jamba Juice have a secret menu with items not listed on the wall. I've just gotten the inside scoop on a few "double secret" menu items that nobody else has posted. At McDonald's, order the "must suck to work for minimum wage" At Wendy's, tll them you want "U2-Punch me in the face" for a

Halo Halo

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

A Product for every Scenario

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=535791&cmSource=Search http://www.lewhif.com/

Cooking with Janna, Episode One: Veggie Lasagna

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My friend Janna has been pestering me to teach her to cook since she moved to the city almost two years ago. It's not that she is a bad cook, she just hasn't had that much experience. To make things more challenging, she essentially a vegetarian, and a picky one at that. Having finally pinned me down, she called me Sunday and listed off her farmers market acquisitions (broccoli, kale, carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) and put me to work designing a menu, begging me to keep it simple and easy to replicate. I decided on lasagna and roasted veggies, and thought it better not to tell her that I was freestyling, having never actually made a lasagna before, but I did once watch Mark Bove make one on the Today show. Vegetarian Lasagna 1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked al dente 2 jars pasta sauce 1 16-ounce container ricotta 1 8-ounce container cottage cheese 1 3-ounce container shredded parmesan 1 bunch kale, stems removed and sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch coins 1 yellow onion, 1/2-inch dice 8 small zucchinis, cut into 1/4-inch coins 3 shallots, sliced 1/4-inch 1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced olive oil butter 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Preheat oven to 350. Mix ricotta, cottage cheese and half of the parmesan in a medium bowl Boil kale in salted water until tender (8-10 minutes). While boiling, sweat onion and carrot in a tablespoon of butter until tender. Drain kale once tender and add to pan. Season with salt and pepper to tasted, cook two more minutes and set aside. Season zucchini with salt and pepper to taste and saute in oil with red pepper flakes and shallots until tender and set aside. put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan and lay in 3 noodles the long way. Spread 1/4 of the soft cheese mixture over the noodles, cover with a layer of the kale mixture, a thin layer of mozzarella, a thin layer of zucchini and then repeat, adding a layer of sauce, noodles (cut in half and layered in the short way), soft cheese, kale, mozzarella, zucchini, sauce, then another layer of noodles the long way, the rest of the jar of sauce the rest of the mozzarella, some parmesan and a little parsley. The layering goes like this: parsley & & & & & & & & parmesan \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ mozarella -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1/3 jar of sauce @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ noodles (long way) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/3 jar of sauce @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ zucchini and shallots OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mozarella -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- kale %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ricotta mixture ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ noodles (short way) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/3 jar of sauce @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ zucchini and shallots OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mozarella -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- kale %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ricotta mixture ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ noodles (long way) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ thin layer of sauce @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ This would also be a fun one to do with kids, if you do all the prep and let them do the construction. 9x13 pan Learned from TSB that you will be amazed how much garlic it takes served it up with a bottle f my new favorite malbec

Cocktail Tasting Ettiquette at Tales of the Cocktail

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So, Tales of the Cocktail has tasting rooms. Sponsored by different liquor companies, they serve cocktails to feature the brand swag? spitting?

Booze Flash

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Why do all alcohol labels have such horrible Flash-based websites. Welcome to the 21st century! How about some good content that is easy to navigate? What about creating a community for interaction and user created content? How about a site that isn't so slow that I close the browser window before it ever loads? Gin: http://www.rightgin.com/welcome.html Vodka: Rum: Whiskey:

Tomcat Collins

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is the cocktail I created for the Squash Blossom Soiree two weeks ago. 2 ounces cucumber persimmon gin (see note) 1 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon raw sugar 1 dash bitters 1 dash shiso tincture (optional, see other note) soda water ice Shake gin, juice and sugar with ice, and strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Stir in bitters, tincture and soda. Garnish with a ring of bitter melon, warning guests against eating it. Note: for the Gin, thinly slice a medium cucumber and 2 persimmons and let sit in a glass jar with 750 ml (1 bottle) of Hendrick's or another floral gin for 12 hours. Taste for adequate maceration and let sit another 4-12 hours if flavors are not pronounced enough for your liking. Strain thoroughly and return gin to bottle. Other Note: shiso is the Japanese cousin of mint. To create the tincture, thinly slice 10-12 leaves and steep in a cup of overproof grain alcohol (such as Everclear) overnight, then discard leaves. Alternately, you can make a simple syrup with shiso and use it in place of the sugar and tincture. That just seems so easy though.

Carnivorous Cocktails (or "Have Your Meat And Drink It Too")

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I've tried my hand at infusing bourbon with bacon, but who hasn't?

(I was just experimenting in college. Just a phase, I swear. All the other kids were trying it. Stop judging me!)

These guys however, are fetishists. Todd Thrasher and Adam Seger are world renowned "bar chefs" who aren't afraid of what the neighbors might say when concocting a new cocktail, as evidenced in their TotC seminar, Carnivorous Cocktails.

As I secured my front row center seat, they loosened up the crowd with an immediate round of Bakon shots. The bacon-flavored vodka was surprising tasty, which led me to assume, and after

Soda Siphon Shenanigans

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

At Tales of the Cocktail, I went to a session on Mixologists and their Toys, and after the first two presenters both talked at length on making sodium alginate sphericals (clearly they didn't coordinate), the 3rd presenter demonstrated his new cocktail carbonating invention, the Perlini. During the Q&A I grabbed the mic and asked why you couldn't do the same thing with a soda siphon, which has been around since the 1850's. Well, everyone must love a smartass, because without knowing who I was, the VP of iSi walked over two minutes later, placed her card in front of me and told me to drop her a line so she could send me one. In December, I mentioned that I had all sorts of plans for soda siphon experiments, but I lacked the equipment at the time and so it slipped my mind, but I am back at it now that my shipment has arrived and iSi makes the best product I have tried thus far.

Carbonated Cocktails

Why dilute with soda or sparkling wine when you want bubbles in your glass? As long as you are dealing with straight spirits, and nothing sugary enough to gum up the works, pour a batch of cocktails into the siphon and shake it up.

Fizz Gin

a gin fizz takes on a whole new kick when you leave out the water and carbonate the gin before adding simple syrup and lemon juice. sparkling sangria, sparkle-rita, bubble-tini

Bubble-tini

I hate anything ending in -tini that isn't an actual martini, but why not just pour your gin into the soda siphon with some ice and shake it there?

For Bubbles' Sake

Every body else is doing a tribute to MJ, but what about the monkey? There are a few sparkling sakes on the market, but I have yet to try a good one, so I threw a favorite bottle of daigingo into the iSi and gave it a whirl. へえ、それは良かったね！

Carbonated Pineapple

Just because your drink s flat, the garnish doesn't need to be. I loaded a batch of fresh pineabble chunks into the

Cocktail Sweetener Guide

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

For the home bartender, options for sweetening a cocktail may seem limited, but a little exploration and experimentation can yield a vast array of possibilities above and beyond granulated sugar.

Simple Syrup

Simple Syrup is made by combining equal parts (by volume) sugar and water (or 2:1 as is the European standard) and bringing them to a boil just long enough for the sugar to dissolve.

Flavored Syrup

Flavored Syrups are a great way to use up leftover fresh herbs and spices, by adding them to the syrup when it comes off the stove. Allow flavors to steep for at least an hour, then strain and bottle the syrup. It should keep 2 weeks or longer in the refrigerator. Ginger, mint, lavender flowers, rosemary and vanilla are common syrup flavors but you can use just about anything and there is no rule against combining multiple flavors in one syrup. If you aren't sure what will work together, open a cookbook and look at how spices are combined in food recipes. If it works on chicken, it could work in a cocktail. TSB makes a lavender syrup with Spenda that she swears by for those of you watching your figure.

Already In Your Kitchen

Maple syrup (I prefer grade B to grade A for cooking and cocktails), brown sugar, marmalade, jam, jelly, molasses, juice concentrate, honey (mixed with equal amount water as a syrup), and agave syrup (which is approved for diabetics) are found in many pantries or refrigerators and can put a unique twist on a classic cocktail. I've also explained how to make grenadine from pomegranate juice here.

Sweet Liqueurs

There are several sweet, often fruity liqueurs on the market, like Cherry Heering, Domaine de Canton (ginger), Grand Marnier (orange), St. Germain (elderflower) and crème de cacao (chocolate). Adding one in place of cane sugar can sweeten your drink while adding complexity of flavor.

Unsavory Sweeteners

Stay away from corn syrup or pancake syrups like Aunt Jemima.

SF Happy Hour Database

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I got tired of trying to keep track of local happy hour deals, and I can't find a good central source, so I made this spreadsheet. You can access it indefinitely on the SF TO DO page on my site, or here if you have google docs. If you are someone I know and trust or a mutual friend will vouch, I would be happy to give you editor access to the document in order to keep it up to date. Just hit me with an email. If you know how to integrate a spreadsheet into google calendar and google maps, let me know, because I am too busy to figure it out at the moment, but it would be really nice to have it posted on a calendar and as a map, but for now, the beauty of the spreadsheet is that you can sort by venue, day of the week, neighborhood, etc.

Retelling Tales of the Cocktail

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Note: all of the links on business names are tied to my bar and restaurant reviews. If you want a deeper understanding of what I experienced at each location, click away.

Tuesday, my sister and I rolled into New Orleans early evening, checked into the Hotel Monetleone, grabbed a Sazerac at the Carousel Bar and then dinner at Gumbo Shop. From there, we went to the first party of the week, hosted by the monks of Chartreuse (or at least their representatives supervising a staff dressed as monks). The party was quiet from start to finish, we met a few good people, tried a variety of Chartreuse cocktails and called it a night. Wednesday was a blur of tastings, seminars and socializing followed by a jaunt to the bad part of town (apparently a bartender here was shot in the back on the way out of work the week before) for a party at Bar Tonique hosted by the good people of Don Q Rum, then out onto Bourbon St. with my new crew. We hit Yo Mama's for dinner, where I feasted on the Peanut Butter Burger recommended by my . The jukebox was rigged to play something else should a rube like me choose to play When The Leavy Breaks by Led Zeppelin Thursday Dinner at the Bombay Club with Christine from Bombay Sapphire gin where they paired 4 courses with specialty cocktails

Cocktail Classic: The Martinez

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This drink is the red-headed step father the martini, both in name and design.

Created in 1862 by "Professor" Jerry Thomas (pictured), bartender at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, for a gold miner heading to Martinez, California in the East Bay, the original Martinez cocktail was 4 parts sweet vermouth to 1 part gin, garnished with a cherry.

Thomas later published a revised recipe in the 1887 edition of his "Bar-Tender's Guide" that

called for gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, bitters, a slice of lemon and gum syrup.

A modern Martinez looks something like this:

Martinez

1.5 ounces gin

1.5 ounces dry vermouth

1 teaspoon maraschino liqueur

1 dash orange bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Gin: A Primer (or: Why you might only THINK you don't like gin)

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

London Dry

This is the American standard, the stuff we all pilfered from dad's liquor cabinet (note to my dad: or so I heard). It tastes of Christmas trees and is the reason so many people don't like gin. I'm not saying it's bad, just that heavy juniper is not a flavor that most people love at first taste.

New Western

Aviation, Martin Miller,

Jenever

(or Holland gin), is the juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic traditional liquor of the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France (Nord département), from which gin evolved.^[1] Believed to have been invented by a Dutch chemist and alchemist named Sylvius de Bouve, it was first sold as a medicine in the late 16th century ^[2]. In the 17th century it became more popular for its flavor. Traditional jenever is still very popular in the Netherlands and Belgium. European Union regulations specify that only liquor made in these two countries, two French provinces and two German federal states can use the name jenever. ^[3] Jenever was originally produced by distilling maltwine to 50% ABV. Because the resulting spirit wasn't palatable due to the lack of refined distilling techniques (only the pot still was available), herbs were added to mask the flavour ^[2]. The juniper berry (Jeneverbes in Dutch, which comes in its turn from the French genievre) was chosen for its alleged medicinal effects^[2], hence the name jenever (and the English name Gin). There are two types of jenever: "Oude" (Old) and "Jonge" (Young). This is not a matter of aging, but of distilling techniques. Around 1900 it became possible to distill a high-graded type of alcohol almost neutral in taste, independent of the origin of the spirit. A worldwide tendency for a lighter and less dominant taste, as well as lower prices, led to the development of blended whisky in Great Britain, and in the Netherlands to Jonge Jenever. During the Great War lack of imported cereals, and hence malt, forced the promotion of this blend. Alcohol derived from molasses from the beet-sugar industry was used as an alternative to grain spirit. People started using the term ‘Oude’ for the old-style jenever and ‘Jonge’ for the new style, which contains more grain instead of malt and can even contain plain sugar-based alcohol. In modern times, jenever distilled from grain and malt only is labelled Graanjenever. Jonge jenever can contain no more than 15% malt wine and 10 grams of sugar per litre. Oude jenever must contain at least 15% malt wine but not more than 20 grams of sugar per litre. Korenwijn ("cornwine") is a drink very similar to the 18th century style jenever and is often matured for a few years in an oak cask; it contains from 51% to 70% malt wine and up to 20g/l of sugar. Hasselt, Belgium, and Schiedam and Groningen, the Netherlands, are famous for their jenevers. Dutch-based Lucas Bols produces and sells oude genever, known as ginebra in Spanish, in South America. Ketel One is now more known for producing vodka, but started out as, and still is, a jenever distillery. Other well-known Dutch (Schiedam) jenever distilleries are Melchers, Henkes, and Hasekamp (also with much export to Africa). Jonge jenever is sometimes served cold from a bottle that has been kept in a freezer. However, the higher-quality oude jenever (and korenwijn) is usually served at room temperature. When jenever is drunk with lager beer as a chaser, it is referred to as a kopstoot (headbutt).

Old Tom

A lightly sweetened gin popular in 18th-century England that is making a resurgence. It falls between London Dry on the dry side and Jenever on the sweet. The name purportedly came from wooden plaques shaped like a black tomcat mounted on the outside of some pubs above sidewalks in England in the 18th century. Passers-by would deposit a penny in the cat's mouth, then place their lips around a small tube between the cat's paws. From the tube would come a shot of Gin, poured there by the bartender inside the pub.^[2] Old Tom Gin was formerly made under licence by a variety of distillers around the world; however one was recently relaunched by Hayman's distillery based on an original recipe.^[3] The first written record of Old Tom Gin being used in the Tom Collins cocktail was the 1891 book, The Flowing Bowl: When and what to Drink.^[4]

Cocktail Pairing

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

With wine, you have it easier, because there isn't really that much you can do (I know I'll get a lot of flack for this, but...). Red, white or rose? Sweet or Dry? Yadda yadda yadda. When I say there isn't a whole lot you can do, I mean that both in the limits to your selection, and the fact that your only opportunity for creative flair is in how you open the bottle. With cocktails, you have an entire bar at your disposal, so your choices start with a base spirit and spiral out through mixers, other modifiers and flavorings, not to mention methods, garnishes, glasswear and so on. http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/drinking/cocktails/foodpairings

Foam (Espuma)

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I got the iSi Gourmet Whip Plus and have been having a ball packing all manner of things with nitrous bubbles. The process is simple: fill canister with whatever I come up with, screw in the whip charger and bang, the liquid is now foam. People complain about the price, but really, turning a pint of heavy cream into the fluffiest, most buoyant whipped cream that you have ever seen and would never be able to achieve by hand with a whisk or mixer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam_(culinary)

New Design

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'm tired of the old site design, so I am working on a new one. I'd like to try to separate the different components as much as possible (food, booze, art, etc.) so I am hoping this new layout will do the trick. Tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions. Sorry if it is ugly for a while.

Burning Bush

Quinn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The byproduct of making homemade hot sauce is a spicy vinegar worth preserving for other uses. Inspired by a Strawberry Shrub I had at SF Chefs made by Neyah from Nopa, I whipped the spicy vinegar into a fiery shrub and shook it up with some gin Fiery Shrub Syrup

1/2 cup spicy vinegar
1/4 cup raw sugar

Burning Bush

1.5 ounces old tom gin
1 tablespoon Fiery shrub syrup

SIMULACRA OF A SIMULACRUM: The Foundation Of My Food Fascination

Quinn — Wed, 09 May 2007 04:43:00 +0000

I chose Mock Eel as the title for my culinary blog, because it was one bite of that dish that fomented my first foray into culinary experimentation, which over the past few years has become a consistent passion and occasional obsession. It’s funny to me, thinking of how many times I tried to recreate an entity that was itself pretending to be something altogether different. It all started when Steve Bogart opened his unique Northern Chinese restaurant, A Single Pebble, in Burlington, Vermont. The bill of fare read like a fairytale to this small town boy, and my already budding passion for Asian cooking was piqued by the delicacies on offer. Before putting a second awe-inspiring spiral into my mouth, I inquired as to the mock eel’s ingredients, embarrassedly implying a potential allergy, but to no avail. The server informed me that the recipe was a secret, leaving me with only the menu description of, "Braised shiitake mushrooms in a ginger sauce. A delightful, crispy flavor and texture. 9.50." Until that point, I had been content to obediently follow recipes scavenged from friends, family, books and the Internet, recreating each with such reverence for exact specifications that one might think they were holy scripture. I feared the mystical voodoo science involved in cooking (as I still do of baking) and had yet to embrace the art. I was young in my culinary development and I could only grasp the potential for tasting new flavors, the satisfaction of creating and the impact it had on how pretty girls perceived me. Intrigued by this mysterious dish, a mound of sticky over crispy fake-fish ribbons, I started on my quest with nothing but the description torn from a menu and my underdeveloped palate. I knew that the "eel" was shitake and I could tell by sight and crunch that it was fried, not braised. Garlic was palpable, as were the scallions and the sauce was thick and viscous like a glaze and exceedingly sweet, yet dark and salty. I tend to over-think things, so when I retreated to my kitchen with leftovers and a bag of fresh shitake caps, I began to scheme about the sorts of ingredients and techniques that I could employ. After fruitless web searches, numerous charred and reeking saucepans and with hands cramped into grotesque contortions from spiral-cutting mushrooms with a paring knife, I was eventually sautéing shitake strips in a citrus and tamari reduction that resembled the original in essence of flavor, but approached it neither in texture nor appearance. I continued to experiment, to tinker, to sample the original and to look for inside information on Bogart’s baby, and I thought I was gradually narrowing in on the master. Years later, having long since moved on to other projects, I asked the sister of a dear friend, who waited tables at A Single Pebble, how mock eel was made. She told me that dried mushrooms were spiral cut with scissors, reconstituted, deep fried and then tossed in a wok with a 50-50 mix of boiling cane sugar and soy sauce along with ginger, garlic and scallions. Essentially, he was deep frying mushrooms and tossing them in soy sauce caramel! She also informed me that the task required the sort of heat that my electric range could never provide, and since that day, I have never been willing to move into any apartment without a gas stove. I have come to like my own evolving sauce variations more than the sickly sweet original, and it works just as well with the fundamental techniques. The sugar, although I dread to meddle with the chef of provenance, is a little too much after the first few bites and swapping some of it for fruit juice gives it a more robust character and a little more complexity of flavor. So that is the story of the fascinating flavor that sparked my obsession with culinary experimentation and just the tip of an expanding iceberg that I hope to chip away at here. I see this blog as a chance to archive my thoughts and replace my tattered folders filled with crusty scraps of paper, recipes that have been drawn on and written over, oil-soaked articles torn from culinary magazines, illustrations for utensil designs or procedural diagrams and my logs of ongoing projects that document the many manifestations of each new trial. I suppose it may not be interesting to anyone other than myself, but on the off chance that you are reading any of this, post a comment so I know I'm not alone.

LINK: My Restaurant Reviews

Quinn — Fri, 11 May 2007 19:14:00 +0000

The other side of my food writing can be found here. It's a link to my profile on Yelp.com, a site for restaurant (and business) reviews, and my venue to elevate entirely consumptive experiences into creative acts. Truly, I would love to write that I only consume in order create, but that is more an aspiration than my current state. I'm working on it. I like the juxtaposition with the way I cook, creative acts for the purpose of consumption. It's ephemeral art.

JOURNAL: Manic Mango

Quinn — Fri, 11 May 2007 22:57:00 +0000

I had the lowest scores out of four competitors at the Iron Chef (sorry about the trademark infringement) Battle Mango in Glen Park last week.

Things to remember for next time:
(1) Read the rules on the evite before you start cooking or at least before you go to the competition/dinner.
(2) Don't be like that girl who started cooking after everyone else arrived and their food was getting cold. Even if she did win.
(3) The judges care about presentation (seemingly far more than taste), so make it pretty.
(4) They will not care if you make 4 dishes instead of the assigned 2.
(5) They will not consider the world's most kick-ass frozen ginger mango-rita to be a "dish" no matter how much they love it. Fools.
(6) Just make buffalo wings in lettuce cups. They will be content.

What I learned:

(1) My frozen ginger mango-rita is a crowd-pleaser, but would be even better with more ginger (maybe roasted rather than raw), should be made in obscenely large batches, and the leftovers make a good granita when forgotten in the freezer. Cayenne and sugar on the rim was a great last-minute addition, but better to wet the rim with a lime wedge than in a bowl of mango juice, because the rim ends up slithering its way down to the stem in a matter of minutes.

(2) My classic crab rangoon is fantastic, replacing the crab with mango and keeping the other spicy and savory ingredients is also good, and calling it "mangoon" is funny, but adding the mango while retaining the crab and having a fruity dipping sauce (duck sauce or sweet chili sauce) would have been sublime.

(3) Serving mangoon to the judges while still hot and crispy would have been good as well.

(4) It is really hard to find Asian staples in my new neighborhood, and when I can, they are absurdly overpriced ($8 for a packet of agar agar flakes, which cost $1.39 at Asian markets in the Sunset District or Chinatown for a bag at least 8 times the size).

(5) Organic corn syrup serves no purpose and has no place in this world. The things that call for corn syrup are not for the organic grocery buyer, and the stuff is so thick, chewy and odd that it doesn't function in a recipe the way conventional corn syrup does. It literally took 45 minutes with the bottle tilted at a 45-degree angle to pour a half-cup, and the mouth of the bottle was too narrow to fit even a butter knife inside in order to promote flow.

(6) Don't try to make mango gumdrops from scratch. It's silly and you have no idea what you are doing. Make mango pâté de fruit and then everyone will have a happier experience and be more impressed by the fancy name.

RECIPES: Manic Mango Refined

Quinn — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:31:00 +0000

Crab Mangoon

2 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
2 mangoes, seeded, peeled and finely diced
1 (8 ounce) package faux crab legs, broken into pieces (real crab or lobster if you are feeling fancy, but really the fake works better)
2-3 scallions, white end half removed, cut into thin rings
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Won ton wrappers
Oil for deep-frying

1. Combine everything but the wrappers and frying oil and leave the mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the cheese stiffen.
2. Scoop about a tablespoon of filling onto each won ton, wet two adjacent edges and pinch them together to make a pregnant triangle.
3. Use a fork to crimp the sealed edges.
4. Submerge in hot oil until golden.
5. Drain on paper towels for five minutes, but serve them quickly or else they will become flaccid and soggy.
6. Serve with duck sauce, sweet chili sauce or both...or something else.

Frozen Ginger Mango-Rita

Serves: 1
Don't bother making a half recipe.
You will regret it when you run out.

1.5 cups Simple Ginger syrup*
6 ripe mangoes, pitted, peeled and cubed
3 limes, two juiced and one cut into wedges)
4 cups ice
1.5 cups tequila
1/2 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper

1. Combine mangoes, syrup, and lime juice in a food processor. You might have to do this in batches if you don't have the 14 cup model.
2. Add liquor and ice and blend until smooth.
3. Combine sugar and cayenne, stirring thoroughly on a small plate.
4. Wet the rim of a glass with a lime wedge, and dip it in the dish to coat the rim before filling. Repeat with every glass.
5. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

*Simple Ginger

I like to keep this on hand. I store it in squeeze bottles for use in cocktails, desserts and sauces. It will keep for a couple weeks.

1 cup H2O
1 cup sugar
3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Stir Constantly over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let steep for 1-2 hours.
5. Pour through fine mesh strainer and discard ginger pieces.

JOURNAL: Gingered Duck (Cookies)

Quinn — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:12:00 +0000

The classic Swedish holiday cookie involves two of my all-time favorite ingredients, neither of which I usually associate with cookies, or each other. The appearances, flavors, aromas and textures of ginger and bacon fat seem so diametrically opposed that I was both horrified and intrigued by the thought of combining them into one sticky biscuit.

It works. It works as well as I imagined it possibly could, and the flavor and texture of these cookies is hard to rival, but I thought I might be able to come up with a little trick to make it work even better, a twist to put it over the top, and that got me thinking about other favorite fats and ginger dishes, and it all fell right into place.

Rendered duck fat is probably the most amazing thing on Earth, up there with Bose-Einstein Condensate as a substance that both perplexes and amazes me, so impossible to wrap my head around how it can do what it does. I have found that in the kitchen, anything that benefits from a richly flavored fat like bacon grease can become ten times more tantalizing when substituted with rendered duck fat. Ginger duck dishes also work very well in Asian cuisine, so I think I might just have devised a winner.

Experiments will follow soon and I will update with a recipe and results in an impending posting.

JOURNAL: Doritos X-13D and The Sexy Blonde

Quinn — Thu, 31 May 2007 21:26:00 +0000

This is one culinary experiment gone horribly awry.

In an intentionally plain bag, which Tim had picked up at the grocery store, sat the Doritos X-13D experimental flavor tortilla chips. The label claimed that the new flavor was an all-time American classic, and the four of us sat around the coffee table on a Friday afternoon staring at the mystery with which he presented us.

We each popped a chip into our mouths and almost everyone reacted in the same way - instant recognition followed immediately by horror and then confusion. We each knew that we knew the flavor, but couldn't name it. Everyone that is, except for The Sexy Blonde. Known for her fantastically accurate palate, she had determined the intended flavor and broken down its components before I had even gotten one chip past my lips, and it was torturing her to wait for the rest of us to figure it out or give up.

She held her tongue while the rest of us pondered and grimaced, but was chomping at the bit to declare her findings. One by one we gave up and chugged anything within reach that would wash the flavor from our tongues and finally she announced it, "McDonalds Cheeseburger! You can taste the onions, pickles, cheese and beef." She was absolutely correct although we all wished that it had remained a mystery. I immediately asked The Sexy Blonde if she would accompany me to Sonoma next week, because I could surely use a super-taster like her on my wine tasting excursion.

JOURNAL: Bathtub Gin and My First Hangover

Quinn — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:51:00 +0000

I’m, not the hard-drinking type; I drank little before I came of age; and even though I celebrated my 21st birthday with three trips to Oktoberfest in Munich in the span of a week, and can recall a number of other over-indulgent days in the seven years since, I’ve never had a hangover… until today.

I think perhaps it’s genetic, as my maternal grandfather, Bill Ledoux, claimed to have never had a hangover one single day in his life and he attributed this blessing to the purity of single malt scotch. He was known as something of a drinker however and a master storyteller, so nobody believed his claim.

Last night I went to a party at a new club in the SoMa district and the event was sponsored by a distillery. The gin was flowing free and freely, so I ordered G+T by the pair like I had someone to pass the second drink to and mingled with a glass in each hand. Here’s the problem: It was gin from a local distillery that I had never heard of, and despite the pretty label it drank like the batch had just been bottled in someone’s back yard. I knew right away that it was not a quality libation, but it was gratis gin so I kept drinking. I’m a connoisseur, but not a snob. I like good gin more than cheap gin, but I also like drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and am not averse to ordering cocktails with well liquor instead of call.

I knew that this stuff was simply wicked beyond the flavor and the bite, but I just couldn’t place my concern, so I kept drinking. It wasn’t the clean drunkenness that I appreciate from a gin binge, and I felt less clear-headed than I would expect from comparable consumption, but it was not until 6:30 this morning that I knew for sure that something was not right. I woke up with a headache, upset stomach and a sensitivity to light that I have never experienced after a night of drinking. Sometimes I wake up with a very dry mouth and strong thirst and I call that ‘my hangover’ because that is as bad as it gets. So I got up well before my alarm went off, took a leak and drank two glasses of water before I went back to bed for another half hour. I woke up again at 7:30 feeling altogether better, but those thirty minutes of conscious hangover were not pleasant.

I’m far from an alcoholic, but I have always appreciated the way that a drink can lighten my mood, loosen my inhibitions and compliment a meal. Beer, wine and cocktails all have a special place in my culinary canon, both for the memories that I have of foods paired with drinks and for the influence they have on my cooking, whether that be making a dish with alcohol in the recipe, barbecuing a chicken with a PBR crammed in its cavity, or borrowing flavor combinations back and forth between food and cocktail recipes.

JOURNAL: Belfast CarBomBBQ Sauce Experiment

Quinn — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:09:00 +0000

It's finally edible! Until last night, I had never been able to concoct a good barbecue sauce that incorporates a shot and a beer, but I think I have finally found that saucepan full of gold at the end of the rainbow.

This recipe is a tribute to my Irish roots and a personal grilling ritual. When I lived in Vermont, where the weather is generally less than hospitable to a backyard barbecue, I made a tradition of breaking out the Weber on March 17th. Although there is rarely clement weather on St. Patty's day in Burlington, I couldn’t hold out any longer, so I used the holiday as my excuse to fire up the coals and declare the official start of grilling season.

The Belfast Carbomb is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, wherein a shot is dropped into a pint of stout and swallowed at high velocity, which got me thinking (hazily) that the flavors of Irish whiskey and stout would give a great spark to barbecue sauce, but my early attempts were lousy and so the idea was forgotten until I stumbled upon some old notes a few days ago.

This time I decided to go with a KC style sauce, which relies on a strong tomato flavor rather than the TN style, which is heavy on vinegar, I would simplify the ingredients and the process and I would switch to an Irish red ale from the overly dense, sweet and heavy stout. There were some complications, but it came out well nonetheless and I am looking forward to tweaking this recipe soon. I didn't have a red ale on hand, so I used PBR to replace all of the water and I meant to go with a shot of Jameson’s and a shot of vinegar, but I forgot and used a full quarter cup of vinegar, but I think I like it.

For the next batch, I am going to use the red ale instead of PBR (although the lager did work remarkably well, so I may come back to it), cut the sugar from a third to a quarter of a cup, and use a quarter cup each of whiskey and vinegar instead of shots. I may leave out the 1/2 tsp salt as well, and cut the shallots and oil in half (by volume). I am trying to think of what other flavors I might add, and am considering cloves at the moment.

Once I get the flavors hammered out, I would like to create a recipe that offers substitutions of canned tomatoes for ketchup and shallots or onions and garlic for onion and garlic powder with the caveat of needing to puree and more cooking time if solids are used. Ginger powder will probably never be replaced by fresh ginger, but if I can figure out how to do it, I’ll try.

RECIPE: Belfast CarbomBBQ Sauce 1

Quinn — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:18:00 +0000

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup diced shallots
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Pabst Blue Ribbon beer
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1. In medium saucepan, cook shallots in oil over medium heat until golden (about 7-10 minutes).
2. Stirring constantly, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 1/2 hour stirring frequently (which can be tricky because this stuff spatters like you would not believe. I swirl the pan a few times before lifting the lid).
4. Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool five minutes.
5. Puree in food processor (optional).

JOURNAL: Gingered Duck (Cookies) II

Quinn — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:42:00 +0000

In preparation for the Gingered Duck Cookies, I made a few dozen traditional Swedish ginger and bacon fat cookies to help me consider my adaptation scheme. I think I can just swap out the fats, but I am going to do a little melt test and some Internet research before I make the first batch.

Based on flavor, I was thinking that they would make a killer ice cream sandwich with vanilla or lemon gelato between, but they are sort of hard, so I don’t think the structure of the cookie would be conducive to a sandwich. To bring them from delicious to amazing, I am considering the addition of lemon zest and/or almonds to enhance the flavor. I would really love to find a way to get them to fluff up more too, rather than spreading and crisping so much, so I will experiment with not pressing them, adding more baking soda, etc. but the science of baking is something I do not understand. To prove it, the following paragraph illustrates how I tried to use physics to solve a chemistry problem.

While trying to counteract the cookie’s tendency to flatten, I discovered a fun trick that circumvents the ice cream sandwich issue. I figured that if the cookies would have no room to spread out, then they might take the path of least resistance and rise, so I dropped a dozen dough balls into a cupcake pan. I should have figured that you can’t use force to coax dough into rising, since really it’s a chemical reaction issue. Rather than rise, they spread up the sides of the cups, resulting in flat-bottomed, bowl-shaped cookies, which would perfectly cradle a scoop of ice cream. Next time I am going to use a bigger ball of dough in the cup and see if can make a larger cookie cup. I love the happy accidents, and the cupcake pan cookies actually are a little fluffier and softer than the cookie sheet variety. Brute force and ignorance triumph again!

MENU: Last Night

Quinn — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:01:00 +0000

My gratitude for The Sexy Blonde and her tasting tour assistance in wine country last week prompted me to prepare a hearty meal of comfort food for two last night, and I was so appreciative that I found the time to make everything from scratch.

Crostini with olive tapenade and goat cheese
Salad of butter lettuce, golden beets, walnuts and goat cheese with a shallot vinaigrette
Baked macaroni and cheese (sharp cheddar and gruyere with crispy topping)
Chicken schnitzel (with carbombbq sauce on the side)
Swedish ginger cookie cups with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce
A bottle of Carignane that we picked up around Healdsburg

She seemed happy, but complained that I was going to make her fat, but she is the last person to need to worry about that. We joked about what a great story it would make for a chef to seduce his women with his cooking, fatten them up and then cast them aside and move on to the next conquest, but then what will the chef get as his just des(s)erts?

JOURNAL & RECIPE: Ginger Infused Vodka

Quinn — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:07:00 +0000

While all of the recipes I’ve found online are raw root infused, I prefer to take an extra twenty minutes to make a ginger vodka variation using roasted ginger, which tastes infinitely better, and I am really surprised that I couldn’t find another infused vodka recipe out there with roasted ginger. It’s great in a number of cocktails or as a shot, and is the ultimate addition to lemonade on a hot day or a glass of ginger ale. Alternately, you could add a sugar to the mix and make a ginger liqueur, but I will get into that in a future blog. Notes: I usually make a double batch using a 1.5 liter bottle and two inches of ginger root. I prefer Smirnoff for making infused vodkas, as it yields the cleanest flavor and is the highest quality you can get for a moderate price, in my opinion. I might add some cloves to the next batch. I'll let you know how it goes. 1 750 ml bottle of vodka 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root 1. Preheat oven to 300degrees. 2. Pour one shot of vodka from bottle and drink. 3. Wrap ginger in aluminum foil and place in oven for an hour. 4. Allow ginger to cool only as long as you must in order to handle. 5. Peel ginger and slice thinly across the grain. 6. Cut again so that pieces will fit into bottle without being forced (important for getting the ginger out of the bottle later). 7. Add ginger to bottle, replace cap and leave in freezer for two weeks. 8. Strain vodka with fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. 9. Rinse remnants from bottle with cheap vodka (not water). 10. Use a funnel to return infused vodka to bottle and discard ginger.

JOURNAL: Gingered Duck (Cookies) III

Quinn — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:53:00 +0000

I have gathered the ingredients and I am going to make the test batches of Gingered Duck Cookies in the next few days. The Sexy Blonde is in Barcelona on business, so I have fewer distractions to deal with (sadly). On the upside, she’s offered to smuggle back a bottle of absinthe for me, and just when my reserve is dwindling dangerously low.

The recipe should yield about 4 cups of dough, and I'm substituting Vermont maple syrup for molasses in a quarter of the batch (mix the rest of the ingredients, quarter the dough, add 1 tablespoon of maple to one quarter and 3 tablespoons of molasses to the rest) and then running tests of unaltered molasses against unaltered maple on cookie sheets and in muffin cups. Ginger and maple is a personal favorite combination and there was more than enough burned sugar flavor in the original recipe.

I'll set aside the rest of the maple, unless it is an unfettered failure, and look to alter the molasses with combinations of lemon zest, almonds and carrots. I'm going to dig through some ginger bread and carrot cake recipes to see if there are other ingredients I may want to play with.

JOURNAL: Marvelous Mac And Cheese Chaos

Quinn — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:40:00 +0000

I've been working on my mac & cheese recipe for a while. Last week's manifestation, as prepared for the pleasure of The Sexy Blonde was one of my finest, although in a misguided attempt to appeal to her sophisticated tastes, I decided to reinforce the sharp cheddar with gruyere, which she seemed to like, but I thought was too much sharp on top of sharp and the gruyere was hard to incorporate into the sauce. There were a few other issues with the sauce that I need to hammer out, but it came out well and the leftovers seem to have improved with age.

My fascination started with my dear mother's gorgeous baked macaroni and cheese, a straightforward and divine dish made with sharp Cabot cheddar that we anticipated each holiday season and fought ruthlessly over the crispy corner sections. I love this family recipe for its simplicity and high cheese and butter content as a side to accompany a robust holiday meal, but when I want mac to be the centerpiece, I tend to go for something stickier and more complex.

Unfortunately, I have overindulged my desire for complexity and the mac and cheese fascination has taken on a life of it's own. It's like the Michael Mina Mac, or "macaroni and cheese served three ways." This isn't just three variations, but an evolutionary development in three courses that I should never serve all together.

I'm trying to devise a single recipe that will function first as a stove-top mac right out of the pot, equivalent to Kraft, but actually made with cheese; thinner and more fluid, hot on the side of your plate. From there, with minimal alteration to the compound, I'd like to be able to pour it into a baking dish, add a crispy cheese and breadcrumb topping and bake it to a more dense and sticky consistency. Third, I would be able to leave the baked mac in the fridge overnight to solidify, slice it up, bread it and deep fry it like a mozzarella stick.

I would also like to see the flavors evolve as the dish becomes more complicated. It starts out seasoned simply with salt and pepper, red pepper, nutmeg and mustard, served like you would the boxed variety. I am thinking of making the baked dish more savory with bacon or prosciutto and scallions or shallots, and spicy peppers would be added to a portion of the leftovers and then chilled, cut into chicken nugget (or fish stick) size pieces to be breaded and deep fried. I could even spoon dollops of warm mac and cheese into emptied jalapeños, and fry them up as poppers. Fried mac could be served with dipping sauces like marinara, ranch or an avacado & sour cream concoction. All that I have left to discover is a 4th incarnation. Could I come up with a macaroni and cheese dessert? Maybe something with pears. It seems kind of evil, but it could work.

I've been playing with my recipe for a while, inspecting a combination of recipes including those online from Charlie Palmer, Giada De Laurentiis, Martha Stewart, Alton Brown, Bon Appétit, Emeril, The Icon Grill, Paula Deen, and Cooks Illustrated, but my favorite recipe comes from the New York Times, but is not the one that shows up online so often, which ran with this article. In fact, I have not been able to find it online at all, but this one from Gourmet is pretty close, and I have photocopied the page from my Sunday Times Magazine several times when friends ask me for a reliable, remarkable recipe, but it still has yet to meet my three-in-one requirement...and you thought I was taking it too seriously before the Holy Trinity allusion.

STATE OF THE BLOG ADDRESS

Quinn — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:14:00 +0000

I have been writing here for about a month, and it has been a fun, cathartic and productive creative outlet for me, but as of yet, I think I am the only one reading it (Funny, but I actually gave out the very first link to my blog as I was writing this paragraph). Really, this was created to give me an opportunity to reflect on what I have been doing and to keep all of my thoughts in a central, reliable and easily accessible location. I have been a lot more prolific than I expected and really I think that has led to some long and rambling entries, but I was not expecting this to turn into a food writing career, so I am not so worried. However, if you happen to be a cookbook publisher, wealthy patron of the culinary arts or have some connections, don’t hesitate to contact me. In the meantime, I will just keep blathering on and updating the recipes as they evolve.

JOURNAL: Black Absinthe

Quinn — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:03:00 +0000

The Sexy Blonde called me last night to see if I would like her to bring back a bottle of Spanish wine from Barcelona. As I pondered my options, it occurred to me that she is in one of the few countries where Absinthe is not banned, and so I asked if she would be comfortable sneaking a bottle back across the border for me. She said she thought she could indulge me.

Not only did she buy me a bottle, but followed up to say that she had stumbled across black absinthe in some cute little shop, which she had never seen before and wondered if I would like some. I haven’t encountered it either, and after a few minutes of research, I have not been able to dig up a whole lot of info other than it most likely comes from France, where absinthe may be produced for export, but not sold domestically, and it probably doesn’t have a strong anise flavor, if any. As to any significant differences between the green fairy and the black, I have been able to dig up nothing.

JOURNAL: New Mug Love

Quinn — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:30:00 +0000

Inspired by a coworker's campaign to cut down on paper waste in the office, I did some research to find the best-bang-for-the-buck travel mug and on a tip from Cook's Illustrated, I ended up buying the OXO LiquiSeal in gray plastic at Cole Hardware for ten bucks. I've been using paper since the travel mug that came with my public radio donation stopped keeping the liquid on the inside and the lid seemed to become magnetically repulsed by the base.

This thing works like a dream. The cap screws on, so it won't fall off when I thoughtlessly carry it by the lid; there is an easy push-button seal so that I can carry it upside down or in my pocket if I want; the lip is designed in a way that I don't spill down the sides of my face when I tip it back too far; and coffee doesn't pool on the lid, so when I push the button, all of the coffee is already inside the mug. Wow, I should not be admitting to the entire Internet what an absent-minded slob I am. Seems fairly well insulated and did not taint the flavor of my house blend. I might buy another to use as a cocktail shaker. My only complaint is for the lack of a handle.

RECIPE: Mac And Cheese 1

Quinn — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:15:00 +0000

1 pound elbow pasta, cooked
6 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for dish
2 cups panko flakes
2 pounds sharp cheddar, grated (about 7 cups)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups 2% milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces gruyere, grated (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter a large baking dish and grate cheese while pasta is cooking.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and integrate panko and one cup of cheddar. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Return pan to heat and melt remaining butter.
4. Add flour and stir constantly over medium heat for three minutes. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
5. Whisk in milk, bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken.
6. Stir in cream, cheese and mustard until sauce is a uniform consistency. Remove from heat.
7. Stir cooked pasta into the sauce and pour into the buttered baking dish.
8. Spread breadcrumb mixture across the top and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly throughout.

REFLECTION: My Most Recent Batch of Mac And Cheese

Quinn — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:54:00 +0000

Concerns: low mac:cheese ratio, thinness/soupiness of the cheese sauce after stove-top cooking, sharpness/bitterness of cheese flavors, lack of density and stringiness in final product.

Successes: elimination of the roux/flour flavor, overwhelmingly cheesy flavor, excellent topping, leftover potential, overwhelmingly positive feedback from TSB and my roommate.

Mistakes: I was so irritated by the sauce to pasta ratio as I was incorporating the noodles that I scooped two or three full cups of sauce out of the mix and threw it in the fridge (which reminds me that I still need to dispose of it). In retrospect, I should have left it in, as it seems that it would have been a non-issue once baked.

Strategy: Next time, I will maintain the amount of cream but reduce the milk to a pint, maybe fatten it up from 2% to whole milk, raise the roux by a tablespoon each of flour and butter (leaving 1 tablespoon from the stick left to butter the dish), and spend more time getting the initial béchamel to thicken before adding the cheese. I'm going to return to Cabot extra-sharp cheddar and monterey jack as well, even if I do have to have my cheese smuggled in from Vermont. I might play with the cheese blend some other time, and in the future, I may attempt the inclusion of reserved pasta cooking water, once I figure out why it is so prevalent in other recipes.

REFLECTION: My First Gingered Duck Cookies

Quinn — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 21:46:00 +0000

I got impatient. Before I split the unsweetened dough in half, I decided that it would be too dry, even though I had yet to add the molasses or maple syrup. I hastily incorporated an extra quarter cup of fat and not until the two halves were whole did I realize the error of my ways. The dough was a little slimy.

I am not yet sold on the duck. I will try it again with 3/4 of the fat and maybe substitute butter for some of that. The free radicals were too numerous in this debacle to be sure that the altered fats were the cause, but the spices in these cookies were so muted when compared to my last batch of bacon cookies, despite comparable amounts of all other ingredients.

The texture of the flat duck cookies was very similar to that of the bacon cookies, regardless of sugars, but they seemed to puff up more cake-like in the muffin tins than their porcine counterparts.

The maple syrup flavor was a superb touch, which also seemed to slow the cooking, while the molasses got more of a burned sugar flavor that went from sweet to bitter.

TSB liked the molasses better than the maple and said she could taste the duck, which worries me, since she is the one with the incisive palate. I made her test the cookies before we uncorked the smuggled absinthe, in which she noted a citrusy finish, but I could barely get my tongue past the anise.

JOURNAL: Burberry Pancakes

Quinn — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 06:09:00 +0000

TSB was over for breakfast this morning, and while she lounged reading a magazine, I sneaked into the kitchen and got to work on a meal to appeal to her sense of humor, flavor favorites and sartorial sensibilities.

While the pan was heating up, I stopped back into the room to ask, "How about B[mumble]berry pancakes?" knowing that she would never suspect what a pain I was being just by asking. She got excited, and fully aware of her love for blueberries, I worried that she would end up disappointed.

The Burberry Pancake, as I soon revealed to her, was actually a crepe painted plaid with thin lines of brown Nutella ganache, white vanilla yogurt and red raspberry sauce, using the beige of the crepe as the base color to create the classic Burberry Check.

The end result was good, so I'll add the recipes soon, but I used a sweet crepe that was a little too cakey in flavor for my taste with all the sweet toppings, so I need to dig out my own crepe recipe from the archives before I post.

If you are wondering, TSB liked the crepes. Actually, she more than liked them. She finished breakfast, put down her fork and spoke those three little word to me for the very first time.

JOURNAL/TIP: Fry It

Quinn — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 21:42:00 +0000

I'm feeling less than inspired today, but I was thinking back on the quick dinner I made of Trader Joe's perogies a couple nights ago. They were not good. Mediocre at best, but I figured that any sort of boiled, cheese filled dough could be given the same invigorating treatment: pan fry in butter with a parmesan crust.

I think I stole the concept from the restaurant I worked at in college, although I don’t honestly remember how they made their fried ravioli. Essentially, spice up store bought ravioli by boiling as per the instructions, dredging them while still damp in a mixture of salt, pepper and grated parmesan (or another hard cheese) and then frying them in butter until golden brown and crusty. I usually only coat and fry them on one side, but make sure you serve them fried side up. A puddle of sauce is a nice touch, but not necessary, as they are pretty zesty on their own.

On another note, I recently got my digital camera back from the shop and I am taking a photography course this summer (which I may start blogging about soon), so hopefully I will start shooting some fine-looking food photos to post on the blog. TSB has been hounding me to put up a picture of the Burberry Pancake, so I really should get on it. Much to her mix of chagrin and delight, I used the last of the raspberry sauce last night to make a cocktail with lemonade and some homemade kumquat liqueur. It was some succulent swill if I dare to boast, and if nothing else, TSB can be guaranteed more crepes for the photo shoot in the near future.

JOURNAL: Five Minute Sauce for Pasta

Quinn — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:24:00 +0000

The summer has been hectic. I am teaching a course at twice the speed I taught in the spring, I'm taking a class as a student, also double-time, plus I've been traveling, so there has been little time for cooking and even less time for writing about it, but I need to remember to make time to eat at least.

I have been cleaning my apartment like a madman tonight, the imminent return of my lovely roommate at my heels, and around ten thirty I realized that I hadn't eaten yet…today. Well, a fistful of edamame around noon, but that was it. In five minutes, plus the time it takes to boil linguine, I MacGyvered a surprisingly delicious sauce out of the random things I had discovered while tidying the kitchen.

It went like this: I sautéed the mushrooms left over from New World Tempura (Oops, I still need to write about that) in a quarter stick of butter that I found behind my food processor and a teaspoon or two of (what I assume was) dalmatian sage from an unmarked bottle of what looked like green-gray lint. I killed the heat and mixed in a 6-ounce tub of creme fraiche with an expiration date that must have been a typo, because it looked fine to me, and a little sea salt. It was really satisfying and surprisingly delectable. I will gladly make it by choice next time, rather than out of necessity.

JOURNAL: Vegan Jell-O Flop

Quinn — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:04:00 +0000

With the summer semester finally coming to a close, I thought I would get back into the kitchen and play around. I’ve gotten rusty. I sought to improve on past attempts to make cocktail aspic, or fancy jell-o shots, or whatever you want to call them. I used Agar agar, the seaweed-based, and thus vegan, alternative to Jell-O, which is made of hooves and has a less interesting texture. Agar agar also holds up better when mixed with liquor in my experience.

My attempt at Cosm-O Shots yielded less than impressive results. They don’t taste like much of anything and the red color was not as saturated as I hoped. They had not set when I tried to pull them out of the freezer, but set quickly when spilled all over the kitchen (the key is maximizing surface area). OK, that last part is not the fault of the recipe, so much as the clumsy cook.

I had previously made a cranberry agar agar, substituting juice for half of the water and found the flavor to be very weak, so I thought it would be perfect if I added cranberry juice concentrate to the water, thus creating a stronger flavor, but it was still pretty bland and extra chewy to boot (actually, not unlike chewing a boot).

Next batch will probably be 12 ounces of water to 12 ounces of concentrate, less agar powder and all of the alcohol. I will also combine the boiling agar water with the rest of the ingredients in the mixing bowl, specifically one with a lip designed for pouring, and not in the hard-to-aim saucepan.

Recipe (For archival purposes ONLY - DO NOT attempt to duplicate):

4 ½ cups water
1 pouch agar agar powder with sugar added (enough for 6 cups)
2 cups vodka
½ cup triple sec
1 ½ cups Cranberry juice concentrate (11.5 ounce jar)
Juice of 4 limes

1. Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan while combining the booze and juice in a bowl.
2. Upon realizing that the other ingredients are too cold to combine, and that you were supposed to bring the water and agar agar to a boil together, turn off the heat and replace the pot lid with the mixing bowl.
3. Go outside for fifteen minutes.
4. Return to kitchen, add agar agar to water and return to a boil, whisking constantly.
5. Remove from heat, and whisk in other ingredients.
6. With little regard for safety or sanitation, proceed to cover the stove and floor in sticky pink goo while trying to fill ice cube trays, baking dishes and plastic containers.
7. Put in freezer because you are too impatient to wait for it to gel in the refrigerator.

PHOTO JOURNAL: Beige Food, Blue Plate

Quinn — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:12:00 +0000

I'm taking a month of four day weekends. It started this morning with pepper-crusted home fries, and omelet with shallots and mozzarella, and olive toast.

Can I still call it toast if I "toasted" it in a pan with butter? The potatoes are already called fries, so I guess I 'll let it be.

ARTIFACT: Lost Mac And Cheese Recipe

Quinn — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:24:00 +0000

Of all things, I was flipping through a book on ecologically sound design practices, and between the pages, stuck to a drool-stained magazine page featuring the 7 bowl system from elBulli designed for Ferran Adria, was a pair of post-its labeled Matt's Mac. I can't be sure how many refinements and tests went into this recipe, and it isn't complete, but I think it is the ingredients and measurements that I used to love, so I am going to compare and integrate it with recent attempts next week.

JOURNAL: Feast of Fools

Quinn — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:45:00 +0000

In an online discussion, someone asked, should I be forced to choose, what single food could I not live without. Unable to narrow it down to a single dish, my first response was Chicken Tikka Masala over Mac & Cheese, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought that my humor/horror show of an answer might have actual potential.

I'm hoping to make both this weekend, so we'll see how well they combine and in what way. I am hypothesizing that Chicken Tikka, without the sauce, would be an easy addition to the Mac and even a little Masala integrated into the cheesy sauce with chunks of chicken might just work. I'll let you know how it goes.

JOURNAL: Indian Weekend

Quinn — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 22:07:00 +0000

Over the weekend, I got my cooking mojo back and made a little Indian feast for a small group of friends.

I created two kinds of chutney (the cran-pear went over much better than the peach-pepper), vegetarian samosas, and Chicken Tikka Masala (with a vegetarian tofu variant). We bought naan from Trader Joe’s, and somehow I forgot to make rice.

I will put up the recipes soon.

RECIPE: Cran-Pear Chutney

Quinn — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 22:48:00 +0000

1.5 pounds bosc pears (about three on the larger side of average), peeled, seeded and diced
3 cups water
1/2 lemon, seeded and diced (rind and all)
1.5 cups brown sugar
1 medium sweet white onion
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1.5 cups cider vinegar
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cayanne
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1. Heat water to a boil in medium saucepan and add pears, cooking until soft (10-15 minutes).
2. Strain pears, and set aside in a mixing bowl, returning cooking water to saucepan.
3. Bring water back to boiling and add sugar and lemon. Cook down to a syrup on medium heat (20-30 minutes).
4. While syrup simmers, grate ginger, dice onion and combine all ingredients not currently cooking.
5. Mix everything into the saucepan and simmer for about 1/2 hour, until liquids have reduced, cranberries have plumped and onions have become translucent.

It's great on poultry or fish, sandwiches, with a cheese plate and of course with Indian food.

JOURNAL: Mac-sterpiece

Quinn — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 05:33:00 +0000

There was wisdom on those post-its stuck in the book next to the elBulli 7 Bowl System (my birthday is this week, wink wink). I made a batch last night, and it was ggggooooooooooddddddd. That's "good" not "god" by the way.

I only had a pound and a half of Cabot extra-sharp Hunter Cheddar, so I had to supplement with a half-pound of Tillamook Extra Sharp and a half-pound of Tillamook Monterrey Jack. The notes called for 5 tablespoons of butter in the roux, so I went with five of flour, like I planned and I bumped the dijon up to a tablespoon. I really should have gone with more red pepper flakes and remembered black pepper, because it was surely under-seasoned, but it is so tasty.

My only concerns are that the sauce might just be too dense, and that some of the topping clumped, so the bigger chunks browned and hardened faster. Simple solutions: 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water in the sauce next time and taking an extra 30 seconds to chop up the topping before I put it over the mac.

My mother makes a mac and cheese from four ingredients with a recipe that takes all of five minutes to prep, and I can't say that mine is any better, but if nothing else, it's thicker. This one is my best yet, if you want to give it a shot. I'll post the recipe soon.

RECIPE: Mac and Cheese 2

Quinn — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 06:18:00 +0000

1 pound elbow pasta
8 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for dish
3 cups panko flakes
2 pounds extra sharp cheddar, grated
8 ounces Monterrey Jack, grated
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups whole milk
1 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Note: the only salt I used was in seasoning the water for cooking pasta, so don't forget to salt the water before you add the noodles.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter a large baking dish and grate the cheese while pasta is cooking. (For the love of God, buy a food processor. The 11-cup Cuisinart is the perfect size for grating two and a half pounds of cheese)
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and integrate panko and two cups of cheese. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Return pan to heat and melt remaining butter.
4. Add flour, red pepper flakes and pepper and stir constantly over medium heat for three minutes.
5. Whisk in milk, bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly and simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken.
6. Add cream, cheese and mustard and turn off the burner. Stir until sauce is a uniform consistency.
7. Incorporate cooked pasta and pour into the buttered baking dish.
8. Spread panko mixture across the top and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly throughout.

RANT: Don’t Buy Silly Single-Use Gadgets

Quinn — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:02:00 +0000

They're bad for your kitchen, your wallet and the environment.

Someone once gave me a Spätzle maker. I used to live in Austria and love to cook, so it made for a lovely and thoughtful gift. I was excited. I even used it…once. I feel bad, but how often does anyone make Spätzle and can’t one do the same thing with a box grater and a little ingenuity?

There are a million ads offering the next best thing for your kitchen, and most of those items get tossed in a drawer and forgotten. Chances are, there is a long-established device that will meet your needs and more. Most often, this device is an 8-inch chef’s knife or your oven.

Here is a simple test:

1. How many tasks can this gizmo take on? If less than three from your usual repertoire, fuggedabowdit.

2. Will another tool do the job, and better and other chores to boot, and do you already own it? Probably, and if you don’t own one, you might want to get that multitalented tool instead of the brass-plated lychee peeler or the battery-powered Arbor Day cookie extruder.

3. How often do you actually attempt whatever this tool does, and honestly, how often would you use it if you had one? If you really need to make an apple pie to impress the in-laws at Thanksgiving, but will likely not make another until next November, a little extra time with a knife is probably a better investment than the $30 apple corer/peeler.

There are so many great tools that pass all these tests:

Food Processor: I use a 14-cup Cuisinart, and I use it a lot. With just the blades that come standard, I can grate 3 pounds of cheese, chop all the vegetables for a vat of stew, make a couple pounds of dough, and each in less than a minute. I use it to emulsify vinaigrettes, to blend smoothies, to sift dry ingredients, to puree hot soup, to chop fresh herbs or nuts (or both at the same time for pesto), to turn a stale roll into breadcrumbs, to make sauces smooth, and for just about any job that involves bulk prep work.

Stir-Fry Pan: I use my Joyce Chen stir-fry pan for just about everything. from (potato leek) soup to (candied) nuts. I use it to make omelets, crepes, scrambles, pancakes, Hollandaise sauce, bacon, sausage, hash and boiled eggs, and that’s just breakfast. It is the most versatile pan I have ever had, and covers just about every stovetop dish you can imagine. I even made a stir fry in it once. It has a wide, flat bottom which provides ample frying surface, rounded sides for easy flip-tossing, adequate depth to hold over a gallon and all it really lacks is a metal handle for moving it from stove-top searing to oven finishing. Maybe it is time for me to get an upgrade.

Mesh Strainer (sturdy, all metal, 6-8 inch diameter): I use the $3 strainer that I bought in China Town for its intended purpose and a variety of other jobs. In place of a ricer or food mill, I rice potatoes by pushing them through with a wooden spoon, and do the same with cooked apples to make pink sauce sans skin. For a really fine straining job, I drop a coffee filter into the strainer basket and let only the liquids through. I also use it to lift and drain things from deep-fry oil and boiling water.

Note: Now that I am thinking about it, this might be the perfect replacement for my Spätzle maker, to drip the dumpling dough into boiling water.

Tongs: I use the same pair of 12-inch OXO “Good Grips” tongs for moving steaks on the grill, chicken in the frying pan, asparagus from the steamer, cooked spaghetti to the plate, biscuits around the oven, ramekins under the broiler and everything else everywhere else. Tongs are easy to use, easy to clean, serve myriad purposes and are easy to store.

Tip: in the backyard, there’s no need for BBQ a fork when you have tongs, unless you like dry, punctured meat. I improved and simplified cleaning by replacing my grill brush with a steel wool pad which I use to scour the hot grill by holding it in my tongs. I head out to the grill with only tongs, a spatula, steel wool and an instant read thermometer. That’s really all you need.

Plastic Squeeze Bottle: like the ketchup and mustard bottles you might find at diners, but clear, they are great for storing, dispensing and serving anything liquid. I infuse olive oil with woody herbs and spices right in the bottle and keep it by the stove to squirt into the hot pan. When I make a sauce to be be drizzled on fish or adorn a dessert with swirls and stripes, the sauce goes straight from pan to bottle. It won’t work as well with thick frosting, but if you are decorating a cake with ganache or jam, the bottle works better than a pastry bag, allowing more control and less mess.

Tips: I’ve had better luck with plastic squeeze bottles bought at art supply stores than kitchen stores. Test the bottle in the store by covering the tip tightly with your finger and squeezing. If air leaks out where the cap screws onto the bottle, so will the liquids you put into it. If you are making a sauce ahead of time, but intend to serve it warm, just reheat the bottle in a pan of hot water.

I would definitely say that one high-quality, versatile tool is worth the cost of a whole drawer full of gadgets, and worth making an investment. Good knives, just three or four will do everything you could want from a set of ten Ginsu Knives, except maybe cutting through a tin can, but really, who doesn’t have a can opener (with built-in bottle opener and triangular hole puncher)?

UPDATE: Grilled Cheese Invitational Tonight

Quinn — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:25:00 +0000

Tonight is the GCI in Oakland. I'm entered in the Honey Pot category, featuring dessert grilled cheese sandwiches.

I'm grilling up the Ol' Vermonter. I made an apple pie filling with Macintosh apples, finely chopped pecans and lots of maple syrup, which will be encased by two kinds of cheddar pressed between two slices of standard white bread and grilled in maple butter.

Crusty maple apple cheddar = The Ol' Vermonter

JOURNAL: Burned At The Grilled Cheese Invitational

Quinn — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:46:00 +0000

Not literally burned. The results came out last night. I knew before we left that bar that I didn't come in top three, but at least I finished 5th. The real heart-breaker came when I got a misdirected email from the organizer Monday asking me, as one of the winners, for my recipe [see transcript below]. I was proud of my creation, it came out how I wanted it to, and I received some compliments, so no complaints.

On 10/29/07, Timothy Walker wrote:

Hey, nice work, winner!

As part of the follow up to your victory, I need to get a description of your sammich so that we can let the world know what led you to victory.

Please get back to me as soon as you can, as the Oakland Tribune wants to run a story and they need a description of all the winners.

Yours in Bread, Butter, Cheese and Victory,

Tim Walker
Chief Instigator
Grilled Cheese Invitational

On Oct 29, 2007, I wrote:

Hi Tim,

My sandwich, The Ol' Vermonter, was apple pie filling made with Macintosh apples, Vermont maple syrup and crushed pecans, encased in sharp Cabot cheddar between slices of cheap white bread slathered in maple butter and grilled until crusty.

As I recall though, I didn't win.

Best,
Quinn

On 10/29/07, Timothy Walker wrote:

Jesus, you're right, my apologies. That sammich sounds awesome, though.

I'll be publishing the scores later today/tomorrow.

However, just to let you know, your score was 25.60, which is a great score. The difference between 1st, 2nd and 3rd was 1.54 points, so it was an awfully close race.

-=t=-

On Oct 29, 2007, I wrote:

Way to get my hopes up, just to destroy them. Thanks for hosting such
a ridiculously fun event. We had a blast.

On 10/29/07, Timothy Walker wrote:

It's my specialty, actually!

Thanks for participating. It's great to see how such a crazy thing is enjoyed all over the place.

JOURNAL: What To Do With This Pumpkin? A Peek At My Process

Quinn — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 20:37:00 +0000

I was chatting up my new roommate over beers in the kitchen, and without really thinking, I grabbed a chef knife from its magnetic wall-mount and chopped into eighths the little organic pie pumpkin I had picked up on a whim. I mused, “What I am going to do with this pumpkin?” and my roommate offered only “I love pumpkin seeds!” before she scuttled off to get ready for a date and I continued to ponder the pumpkin as I scooped the gunk from the slices and separated the seeds.

I roasted the seeds on an oiled baking pan with a quick shot of olive oil-flavored cooking spray, sea salt and Garam Masala spice mix (cinnamon, cumin, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom) which I added at the half-way shake, as it tends to scorch. Toasty and tasty! Lindsay, if you are reading this, there is a bowl of seeds for you on “the white thing” by the stove (she’ll know where I mean).

Still unsure of what to make with it, I tossed the pumpkin into the oven in a covered Pyrex dish with a half inch of water and some maple syrup and put it in the oven while I looked around the kitchen. It was a cool night so I decided on soup. I had a carrot, celery and shallots left over from a gravy experiment and I was hoping to find a box of broth or some stock in the freezer, but there was none. Always the innovator, I decided to substitute a bullion cube and a Knorr Herbes de Provence cube that a friend picked up in France and left for me when she moved to Switzerland.

I minced the veggies and sautéed them in a stir-fry pan with butter, salt, pepper and eventually a splash of my 4^th beer. Once everything was soft, I added water and the cubes and while it worked its way up to a boil, I sliced the pumpkin flesh from its shell, diced it quickly and added it to the simmering soup. When everything seemed well integrated, I added heavy cream, finished it with a dollop of butter and pulled the whole thing off the stove about a minute after it returned to boiling. Everything went into the food processor (where I should have started it with those veggies) and I pulsed it until the chunks were gone, but the bisque still had some texture.

Results: Nearly amazing. The texture was ideal and while the cubes were crucial to the flavor, since I didn’t have broth or know how to season it, I didn’t consider the overall salt content, so the end result was delicious except for an overpowering saltiness.

RECIPE: Pumpkin Bisque

Quinn — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 20:46:00 +0000

Serves 4 (I think).

1 small pie pumpkin (2-3 pounds) 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 carrot 1 celery stalk 2 shallots 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 splash dark beer (optional) 2 cups chicken broth (boxed broth is preferable to canned and vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian recipe) 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon basil ½ teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf 1 cup heavy cream

Note: The pumpkin weight and herb measurements are guestimates, and I may have used one cup of broth equivalent instead of two in my initial trial, but I can't be sure. I'll update this next time I make it, but either way should yield good results.

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Hack the pumpkin into 8ths like longitude lines on a globe and remove the fibrous/seedy part with a spoon. Slice off the shell and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place in a covered baking dish with 1/4 inch water and drizzle with maple syrup. Cook until easily squished with a fork, about 20 minutes.

3. Cut carrot into 1/2 inch lengths and pulse in food processor (approximately five 1-second pulses). Cut celery into half-inch lengths, peel and quarter the shallots and add both to food processor for another five one-second pulses.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom saucepan. Once the butter stops foaming, add the vegetables from the food processor and sauté, seasoning with salt and pepper and stirring occasionally until soft. If the pan gets a little dry, add a splash of beer rather than more butter.

5. Add broth, rosemary, basil, thyme and bay leaf to pan and bring to a boil.

6. Pour off any remaining liquid from baking dish and add pumpkin to simmering soup, mashing gently with a fork or something.

7. Simmer 5 minutes, add cream and remaining butter. Remove from heat as soon as soup returns to boil.

8. Discard bay leaf, pour soup into food processor and pulse until combined and visibly chunk-free, but some texture and bite remains.

9. Pour into four bowls and garnish with sour cream and fresh basil or parsley or something.

10. Serve immediately with crusty bread or croutons.

JOURNAL: Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Quinn — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:34:00 +0000

Ever since I made my first great batch of gnocchi, I have been trying to develop a sweet potato variation, but baked sweet potatoes are so much wetter and stickier than potatoes that it has been a struggle.

The ratio for my regular gnocchi is:
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup grated cheese

Simply substituting sweet potato for Yukon Gold yielded nothing recognizable as gnocchi.

Substituting sweet potato for half the Yukon Gold was a step in the right direction, but required 4 times as much flour to achieve the same dough consistency, which yielded extremely dense dumplings.

I did a little research and found recipes that used comparably large amounts of flour, but were critiqued for their brick-like density and I feel strongly that gnocchi should be light and fluffy. Other recipes used as much flour but added other moist ingredients such as ricotta, a direction I did not want to take.

I found one recipe that used less flour and rather than rolling the dough it instructed the cook to put the dough into a pastry bag and squeeze it into the boiling water. Last week I attempted this with the ratio listed above (but half of the potatoes were sweet potatoes and the other half was russets) and the result was delicious and light but did not hold together well. When fried, they resembled sweet potato pancakes but the inside was still the consistency of mashed potatoes.

For last night’s batch, I doubled the flour and once boiled, they were precisely the consistency and flavor I desired. Oddly, when fried, the middle again became a bit looser, nearly as much like mashed potato as pasta in texture, but I think this is as close to perfect as I have the patience to reach, so I will post the recipe now.

RECIPE: Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Quinn — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:37:00 +0000

2 pounds sweet potatoes 2 pounds russet potatoes 2 large eggs 1/2 cup finely grated manchego cheese (or substitute pecorino, romano, parmesan, etc.) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1. Bake all potatoes (sweet and russet) at 375 for 45 minutes or until very soft and the sugars in the sweet potatoes have begun to caramelize. 2. Peel and grate or rice potatoes. Combine with egg, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sift in flour, incorporating gradually. 3. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Salt and taste water (TSB says it should “taste of the sea.” I just think it should taste as salty as you would like your gnocchi to taste). 4. Fill durable zip-top freezer bag with dough and snip one corner to create a half-inch diameter hole. 5. Over the boiling water, squeeze dough out of the bag with one hand, while using a knife in the other hand to cut it off in 3/4-inch lengths. Skim off dumplings as they rise to the surface and shock them in cold water. Cook pasta in batches, changing water mid-way if it becomes too cloudy and sticky with flour residue. 6. Optionally, gently press each gnocchi with a fork before shocking it to give it the characteristic ridges of gnocchi that are not possible to make before boiling because of the soft, sticky nature of the dough. This flattening is also advantageous if you intend to sear or otherwise fry the gnocchi. Serve with alfredo sauce or brown some unsalted butter with sage in a sauté pan and pour over warm gnocchi.

RECIPE: Sweet Potato Gnocchi Upgrade

Quinn — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:55:00 +0000

As I’ve mentioned, frying any filled pasta with a parmesan crust is a great way to elevate any humble lump of dough. For Sweet Potato Gnocchi, it becomes a whole new dish. 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan or other hard cheese salt and pepper to taste unsalted butter sage 1 batch Sweet Potato Gnocchi 1. Place cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl with tight fitting lid and shake to mix. 2. Combine 1 tablespoon butter and a 1/4 teaspoon of sage in a sauté pan over high heat. 3. In batches, toss a dozen or twenty damp gnocchi in the cheese mixture until coated. 4. As the butter begins to brown, add the batch of gnocchi, shaking the pan constantly and loosening with a spatula if they begin to stick. Flip as needed and remove from pan as soon a both sides have browned. 5. Pour any remaining butter over the gnocchi and serve immediately. 6. Repeat steps 2 through 6 until all gnocchi have reached enlightenment.

BRAINSTORM: Menu For My Next Chinese New Year Dinner Party

Quinn — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:44:00 +0000

I’m hosting a dinner party in a few weeks and currently trying to decide what to serve. Based on how this event went three years ago, I will need copious amounts of food, most of which to be prepared ahead of time, and a main course that can assembled individually to taste.

I think I will start with dumplings and rolls and then lay out a spread based around noodles, so each person can assemble a bowl of noodles and sauce or make a bowl of noodle soup, pho-style, with a huge assortment of fixin's from which to choose. Dessert needs to be simple because I want to be completely out of the kitchen before the apps have been devoured.

Here are my thoughts for the menu so far. Any suggestions?

First Course: Dim Sum Starters
Shrimp and pork dumplings
Crab Mangoon
Veggie spring rolls
Vietnamese spring rolls
Steamed buns filled with something (BBQ duck maybe?)

Second Course: Noodle/Soup Bar
Noodles- glass noodles (mung or sweet potato), rice noodles, egg noodles
Broth- beef, chicken, fish, pork, veggie
Veggies- snap peas, cucumber, carrot, broccoli, pumpkin, green beans,
Seasoning- Sriracha, soy, hoisin, chili paste, vinegar, mirin, sesame oil
Sauces- peanut sauce
Toppings- sesame seeds, scallion,
Meat- chicken, pork, beef, crab, fish shrimp, duck, tofu

Dessert
Oranges and pomegranates
Cannoli made with wontons filled with fruit, nuts, something creamy
Steamed buns filled with something (lotus nut paste maybe?)

Cocktails
I’ll be picking a few drink recipes to go with the menu, but like the “Flaming Mao” and “Cultural Rev-O- Licious” of ’05, I would like to throw together something unique and give it a fun, topical title.

I’ve been playing with recipes for the MAOjito, MAOgarita, CosMAOpolitan, TiananMINT [ ] Julep, Beijing (variation on the Manhattan) and the Acupuncture Needle. I'm thinking of dropping a shot of plum wine into a beer and calling it a Belgrade Embassy Bomb.

Weekend Gastronomer

Quinn — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:18:00 +0000

Seeing the chemistry sets at Blue Bottle yesterday has inspired my first foray into molecular gastronomy. I was reading a blog about how hard it is to come by the chemicals needed to make carrot juice caviar, and it turns out that the writer's mail-order supplier is only a couple blocks from my office, so I will be checking out Le Sanctuaire this weekend. Khymos seems to be a good starting point for some fun experiment ideas.

I’m hoping to host a Chinese New Year dinner party in a couple of weeks, so perhaps by then I will have devised something fun and strange to add to a couple of the dishes.

JOURNAL: Mango Caviar Pearls

Quinn — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:37:00 +0000

I expected the process to be highly exacting and scientifical, but my first attempt at fake-it-‘til-you-make-it molecular gastronomy was spot on. Should I have hyphenated "spot-on"? It seems like the sentence already has too many little lines.

I mixed a cup of mango juice with a teaspoon of sodium alginate (not as scary as it sounds. It comes from seaweed… well, maybe that sounds scary too), turned on the heat and whisked the hell out of it. Once it started to boil, I let it go for a minute, strained it and dripped it into a bowl of water and calcium carbonate (it’s the main ingredient in Tums and a calcium supplement often added to soymilk). The result was a mound of shiny little pearls composed of a thin gummy layer surrounding a core of juice that popped when bitten into.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with my new creation. I think it's time to make some funky cocktails.

Blurry Camera-Phone Photo (must replace)

RECIPE: Mango Caviar Pearls

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:26:00 +0000

1 cup mango (or other) juice 1 teaspoon sodium alginate 1 cup water 1 teaspoon calcium chloride 1. In a small saucepan, add the sodium alginate to the juice, gradually sprinkling while whisking vigorously over medium heat. If you have one, use an immersion blender instead of the whisk before turning on the heat. 2. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for one minute. 3. Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. A short stint in the freezer will expedite the process. 4. Combine water and calcium chloride in a bowl, stirring to dissolve. 5. Pour cooled juice into a plastic squeeze bottle or large syringe and drip it into the water until the bottom of the bowl is covered in a solid layer of spheres. Let sit one minute while you clean the goo out of your strainer. 6. Place strainer over a second bowl, then pour the contents of the first bowl through the strainer. 7. Rinse the pearls in the strainer and transfer to a kitchen towel to dry. 8. Repeat until you run out of juice. Serve within an hour, because when I nipped one the morning after, it had gelled all the way through. Not bad, but not as exciting. Note: another interesting variation is the mango noodle. Rather than dripping, I put the tip of the syringe into the water and pressed the plunger steadily while moving the tip back and forth. The resulting strand was over three feet long, but I could only lift out foot-long lengths before it broke. Like the pearls, it was liquid in the center, essentially a gummy straw filled with juice.

JOURNAL: Molecularly Gastronomical Advances

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Here’s what I have discovered since my first experiment:

Carrot Juice requires less sodium alginate. I could have gone with ½ teaspoon per cup.

Rather than pour water back and forth between bowls through a strainer, I added another cup of water to the bowl and set the strainer inside, so that once I had dripped in enough juice, I simply lifted the strainer and rinsed the pearls within.

With a smaller tipped syringe, I can drain the “noodle” and then refill it with something else, potentially making a many-layered tube.

You can make larger “ravioli” by pouring a big glob of juice in a little bowl and then pouring calcium water over it.

The ravioli can be drained, inflated and resealed, making balloons of carrot juice jelly. They don't stretch particularly well, but can be inflated at least to their original size. Yeah, I have no idea what practical purpose this could serve, but hell, I had fun figuring it out. I was like a 12 year-old kid with a chemistry set.

Once the pearls gelled all the way through, they reminded me of Orbitz, a fad soft drink from the late 90s that had little gel balls suspended in it. I think that it may have been the same thing, but wikipedia says it contained gellan and a Perdue chemistry class page said it was xantham gum.

Carrot Pearls mixed with mango juice and Veev makes for a cocktail that is neither particularly good nor particularly bad. I think that goes for Veev on it's own as well.

JOURNAL: Lunar New Year Party Menu Refined

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:58:00 +0000

First Course: Dim Sum Starters

Shrimp and pork potstickers
Crab Mangoon
Vietnamese spring rolls
Steamed BBQ duck buns
BBQ ribs

Second Course: Noodle/Soup Bar

Noodles: glass, rice, egg
Broth: vegetable, chicken
Sauces: peanut, curry...
Veggies: snap peas, cucumber, beet, carrot, jicama, broccoli, pumpkin, tofu, cabbage, peppers, sprouts, carrot, spinach, mushrooms...
Seasoning: Sriracha, soy, hoisin, chili paste, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil...
Toppings: sesame seeds, scallion, lime wedges, cilantro, mint, peanuts...
Meat: chicken, beef...

Dessert

Oranges
Wonton Cannolis filled with fruit, nuts, something creamy
Steamed lotus nut buns

JOURNAL: Party Planning Calamity

Quinn — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:40:00 +0000

I was just reminded that the art museum where I work is having a community open house, and that I am, of course, expected to be there all day, but it’s the same day as my Lunar New Year dinner party, which means I might have to reconsider what I am serving and I definitely need to plan preparations that starts this weekend, working on it every night so I will be ready by next Saturday. I suppose this is the lifestyle to which I need to become accustomed, if I want to have a social life. For those of you that don’t know, as of this week, I am working three jobs: 40 hours a week at the art college, plus teaching another class there beyond full time, and I am the Visual Arts Educator at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which involves teaching an after school printmaking class, among other responsibilities, like the open house. I love the irony! Literally, as I finished writing that last paragraph, my boss walked into my office and asked if I could work this Saturday (don’t worry Ryan, it was during lunch. I’m not blogging on the job). Before this weekend, I need to: choose recipes, clean my apartment, finalize my guest list, send invitations

JOURNAL: I hate to be so harsh...

Quinn — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:40:00 +0000

...but Trader Joe's frozen Potato & Cheddar Perogi are utterly awful. I figured this out first and only time I made them, but TSB didn't get the memo and left a box in my freezer one night when I offered to make her something else. I broke a tooth this morning on my way into a meeting, and combined with my lack of time, money and food in the fridge this week, I decided that the pillowy soft perogi could be my dinner solution. I boiled them, fried them in butter and smothered them in cheese I smuggled back from Vermont, but they were still horrible. I should have just skipped dinner. To lighten my spirits, I’m going to use my new toys to make a fried egg out of mango juice and coconut milk. I’ll let you know how it turns out... Not too shabby, huh?

PHOTOS: Carrot Caviar Pearls

Quinn — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:54:00 +0000

RECIPES: Noodles Sauces

Quinn — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:12:00 +0000

Peanut Sauce 1 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 inch fresh ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons Sriracha 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 cup veggie (chicken if you aren't feeding vegetarians) broth 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 4 scallions, finely chopped 1. Mix all ingredients. Asian Pesto Sauce 1 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup lime juice 1 cup cilantro leaves 1/2 cup Thai basil 1/2 cup mint leaves 1/4 cup scallion 1 green chile, seeded 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper. 1. Combine in blender. 2. Blend. Coconut Curry Sauce 1 tablespoon oil 1 large onion, diced 2 gloves garlic, minced 2 inches fresh ginger, minced 1 teaspoon tumeric 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes 1 14-ounce san coconut milk 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1. Add oil to large pan over high heat. Add onion and garlic, stir-fry until softened. 2. Add all but the last three ingredients and fry 2 to 3 minutes more, until aromatic. 3. Add last three ingredients and simmer to thicken, about ten minutes.

SURVEY: New Party Menu Considerations

Quinn — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:15:00 +0000

New considerations for Saturday's appetizer menu are listed below. If you want to see them served or prevent their production, leave a comment!

Deviled Eggs topped with Uni (sea urchin roe)
Mock Eel
Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Gongee
Mango pudding (actually, that would be dessert, huh?)

RECIPE: Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls (draft)

Quinn — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:39:00 +0000

15 Rice paper rounds ½ cup Hoisin Sauce 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts 1 pound firm tofu, cut into ½ inch thick spears and flash fried or 1 pound shrimp, cooked and shelled, or ½ pound of each 1 large carrot, shredded long (cut lengthwise into strips almost to the top, then use a peeler along cut side to make long shreds) 1 medium cucumber, seeded, long julienne 1 fist-full of romaine Lettuce (I haven't decided how much lettuce to use) 2 or 3 Scallions, cut into long ribbons 1 cup cooked rice stick noodles ½ cup cilantro leaves ½ cup mint leaves 1. Soak the rice paper in warm water until soft but not limp. Layer between damp paper towels and set aside. 2. Mix hoisin sauce, chili garlic paste and peanuts in a small bowl and set aside. 3. Right before serving, combine 1/15 of the remaining ingredients on each of the sheets of rice paper, roll like a burrito and cut in half at a diagonal. Serve cold with sauce for dipping.

RECIPE: Orange Maple Ginger (OMG!) Ribs

Quinn — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:51:00 +0000

4 pounds pork spareribs, cut to 2-inch lengths and separated ¾ cup soy sauce 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced 8 scallions, roughly diced 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoon orange zest 2 cloves garlic, minced 1. Combine ribs, ½ cup soy sauce, ½ of the ginger, scallions and star anise in a large pot. Add water to cover. Cover and simmer until cooked through, 20-30 minutes. 2. Cool to room temperature in cooking liquid, then drain, or just refrigerate covered, in the liquid overnight. 3. Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, remaining ginger, broth, syrup, zest and garlic in an oiled stir-fry pan or large skillet over high heat and cook down to thicken (3-4 minutes). 4. Add ribs and stir-fry about 5 minutes until ribs are coated in a thick glaze. Note: Alternately, follow steps 1, 2 and 3 but brush the sauce onto the ribs as a glaze on a hot grill.

RECIPE: Potstickers

Quinn — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:39:00 +0000

2 pounds bok choy 2 pounds pork, finely chopped (almost to the point of looking like ground meat) 1 pound raw, shelled shrimp, finely chopped 1 small can water chestnuts, ¼ inch dice 1 small can bamboo shoots, ¼ inch dice 6 scallions, cut to ¼ inch rings 3 shallots, fine dice 2 large carrots, shredded 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 2 cloves garlic, fine dice 4 tablespoons rice vinegar 5 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil 3 tablespoons Sriracha 1 cup panko flakes (optional) 1 package Wonton wrappers 2 cups chicken broth 1. Combine all but last three ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight. 2. Put a couple of drops of cooking oil in a large, hot sauté pan and add 1 tablespoon filling. Stir fry until cooked through and taste. Adjust seasoning accordingly. If filling is very wet or loose, or on a whim, add ½ to 1 cup panko flakes. 3. Lay out several rows of wontons, and place a round tablespoon of filling on each. 4. Wet one finger (no, not with spit) and moisten the outside edge of the wonton, then fold it in half to make a triangle and pinch along the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges. 5. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan, and fill with dumplings, being sure they don’t touch. Once golden brown, flip the dumplings and brown the other side. 6. Add ½ cup broth to the pan, keeping in mind that if the dumplings didn’t absorb enough, you are essentially pouring water into hot oil, which is dangerous and stupid…but no recipe devoid of danger and stupidity could ever be as fun. 7. Shake pan back and forth until all dumplings slide freely, then cover. Shake occasionally and wait until the broth has reduced to the consistency of maple syrup. 8. Repeat until all potstickers are cooked, keeping them in a warm oven until all are ready to serve.

JOURNAL: Potstickers

Quinn — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:34:00 +0000

My dear mother wanted to make my potsticker dumplings for a family dinner while I was visiting Vermont. Annoyed that I couldn't give her a recipe more precise than a grocery list, she stuck out a measuring cup every time I reached to add a fistful, pinch, splash or squirt to the mixing bowl, and then carefully recorded the recipe. In transcribing the recipe, it hit me that traditional potstickers are steamed and then fried, but I fry mine first and then braise them. I have no idea how or why I began cooking them this way, but as far back as I can remember, I have filled wantons with raw ingredients, fried them to crisp the wrappers, then poured in broth and cooked them until the liquid was reduced by about 80%. Actually 80% is a guess. Like my lack of measurements in this dish, I also don't time the cooking or go by sight to determine doneness. I think it bothered my mom a bit when she asked me when they would be done and I told her she didn’t need to lift the lid because I would be able to hear when they were ready. The best way I can describe it is to say that when the bubbling noise first turns to a sizzle sound, they are perfectly cooked and ready to be served. If nothing else, my process saves time and dirty dishes, because it all happens in one pan without removing the dumplings.

ANNOUNCEMENT: To all grocery clerks

Quinn — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Just because I bring my own reusable grocery bags, please do not assume that I would like to bag my own groceries.

RECIPE: Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding)

Quinn — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:14:00 +0000

It's easy, it's traditional, and it's delicious. My only concern is that, like a cornstarch-thickened gravy, it's hard to get out all the lumps. 1 14-ounce can coconut milk 1 cup whole milk 1/3 cup sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch Vanilla (I scraped out about 1/5 of a bean, but I would guess that a few drops or a 1/4 teaspoon extract would do the trick) 1. Whisk together all ingredients in saucepan over low heat, whisking occasionally until thickened. 2. Chill.

JOURNAL: Party Report And Menu With Recipe Links

Quinn — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:16:00 +0000

The dinner party went off without a hitch, other than my being chained to the stove more than half the night. That was to be expected and my kitchen is open to the main party room, so I got to visit with all 18 guests as they munched and mingled. Several friends also stopped into the kitchen to lend a hand with stuffing wontons, stirring sauces, wrapping spring rolls and washing dishes. What I served:

First Course: Dim Sum Starters

Shrimp and pork potstickers Crab Mangoon Vietnamese spring rolls OMG ribs

Second Course: Noodle Bar

Noodles: glass, rice and egg Sauces: Peanut Sauce, Coconut Curry, Asian Pesto Veggies: snap peas, cucumbers, beets, carrots, broccolis, tofu, peppers, sprouts, mushrooms Seasoning: Sriracha, soy, hoisin, chili paste, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil Toppings: sesame seeds, scallion, lime wedges, cilantro, mint, basil, peanuts Meat: rare, thinly sliced beef

Dessert

Oranges Wonton Cannolis filled with Haupia and mango caviar Ginger bacon cookies Special thanks to TSB and her lovely roommate for secretly cleaning my apartment while I was working at the museum Saturday.

RECIPE: Garage Sale Curry

Quinn — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:01:00 +0000

As necessity is the mother of culinary innovation, I just MacGyvered a new curry for dinner and it is surprisingly tasty. I was craving the coconut curry sauce from last week's Lunar New Year party, but lacking some vital ingredients, I got creative with what I could find around the house (ok, really just around the kitchen). What I ended up with was a scrumptious and spicy pineapple coconut shrimp curry. Oddly, this pairs well with Orange Fanta, but a dry white wine would be nice as well. 2 tablespoons oil 3 large shallots, diced * 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional, but good if you like spicy) 1 red bell pepper, seeded, ribbed and julienned 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribbed and diced 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained * 1 14 ounce can coconut milk * 1-2 cups medium size, raw shrimp 1 lime, juiced and zested * items that everyone should always have on hand, but so few people do. 1. In a stir-fry or other large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering over medium high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft. 2. Add all but the last three ingredients and stir fry 3-4 minutes more before adding the coconut milk. 3. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes to reduce. 4. While curry simmers, heat remaining tablespoon of oil in another pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook two minutes on each side, then add to the shrimp to the curry and remove from heat. 5. Finish sauce with lime juice, serve over rice noodles and garnish with zest, but not too much zest.

JOURNAL: Vietnamese Sandwiches (Bánh mì)

Quinn — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:38:00 +0000

I would hate to imply that colonialism could be a good thing, but when I bite into a Vietnamese sandwich ("bánh mì" or "banh mi" so thta it is searchable), I have to catch myself. People were oppressed, enslaved and killed, but when potent Southeast Asian flavors are intertwined with pâté and mayo on a crusty, toasted baguette, it’s enough to make me forget the atrocities. Whether it’s barbecued chicken, meatballs or shredded pork on top of those pickled veggies, spicy peppers and tangy sauces, my moral fiber begins to weaken as soon as I start chewing.

JOURNAL: Firewater

Quinn — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Saturday afternoon, I was searching the Ferry Building Farmer's Market in San Francisco for something new and unique to infuse in vodka. There was little that thrilled me, so I settled on a packet of dried spicy peppers that seems to include habanero, Thai, cayenne and maybe pepperoncini (I am guessing based on looks, but I wouldn't expect it to be so hot). I softened one of each in a half cup of Stoli for a day and then poured it all into a bottle and topped it off with another half cup or so. As I was transferring it into the bottle, I dipped my finger into the vodka and it was so hot after only a day that I felt the burn in the back of my throat an hour later and I am sure I will need to do dilute it quite a bit. I'm planning some serious bloody marys and have started to ponder where else spicy vodka might be suitable. For some reason, my mind keeps going back to grapefruit juice. Is that wrong? If you have any suggestions for hot cocktails, leave me a comment.

RECIPE: TSB’s Pizza Sauce

Quinn — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:57:00 +0000

A few nights ago, TSB came over to make pizza with me. I’m a big fan of buying dough at the pizzeria or grocery store (Trader Joe’s has decent whole wheat dough), rolling it thin and grilling it on my Griddler, before covering it with cheese, sauce and toppings. A few minutes in the oven at 400 degrees to melt the cheese and warm it through, and you have a great pizza. Last week’s homemade ravioli experiment taught us that she and I are not the best culinary collaborators without a designated leader, but when one of us takes the helm and they other plays sous chef, we make a great team in the kitchen. We built one pizza with grilled turkey ham, sautéed shallots and leeks, and goat cheese and another with sautéed mushrooms and goat cheese, and based on the remaining ingredients, we made a shallot, leek, mushroom and goat cheese pie. I was assigned to grill the dough and prep the veggies, while she took the lead on designing the menu, creating the toppings, and cooking the sauce. This was the first time she had made pizza sauce, and had recently decided she wanted to create her own recipe. That night she engaged in what we expected would be a long and arduous process of revamping and fine tuning, but by Jove, she nailed it the first time! This sauce is incredible, and despite my foolhardy urging, has no added sugar, so it is far better for you than what you can buy in a jar. 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce ½ can tomato paste 3 stewed Roma tomatoes from a can ¼ cup cabernet sauvignon 2 tablespoons dried basil 1 tablespoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf 1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. 2. Smash and peel two cloves garlic and add to pan, removing when they start to brown. 3. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer and thicken, stirring frequently. 4. Remove bay leaf before using.

DISCOVERY: Canned Chipotle in Adobo

Quinn — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:49:00 +0000

This is my newest fascination, ever since I tried TSB’s stepmom’s twice baked sweet potatoes at Easter. She mashes the baked sweet potatoes with chipotle and adobo sour cream, folds in cheese and then bakes them again. So delectably rich and piquant! I managed to replicate it pretty well, so I'll post the recipe soon. Last night I made a chipotle mayo for a grilled turkey sandwich with some of what was left in the can, but I wish I had found these links before I threw away the dregs. Chowhound Epicurious

JOURNAL: Latin-Japanese Fusion

Quinn — Sun, 04 May 2008 05:44:00 +0000

I’ve been out of the kitchen for a while, but I want to jot down a few ideas before I lose them. OK, so there are only two items on the menu right now, but I’ll keep working on it. It would probably be easier if the dishes weren’t inspired by their quirky names. Tako Taco Tako is the Japanese word for octopus. Taco is the Mexican word for taco. Right now I’m picturing either a tangy octopus salad (Tako salad?) or breaded fried slices all wrapped up in a tortilla with avocado, shredded veg, spicy sauce and a squirt of lime juice. Hiro-jito Shiso is one of the primary aromatics in Japanese cuisine and a relative of mint. Mojito is Cuban cocktail made with rum, soda, sugar, lime juice, and mint. Hirohito was the 124th Emperor of Japan. Enough said. I’m also thinking of a high-class street food. Offal Falafel anyone?

RECIPE: Bloody Buddy

Quinn — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:17:00 +0000

I've was never a fan of the bloody mary until I had a pre-brunch bloody at Finnegan's Wake while waiting for a table to open up at Zazie. I'm not quite sure what the old man put in my drink, but I now love the occasional (very well made) bloody mary. As temperatures in San Francisco have reached week-long record highs, and my apartment is ecologically AC-free, the only thing that's putting me comfortably to sleep is an ice-cold bloody mary. My off-color recipe follows: 1 ounce firewater 1 ounce good vodka 4 ounces V-8 1 dash Pickapeppa sauce 2 teaspoons meyer lemon juice pinch very coarsely cracked pepper pinch celery salt 3 cubes ice, cracked Celery stalk or dill pickle spear for stirring Pairs nicely with a tall can of PBR.

RECIPE: Bacon Wrapped Dates

Quinn — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:14:00 +0000

A good breakfast snack for the days when you start drinking early. I guess that makes it a brunch snack. Whatever. 1 pound Medjool dates (about 30), pitted 1 pound bacon (about 15 slices), cut in half 30 Pecans (pieces work just as well as whole nuts though.) 3 wooden skewers, soaked in water for an hour Replace the pits with pecans, wrap each date in bacon and slide ten on each skewer. Grill 3-5 minutes on each side until bacon is crispy. Tip: remove pits with a chopstick. Most are easy enough to remove just by sliding the point in at one end, lining up with the tip of the pit and pushing out the other side. Tougher ones require stabbing a hole in both ends with the point and then pushing the pit out with the blunt end of the stick. Either way, it's much less sticky and slow than doing it by hand.

JOURNAL: Cupcake Bake-Off Preparation

Quinn — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:32:00 +0000

I just signed on for a charity cupcake bake-off that's about 3 weeks away. I'm thinking of a few different entries, including ginger-peach with cream cheese frosting, something Mojito inspired, and something chocolate with an edible wrapper (maybe wrapped in puff pastry instead of the paper cup or totally surrounded like beef wellington). I'll update as things progress.

What is Nermo?

Quinn — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:33:30 +0000

A very good question, to which there is not yet an answer. I bought the site on a whim because I like the name, and now I need to figure out what to make of it. I expect it to end up as an art piece, unless I come up with something worth selling. I just don't know if it should be a one-shot, permanent installation, an evolving spectacle, new work replacing old without any connection to its predecessors, or a simple portfolio site. I'll post ideas as I come up with them and we'll see what takes off.

About

Quinn — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:33:30 +0000

This blog is all about figuring out what the site it going to be about. So really, this part of the site is pointless. If you clicked on this page, you really wasted your time. Well, as a little consolation prize, you get the bio. M. Quinn Sweeney [caption id="attachment_19" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The artist as a young writer"][/caption] Location: San Francisco, CA Hometown: Burlington, VT Occupations: Teacher, Academic Coach, Visual Artist, Printmaker, Furniture Designer Education: B.A. Studio Art, Political Science, German, Speech minor; M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction.

My Online Life

Quinn — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:53:22 +0000

Food Blog Nermo Mockeel Garden Genome Yelp Facebook Linkedin Heya gChat mquinnsweeney iChat mquinnsweeney email

Maybe it's just the name of the mascot

Quinn — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:15:42 +0000

On my quest to figure out what the heck this site is going to be, I was thinking that I need to develop some sort of branding/identity concept for the site, which led to the idea of Nermo as a mascot. I’m picturing some sort of gruesome yet adorable chimera like a panda with a crab claw for an arm, perhaps constructed of mismatched Beanie Baby parts.

Site Use Idea: Indulgences

Quinn — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:42:13 +0000

First Intercontinental Church of Nermo: As a minister ordained over the Internet, I figure I should be able to exploit, er... rather utilize, all of the rights and privileges due me as a man of the virtual cloth. Long out of fashion, perhaps I can bring back the practice of buying indulgences. It will be the first virtual spiritual commodity. You send me your money and I’ll guarantee you admission to Heaven. Of course I’d offer a full money back guarantee. If for some reason, you find yourself in a less desirable post-mortem location, I will issue a full refund.

JOURNAL: Iron Chef Vindication

Quinn — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Nearly a year after the last Iron Chef challenge, where I lost Battle Mango, I have redeemed myself in Battle Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough. My Spanakopita Pockets won best overall dish (pre-cooked filling and an egg wash were key) and combined with my fruit tarts, I was crowned Iron Chef. The tarts were made by baking squares of dough in muffin tins and filling them with vanilla ice cream, raspberry peach compote and topping them off with Kumquat-cello whipped cream. TSB made some tasty samosas and apple pie pockets and tonight I finished off her samosas by adding a couple eggs to the last two cups of spiced potato filling and frying it like a pancake. I topped it with a little spicy ketchup (1 part sriracha to 5 parts ketchup) and called it dinner. TSB just started her own food blog. Check it out, but try not to like it better than mine. She's a lot cuter, both in person and in her writing, so I may regret sending you to her. Who am I kidding, she's the only one who reads this. Hi, Schatz!

Site Use Idea: Deal of the Day

Quinn — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:21:19 +0000

As is the trend among sites with short, easy to remember, yet senseless names, maybe I should make Nermo a “deal of the day” site where every 24 hours I put up a new product for sale. This being my website, and deserving of my personal twist, perhaps I will post a really bizarre and ridiculous product daily, like tinfoil sold as mind-ray blocking hat liners or a yo-yo labeled “perpetual motion device.” Traditional Examples: Shnoop Woot Fruper Tanga Yugster Stootsi Lootpig Pozy

JOURNAL: Asian BBQ Menu

Quinn — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:51:00 +0000

Motivated by an article in New York Magazine about a new Asian barbecue spot in the West Village, I’ve started planning an Asian BBQ menu of my own for a party in the not too distant future. A couple familiar items from the Chinese New Year Dinner Party will necessarily be present. Here’s what I am thinking so far: • OMG Ribs • Whole tea-smoked chicken or game hen stuffed with rice, herbs and dried fruit • Vietnamese-style BBQ duck soup dumplings (maybe soup isn’t right for the occasion. I wonder if I can steam then grill the dumplings) • BBQ pork steamed buns • Asian variations on macaroni salad and potato salad • Ceviche (I know it isn’t really Asian or BBQ, but I think it would be a great accompaniment. I can always dress the fish sashimi-style in yuzu juice, soy sauce, cilantro and scallion) • Japanese-style pickled veggies • Haupia with mango pearls and grilled lime wedges • The Hiro-Jito • Thai basil or shiso lemonade (recipe below) Thai Basil or Shiso Lemonade 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 bunch Thai basil (about ¾ cup) or Shiso (Japanese mint) leaves 1 ½ cups sugar 7 cups water 2 cups lemon juice (about a dozen lemons worth) 1. Muddle lemon slices, leaves and sugar thoroughly in bottom of pitcher. 2. Add water and lemon juice. 3. Stir until sugar has fully dissolved and chill.

NOTE: Barbecue vs. Grilling

Quinn — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:10:00 +0000

While I am on the topic of barbecue, let’s talk about the difference between barbecuing and grilling. I, like so many, use the words interchangeably in conversation, but really barbecue is meat cooked over low heat for a long time, while grilling is what you do to steaks and burgers in the back yard. The event where meat is grilled is called a barbecue, so that’s where I think it all got muddled, but I don’t want to be the poindexer who invites friends to a "grilling" on my patio. Speaking of muddled, I could go for a mojito right about now. Here, watch an irritating video on the topic:

NOTE: Martini Is The Name Of A Drink, Not A Category

Quinn — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:57:00 +0000

While I'm on the topic of common misconceptions in contemporary American culture... I went to a wedding reception last weekend which featured a martini bar. To me, that's bottles of gin, vodka and vermouth with a couple lemons and a jar of olives. These items were relegated to the bottom of the placard as, "traditional martinis also available," right below the appletini, chocolate martini, cosmo, lemondrop, etc, etc, etc. Let’s clarify: PUTTING A COCKTAIL IN A MARTINI GLASS DOES NOT MAKE IT A MARTINI. It seems that of late, any cocktail that is composed entirely of alcohol, more or less translucent and served in a martini glass is getting a “-tini” tacked on the end or being called a (descriptive noun) Martini. Just call it a cocktail. ----- Good radio show about the recent cocktail revival/renaissance on KQED: Download (mp3)

Site Use Idea: Hipster Relocation Project

Quinn — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:49:55 +0000

Here's my latest idea: set up the site as a non-profit org that works with communities to relocate their hipster infestation to other areas. As every city seems to have issues with young urbanites invading their neighborhoods, but nobody seems to view himself or herself as a hipster (none of my hipster friends would categorize themselves as such), nobody will be offended and everyone will love the idea. We could take a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach. There's the Mission District in San Francisco, Brooklyn, Wicker Park in Chicago, and many more in every other city in the country. 80's culture seems to be making a return (evident in hipster fashion), so why not the mantra of "Die Yuppie Scum!" There were also a number of projects in that decade to relocate the homeless by rounding up local derelicts, and giving them bus tickets to warmer climates. Even in my progressive hometown of Burlington, VT there was a notorious fund-raiser held at one of my favorite bistros to send the undesirables west (you can read a bit about it here). We could scour the country for a derelict industrial district rife with warehouses and factories ready to be converted into lofts, build up a buzz and throw a big send-off party. We could even just lure them all onto buses with the promise of free vintage clothing and an open bar, and once they're all passed out drunk, just have the drivers take them all away.

Digital Art Fun

Quinn — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:03:58 +0000

My little sister just put me on to wordle.net. You paste a big text block, spin the dials and it spits out a gorgeous "word cloud" design.

Indulgences Explored

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:06:48 +0000

I've been toying with the indulgences idea a little more. I've been getting back into silkscreen printing lately, and was thinking it would be fun to hand-print big, beautiful, frame-worthy certificates of the indulgences as limited edition pieces of art. To tie them into the website, and reinforce the notion of the indulgences as the virtual, spiritual commodity, I'm thinking of encouraging their transfer, sale, barter, etc. and putting a tracking number rather than an edition number, and having the current owner "register" with the site. I'll have to come up with some sort of incentive to get them to play along. Also mocking a trend I so greatly enjoy, I was thinking of selling them as "sin offset credits" tied into the seven deadly sins and/or the ten commandments. I'm thinking of calling it the First Hypertextual Church of Nermo.

RECIPES: Platter of Brain Matter

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:20:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago I hosted the Backyard Zombie Film Festival and Obscene Barbecue at my place. We fired up the grill, filled the cooler and set up a projector to watch a couple of zombie flicks.

We promised a “three-corpse meal,” and my contribution to the appetizers was a platter of brain matter. I made Olive Tapenade, Baba Ghanouj, Red Pepper Hummus, and Edamame Hummus, served with tortilla chips and pita wedges. Each one, ultimately rather grey and mushy was labeled with a toothpick flag as one part of the brain. I think I served them as “Medulla,” Cerebellum,” “Cerebral Cortex,” and, “Frontal Lobe.”

I brought some into work for the office picnic too, but decided to just use the traditional names. People in both groups asked for the recipes, so here they are.

Olive Tapenade
2 c pitted Kalamata
1 cups pitted nicoise
1 large shallot, finely diced
¼ garlic clove, finely diced
8 sun dried tomatoes, finely diced
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoons capers
½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.

Baba Ghanouj
2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
Juice of two lemons (about ½ cup)
¼ cup or ½ cup tahini (I forget)
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Halve eggplants from end to end and lay open side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes.
3. Peel while still hot, squeeze out some of the moisture and cut into several pieces.
4. Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Refrigerate until room temperature or cooler before serving.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
2 16-ounce can of chickpeas
½ cup tahini
¾ cup roasted red peppers
juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Combine chickpeas, tahini, ½ cup peppers, garlic and lemon juice in food processor. Pulse to combine.
2. Add olive oil while pulsing until smooth, and desired consistency (you may not need all of the oil). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add remaining peppers and pulse until chunky.

Edamame Hummus
1 pound shelled, cooked edamame (don’t work too hard; buy a bag of cooked, shelled beans)
½ cup tahini
4 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon ( ¼ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely minced
¼- ½ cup olive oil
pepper

1. Combine edamame, tahini, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and shallot in food processor until chunky but consistent.
2. Add olive oil while pulsing until it reaches your desired consistency (It’s better left a little chunkier). Season with pepper to taste.

JOURNAL: Grumpy Non-Griller

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:45:00 +0000

I spent most of last week camping at Big Basin with a half-dozen other people. I brought a huge pile of tri-tip to grill on "our night" to do dinner, and I was looking forward to it. I bought the meat, TSB marinated it, and then I totally got bumped off the grill when it was time to cook.

I'm not the territorial type, so I tried to let it go, but these guys had absolutely no idea what they were doing and it was killing me to watch them butcher my meat (figuratively). I thought I could step back, but I found myself hovering, saying things like, "you really don't need to flip it so often," and, "you want coals under the grate, not flaming, smoking logs," but to no avail.

Here are a few tips for campfire grilling. Please memorize them if you ever want to go camping with me and intend to hijack my tongs.

Coals, not Carnage:Let the wood burn until the flames are gone but the coals are hot. You want the heat without the sooty deposits that seriously spoil the flavor.
Flip a steak ONCE. No more, no less.
No stabbing: Don't poke it, squish it down with a spatula, or cut into it. Squeeze it if you need to see how well done it is.
Let it rest: Don't cut into the meat until it's been off the grill for 10 minutes. You'll survive the wait and the meat will be juicier for it.
Bank the coals so that there is a hot side and a cooler side so you can seer the meat and then move it over, but not immolate it.
Relax:There's no hurry. You're in the woods. There's nowhere to rush off to after dinner, so relax and let the meat cook a little more slowly than your primal instincts drive you to do.

cropped-traffic1.jpg

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:14:40 +0000

http://www.nermo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/cropped-traffic1.jpg

Quinn

Quinn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:38:16 +0000

JOURNAL: Flavor-Tripping

Quinn — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:16:00 +0000

I was tragically too late to buy tickets to the Flavortripping SF party at Prana on Monday.

Essentially, you pop a Miracle Fruit (Sideroxylon dulcificum), and for the next hour or two it makes everything bitter or sour taste sweet in mind-bending ways. They serve a variety of food and drink that, under the influence of miracle fruit, take on the characteristics of sweet delights. According to Thrillist:

Upon arrival. you pop your berry and hit Sup' and 'Stache's largest buffet to date: puckering garnishes, wretched fruit, sauces, etc, painstakingly picked to showcase dulcifuma's transformative powers, from cheeses that evoke frostings to grapefruit that tastes of pixie stix (you don't even want to know what an actual pixie stick would do to you). Beverages also get the treatment, with unsweetened juices that'll taste like Five-Alive, plus a bevy of lambic beers and stouts that'll go down like milkshakes and tequila that'll taste so much like lemonade, you'll be tempted to sell it to neighborhood moms for a quarter.

I'm jealous that they sold out before I could buy tickets, but I have resolved to do a little research and design and host my own Miracle Fruit Dinner Party. Look out San Francisco.

JOURNAL: Miracle Fruit Resource Compilation

Quinn — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:55:00 +0000

Info:
Wikipedia
NY Times Article
Miracle Fruit Facts
Magical Fruit Info Site
The Old Sweet Lime Trick
Wall St. Journal Article
Freedom to Tinker

Sales:
Miracle Fruit Man
Miracle Fruit Tab

Note: I think I am going to order a Miracle Fruit Tree tomorrow.

LINK: Molecular Mixology

Quinn — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:15:00 +0000

Forbes posted an article about a month ago on using molecular gastronomy techniques in cocktail creation (with recipes). I've toyed with this a bit myself, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they have and stealing some of their ideas.

Thanks to Catlin for sending me the article.

JOURNAL: A Proper Cheese Plate

Quinn — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:51:00 +0000

Cheese plates, like the one I am eating now, are simple elegant and delicious, but there is a formula for maximum enjoyment. Here's my first draft of the perfect cheese plate.

CHEESE
Texture	1 soft	1 semi-soft	1 hard
Flavor	1 strong	1 medium	1 mild
Source	2 cows	1 sheep or goat

STARCH	1 white bread	1 dark bread	1 cracker or other

FRUIT	1 stone fruit	1 berry	1 other
	1 fresh	1 dry	1 processed

PROTEIN	1 hard, salted meat	1 nut

ADDITIONAL ITEMS	honey, balsamic reduction, herb butter, maple butter, olives, pickled vegetables, etc.

As an afterthought, I dug up some articles on making a cheese plate: Wikihow says have a theme [disagree], go with odd numbers [agree], Arrange your cheeses from mildest to strongest [lame], Add accompaniments [duh], and Pick a drink to go with it [to which I must ask, "only one?"] Chow says diversify by regional origin as well as texture and source [good point, but not as crucial unless you are trying to impress someone, and it won't work], choose 4 cheeses including a semi-firm [I still like odd numbers and am fine with a semi-firm or semi-soft], plate according to strength of flavor [still lame, and I'm not going to arrange my cheese in a straight line regardless]. Artisinalcheese.com is broad but boring and commercial. Food Network divides cheeses by production style (fresh, washed-rind, bloomy, pressed, and blue) which I found thought provoking.

Indulgences Re-Explored

Quinn — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:38:01 +0000

Addendum to my last post. I forgot to include these notes on the topic, which I had jotted on a napkin and then misplaced: Marketing all prints as "hermeneutically sealed" as opposed to "hermetically sealed" Using elements of old ephemera in the designs Hole-punching designs, or perhaps the monetary value into the prints. Once I get bored with the site in it's pre-reformation form, I stage a neo/net Lutheran hacker attack on my own site, posting that they have taken control of nermo.com and demand reformation, post a page of 95 theses on the homepage. Maybe it will just be 95 links to pictures of those awful lolcats. Using renaissance design elements in the layout of the site. Designing the site with a central navigation menu, splitting the site right down the middle, because everyone has one on the side or top.

larry2_web

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:02:35 +0000

shirley2_web

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:02:35 +0000

vawanda2_web

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:02:36 +0000

larry2_web1

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:03:24 +0000

shirley2_web1

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:04:15 +0000

vawanda2_web1

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:04:40 +0000

Site Use Idea: Artistic Intervention

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:26:31 +0000

Inspired by an irritating work of public art funded by the San Francisco Art Commission and placed along advertisements on municipal buses, I’m thinking this site might be a good place to launch a response to bad ad art, particularly misguided PR campaigns that intend to warm the public in a way that only disturbs the intended audience. I’ll post images of the initial art below. Essentially, they are simple portraits of Muni drivers with an anecdote from their career. My favorite is Vawanda, who tells the story of an attempted bus-jacking. Just what I want to read while riding. I’m thinking it would be fun to make pieces in response, printed to blend with the originals, but taking the simply upsetting stories to a new level of horror, which I would slip into place on buses all over the city. Anybody want to help? "After a particularly long night at the Lusty Lady and still a bit "UI," I picked up my first passengers of the day. They seemed irritated as I veered from the standard route, but a couple of hard stomps on the brake pedal let them know who was in charge. They need to understand that when Jimmy The Tooth says he'll only be on the corner of 6th and Market for another ten minutes, you need to be willing to adapt. I should have known the brakes would go out on me again, but the retread tires shredding was a real surprise. I can't say that was the last time I mixed Schedule II controlled substances with alcohol on the job, but it certainly was the most interesting. -Bob, MUNI Operator since 1991" From: http://www.helenakeeffe.com/archives/000046.html

San Francisco Summer Menu

Quinn — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:14:00 +0000

This won't be anything like what you are expecting. It's really cold here during the summer. Last night TSB was buried under paperwork, so I offered to make a hearty spread of comfort food to help sustain her working into the night. Without a plan upon reaching the grocery store and without really realizing it until I started to cook, I made all sorts of traditionally fall foods. Ultimately it makes sense, considering that it will be cold and damp here for the next few weeks, but it feels odd to make this stuff in the summer. Rustic whole-grain bread Steamed artichoke with garlic butter Salad of arugula, grilled peaches and goat cheese with a balsamic vinagrette Mashed sweet potatoes and squash with roasted parsnip and grilled apple Penne in a cream sauce (loaded with shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, red belle peppers, mushrooms and chicken apple sausage) In an attempt to motivate each other to blog, TSB and I decided to both blog our SF Summer menus. Read all about her's here.

Wedding as Performance Art?

Quinn — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:18:04 +0000

[caption id="attachment_55" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Officiating My First Wedding"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_56" align="alignright" width="140" caption="Sinister Minister? Signing the marriage license."][/caption] I officiated a friend's wedding last weekend, and although I played this one straight, it got me thinking about the potential for officiating weddings as more of a performance piece. Of course this would be done in league with the couple to create some sort of spectacle, and not at their expense. Regardless, I've got a perfect record so far: 1 wedding; 0 divorces. Maybe I can set up nermo.com as the site for my new wedding officiant business.

JOURNAL: Planning Dinner For My Parents

Quinn — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:04:00 +0000

My folks are visiting from Vermont for the first time and I am making dinner for them and TSB (they like her very much) tomorrow. I need to come up with a menu. They have more traditional tastes, and when I visit, I end up making wacky Asian-inspired feasts that they like, but would never order, so this time I am trying to tone it down a bit. All I know for sure is that we're starting with crispy, bacon-wrapped asparagus. After that, I am thinking a warm salad and a cold salad, some meaty entrée and dessert. Let’s take a look and see what is in season right now… A google search for “produce currently in season northern california,” led me to this chart, which was less than inspiring, but interesting. Apparently everything BUT asparagus is in season right now. I also learned that September is National Mushroom Month, so maybe I’ll dig around for some recipes… Mushroom Risotto Recipes from Tyler Florence, Emeril, Wolfgang Puck, Giada De Laurentis, Rachael Ray, Bon Appetite, Gourmet, Gourmet and Gourmet. Emeril does a great looking Pumpkins stuffed with mushroom risotto and roast duck recipe, but my dad doesn’t eat anything in the squash family. Mushroom Mac and Cheese would be good. Maybe I will mess with my magical mac to add a few fungi for flavor.

MENU: Dinner For The 'Rents

Quinn — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:12:00 +0000

here's what I made: Amuse Bouche: Maple glazed nuts Appetizer: Crispy bacon-wrapped asparagus Salad: Caprese Main: Roasted Chicken Side: Mushroom Mac and Cheese Dessert: Granola-topped blueberry compote and yogurt (made by TSB) Notes: Maple glazed nuts were obscenely easy. I tossed six cups of mixed nuts in a mixture of 1/4 cup Vermont pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of herbes de Provence, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and some salt and pepper. Baked at 350 for 15 minutes and stirred half way through. The chicken roasting technique, learned from Jacques Pepin, was a blessing. At more than 4 pounds, the bird was cooked to perfection in just over a half hour! The trick is to cut out the spine (I used a cleaver, but recommend shears), lay it out flat, seer the “inside” of the bird over high heat for 5 minutes and then throw the sauté pan into a 450 degree oven for a half hour.

RECIPE: Misfortune Cookies

Quinn — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:46:00 +0000

For guests at my 30th birthday party, I threw together a batch of "misfortune cookies." They are fairly conventional cookies, except for the fortunes. I tried a few recipes, but they didn't satisfy me, so I made my own. Favorite fortunes included: "No matter what you do in life, you’re still screwed thanks to global warming." "See your doctor. It’s not 'just a rash.'” "Made in Taiwan." "This fortune will self-destruct in 5 4 3 2 1…" "Nobody loves you. They only tolerate you." "Despite what you’ve been told, you actually do look fat in those pants." "Allergy Warning: cookies are processed in a plant that manufactures products with dairy, peanuts and raw sewage." "Congratulations! You chose the poison cookie." "It’s just a matter of time before you get caught." "Your thighs won’t appreciate you eating this cookie." "It’s not me; it’s you." "As you read this, small Gypsy children are picking your pockets." Fortune Cookie Recipe 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon triple sec 3 tablespoons water 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1. Heat an ungreased, non-stick griddle pan to between 350 and 375 degrees. 2. Whisk together egg, oil, vanilla, triple sec and water. 3. Continuing whisking, while sifting remaining ingredients into bowl. 4. Whisk until batter is consistent and transfer into a measuring cup or other item with handle and spout. 5. Pour 4-inch circles of batter onto griddle (see note). 6. Flip cookie when the first side starts to turn golden and remove when golden on both sides. 7. You’ve got about 15 seconds to make the fold before the cookie gets brittle. a. Place a fortune in the center of the cookie and fold the two opposite sides together, pinching where the edges meet between your left thumb and index finger. b. With the cookie hanging down from where you are pinching, pull down the two corners with your right thumb and index finger. c. Place in an empty egg carton to hold its shape while cooling. Note: I found the easiest way to get a perfect 4-inch circle was to pour batter onto the griddle pan, spread it thin with the edge of a spatula to just larger than needed, and after about 15-seconds, place a 4-inch round cookie cutter into the batter and tear away the excess. Even with the waste pieces, I was still able to get over a dozen cookies from this recipe.

PHOTOJOURNAL: Birthday Breakfast

Quinn — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:33:00 +0000

I woke up, an hour after turning thirty (if my mother is correct in her recollection that I was born at 6:03 am… and if we ignore the time difference between where I live and where I was born) craving a rare roast beef sandwich. Here’s what I ate: That’s ciabatta with (in descending order): Sambal Oelek Mayo Peppadew Peppers Roma Tomatoes Butter Lettuce Rare Roast Beef Red onion Provolone Horseradish Mayo

PHOTOJOURNAL: Morning After Parents' Dinner

Quinn — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:35:00 +0000

iPhone Photo Those bacon wrapped asparagus were too good not to make more. They're a perfect breakfast when dipped in the yolk of a soft-boiled egg with a toasted roll on the side.

JOURNAL: Dairy Aisle Dating

Quinn — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:59:00 +0000

There’s nothing better than listening to a conversation between a food-blogger and a relationship-blogger, constantly trying to fit what the other is saying into their own framework. I was out to lunch with my friend Amanda today, discussing the pig roast we’re going to on Sunday, and as I recounted the menu, she perked up when I mentioned the “three-cheese” mac and cheese, and I had to interject. "People get so excited when they hear 'five-cheese mac,' or 'seventeen-cheese mac,' but it isn’t an indication of quality. It just shows that the cook lacks commitment." Amanda asked if that means an ideal mate makes mac and cheese with only one variety of cheese, and I said, “no, as in dating, you wouldn’t want someone who has only ever been involved with one cheese, but at the same time, you don’t want to end up with someone who’s already been up and down the dairy aisle."

ceremony

Quinn — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:42:06 +0000

Signing

Quinn — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:43:19 +0000

reception

Quinn — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:46:16 +0000

roger

Quinn — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:49:17 +0000

My Christmas Cards

Quinn — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:50:37 +0000

I never get around to writing the mass Christmas card that those with better time management skills create, and even my Lunar New Year Cards go out late. I am terrible at remembering to get something for everyone and I really like putting a personal touch into gifts that I give. All of that, with my rediscovered love of silkscreening led to my new generic Christmas present. I sketched Jolly St. Roger here and I am going to silkscreen him onto red bandanas and give them to everyone I know this holiday season. Now I just need to find a good bulk bandana distributor.

fishlamp

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:52:01 +0000

Fugu Nightlight

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:52:53 +0000

Not a whole lot to report, but I made a creepy nightlight out of a dried pufferfish skin and a string of LEDs. [caption id="attachment_86" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Share in the wonders of my creation."][/caption]

sonobe_nightlight

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:31:55 +0000

sonobe_cube

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:33:26 +0000

Sonobe Solar Nightlight

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:35:50 +0000

I’m fascinated with the modular Sonobe origami forms and their potential application in lighting design. I’ve been toying with a variety of designs ranging from a simple votive-type light, up through elaborate chandeliers. Most recently, I built this "solar nightlight” prototype. It’s not as counter-intuitive as it sounds. A solar panel charges a battery pack attached to a light inside the Mylar shade. In the light, the solar panel charges the battery, and works as a sensor, so that when it’s dark, the light turns on. It’s a super-green piece because it uses a renewable energy source, it uses energy intuitively, since it only turns on in the dark, and uses LEDs, which are vastly more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.

sonobe_cube

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:41:31 +0000

balls

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:30:57 +0000

balls1

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:36:46 +0000

ballsorig

Quinn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:37:24 +0000

bandana

Quinn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:56:31 +0000

My Christmas Cards II

Quinn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:09:15 +0000

After playing with my Jolly St. Roger design and looking at bandanas online, I've hit a snag. I like the mullti-layered, paisley-type borders that traditional western bandanas have, but if I buy those and print on them, the center square has a smattering of squiggles that detract from and distort the central image: So, now I am thinking that I will need to design the border pattern as well. In keeping with the theme, I've been considering borders made up of alternating sleigh/ship and scabbard/candycane patterns. What other images should I include?

roger1

Quinn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:20:44 +0000

roger2

Quinn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:24:07 +0000

roger3

Quinn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:24:32 +0000

All Your Blogs Are Belong To Nermo

Quinn — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:54:36 +0000

I'm in the process of consolidating all of my blogs from all over the Interwebs to blog.nermo.com, so anything you might have found written by me elsewhere can now be found here. If you don't want to deal with my hodgepodge of postings, the posts have been broken into categories, which are clickable in the header, currently Food (formerly mockeel.blogger.com), Art, Design, Site Use Ideas and News.

Dim Sum Randomizer

Quinn — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:13:29 +0000

Stealing a concept from noodlr.net and reworking the code I used to create barackobamastoleyournewbicycle.com, I'm building a little tool of inspiration around dim sum dumplings. Here's how it would work: All you do is click. The site throws together a random combination of wrapper, meat, vegetables, aromatics and flavorings, and presents it like a menu description. It may even show a corresponding icon for the type of dumpling. Here's my list so far: Wrapper - fried wontons, steamed wontons, steamed buns, rice paper, spring rolls, pan-fried rice noodle rolls, sticky rice balls, stuffed eggplant, rice crepe, potsticker, steamed in a lotus leaf with sticky rice, Meat - chicken, BBQ pork, shrimp, crab, braised beef, lobster, roasted duck, sausage, squid, squab, seabass, Vegetable - bok choy, carrot, scallion, lotus root, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bell peppers Aromatics and Flavorings - ginger, chive, basil, miso, chili, mango, pineapple, sesame, oyster sauce, soy, shallots, tangerine zest, 5-spice powder, garlic, I'm thinking there might be a "dip" button to add a random sauce. PLEASE Comment if you have suggestions for me to add to the lists.

Random Dim Sum Generator Is Up

Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:28:08 +0000

The first draft is live and seeking for your feedback. http://www.nermo.com/dumpling1.php

I did the math (yes, art teachers can do basic math) and the permutations are phenomenal. There are currently 1331 possible unique taste sensations generated by my little widget, and when I add the "dip" button, that number will grow to 14,641. Strange thing about elevens, the first few times you multiply 11 by 11 by 11 and so on, you get palindromes.

11 x 11 = 121 x 11 = 1331 x 11 = 14641

picture-1

Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:23 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:25 +0000

sample

Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:26 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:28 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:29 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:49:31 +0000

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Quinn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:07:38 +0000

Election Night Party at YBCA

Quinn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:11:35 +0000

The contemporary art center where I work (doing visual arts education and public events) is throwing the mother of all election night parties (or so we hope)! I'm working on building a video testimonial booth (like a photo-booth, but video) and setting up blank banners for people express all their election night angst, joy and other emotions upon in words and images. They wanted me to do on-site t-shirt silkscreening again, but I didn't get enough notice. I hope you will be there.

Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission Street (at 3rd St.), San Francisco, CA
When: Tuesday November 4, 2008 6:00-10:00
Why: It's election night, and we need to be together, to either celebrate or to start planning the revolution.

[kyte.tv appKey=MarbachViewerEmbedded&uri=channels/87046&embedId=49331373&premium=false&height=445&width=425] That's my department director in the video.

Calling all Obamaphiles and McCaniacs, hockey-moms and Joe Six-packs, Democrats and Republicans, Independents and Undecideds! On November 4, votes will be cast and the longest presidential campaign in American history will finally be over. This historic election will usher in a new day in America and it will be time to set aside our differences, reach across the aisle, join hands in solidarity, bury the hatchet, raise a glass and PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999! YBCA invites all artists, art lovers and artistic citizens of San Francisco to join us Tue, Nov 4 from 6–9 pm for up-to-the-minute election coverage, music, performances and FREE PIZZA WHEN THE POLLS CLOSE! You can also write on the walls, tell us what you think the world will look like in four years, help us create a time capsule to commemorate this historic event and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! But the best part, my friends, is that in this time of economic uncertainty—IT'S FREE! (But there will be a surcharge for all adult beverages.) Don't spend election night at home alone, biting your nails and wringing your hands! Join us and help spread the word about THE HOTTEST ELECTION NIGHT PARTY IN TOWN! Featured Artists: Hella Hella Acapella with Lara Maykovich, Maya Dorm, Nichole Rodriguez, Marissa Greene and Madeleina Bolduc; Sri Satya Ritual Movement with Micah Allison, Isis, Indriya and Nikilah Badua; Anahata Sound; Derick Ion and the Satya Yuga Collective; Dancing the Dead Dharma (Sara Shelton Mann and Dance Brigade); Alleluia Panis and Dwayne Calizo; Anna Halprin; DJ Wey South; DJ Aztec Parrot with YBCA Young Artists at Work; rigzen; Maji; Sara Shelton Mann; Dance Brigade; Bruce Ghent; Rajendra Serber; Sonya Smith; Kira Maria Kirsch; Folawole Oyinlola; Lena Gatchalian; Sarah Bush; Hana Erdman; Karen Elliot; Richelle Donigan; Kimberly Valmore; Krissy Keefer and D. Scot Miller.

4_leg_table

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:45:34 +0000

blok_sofa

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:45:59 +0000

cabot_sketch1

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:46:03 +0000

cabot_sketch2

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:46:19 +0000

cabot_sketch3

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:46:29 +0000

cabot_sketch4

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:46:41 +0000

convo_sketch1

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:46:58 +0000

convo_sketch3

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:47:10 +0000

headboard

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:47:41 +0000

nightstand1

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:48:00 +0000

nightstand2

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:48:26 +0000

trunk_bar

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:48:35 +0000

vase

Quinn — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:48:47 +0000

Bottles and Cans... And Just Clap Your Hands

Quinn — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:12:40 +0000

[caption id="attachment_365" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Canning Jars: An Oxymoron?"][/caption] TSB and I have been talking about jarring and pickling for a while. We were supposed to dig into it yesterday, but life happened and pickling didn't. Neil put us to shame by coincidentally making dill pickles the same day. I've also been wanting to make a new batch of all my favorite infused boozes. Here's my list of what I'm planning for my few next endeavors (recipes to follow) : The Booze:

Chipotle Tequila
Shiso Vodka
Liqueur made with seasonal citrus, based on the limoncello concept
Coriander, Cinnamon and Cumin gin
Pumpkin Pie Spice Rum
Roasted Ginger Vodka

The Pickles:

Haricots Vertical: green beans, celery sticks, asparagus pickled, all pointing the same direction
Onions, Pearl, Pickled
Pickles Peppadew Peppers
Cornucopia of Little Veggies
Complete Bloody Mary Skewers
Pickled Fruit Cocktail (Mellon, Peaches, Plums, Cherries)

The Other Jars:

Strawberries and Pears Poached in Port
Onion Jam
Homemade Catchup
Hot Sauce

Canning Jars

Quinn — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:42:36 +0000

conver_sketch4

Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:14:30 +0000

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Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:13:54 +0000

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Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:14:43 +0000

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Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:15:23 +0000

Found a Sandwich

Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:29:48 +0000

OK, I actually found the camera, but I thought it was lost forever. The only photos on it were these shots of Chihuly at the DeYoung and pictures of this cheesesteak, which I only vaguely remember making.

vase

Quinn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:41:31 +0000

4_leg_table

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:14 +0000

cabot001

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:16 +0000

cabot_sketch1

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:17 +0000

cabot_sketch4

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:20 +0000

cabot_sketch3

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:21 +0000

convo_sketch3

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:26 +0000

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Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:27 +0000

convo_sketch1

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:29 +0000

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Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:30 +0000

headboard

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:33 +0000

nightstand1

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:34 +0000

nightstand2

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:38 +0000

blok_sofa

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:40 +0000

trunk_bar

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:42 +0000

vase

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:53:44 +0000

Furniture Design Sketches

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:23:29 +0000

I scanned a bunch of sketches for furniture projects and am posting them here so I don't lose them. Feel free to look, but they might not make much sense. Eventually, I will expand each one as it's own post with notes, etc. As always, I appreciate feedback, critical or otherwise. 1. "Cabot" Storage System 2. "Conver" Table 3. Steamer Trunk Bar 4. Reclaimed Copper Headboard 5. Nightstand 6. Blok Sofa 7. 4-Leg Table 8. Vase

copper

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:54:35 +0000

Reclaimed Copper Headboard

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:59:52 +0000

[caption id="attachment_410" align="alignleft" width="192" caption="Original Concept Sketch"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_437" align="alignright" width="256" caption="Treated Copper Tile"][/caption] Composed primarily of scrap metal, this headboard is a labor of love, requiring a hell of a lot of hammering, tempering, buffing and polishing to turn each copper square into a spectral tile. Finished tiles are laid out in a checkerboard pattern on a 3-foot by 5-foot frame (for a queen bed) and then resin is poured over the top to coat and join the metal pieces. Alternately (more work, but more aesthetically enticing), a few tiles are laid out, a layer of resin is poured, it cures, more tiles are laid, more resin is poured, and so on, resulting in a thick headboard with tiles “floating” at different depths, with a few breaking the surface at the back and at the front. Another variation on the concept uses scrap wire, spliced together and laid out in flat bands, several wires across. The bands are hammered, tempered and polished, and then woven together and stretched across a 3x5 frame and coated in resin. I'll add more sketches to this post soon.

Lunches: Routine or Rut?

Quinn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:38:22 +0000

I just realized that my office lunches have begun to normalize. Mondays I munch on Gyros and Fries at Ayola. Tuesdays taste of glorious Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) from Muffins Muffins. Wednesday are wonderful burrito adventures with Bob and Bill at Cancun. Thursdays I repent with a salad from Working Girls. Fridays are a wild card. I have a meeting at job #2 during lunch from job #1, so sometimes I skip lunch.

Lunch Near the Office

What's this?

cam_tree

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:01:30 +0000

cameras

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:03:48 +0000

Securitree

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:08:08 +0000

I've been messing around with a few ideas for t-shirt designs lately. This one was inspired by the scene in 1984 where Winston and Julia are fooling around in the bushes. That's about as literary as I'm going to get. Here's the first draft. I've been told that the tree needs more cameras, and that it may be a little lop-sided. Any other thoughts on what to do with the next draft of this design?

shrimp

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:58:14 +0000

bacon

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:59:16 +0000

Making Meat on a Monday Morning: An Illustrated Haiku

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:02:40 +0000

got bored on monday

made pixelated pictures

posted to the web

no_pic

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:33:12 +0000

andalou05b

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:34:19 +0000

andalou05c

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:35:34 +0000

clearmelt

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:37:22 +0000

melt

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:38:49 +0000

melt51306

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:21:11 +0000

andalou05blacksmall

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:25:03 +0000

spread051406

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:44:40 +0000

students

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:45:31 +0000

test

Quinn — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:46:11 +0000

Found: Procrastimations

Quinn — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:12:23 +0000

I used to waste time when I had so many better things to do by making funky little animated gifs to post on my Myspace page. Now I procrastinate by blogging. Here are a few "procrastimations" I just recovered from an old hard drive. More examples after the jump. The four below may look odd because they are partially transparent. Click to see each on a contrasting background.

JOURNAL: Crab and Asparagus Soup

Quinn — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:23:00 +0000

I just finished leftovers from a vat of crab and asparagus soup I ordered at Tu Lan, the diviest, cheapest and most delicious Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco. The stuff has properties unlike any substance I have ever encountered (think Bose Einstein Condensate as a non-Newtonian fluid). When I order this soup, I leave not when full, but when I'm weary. They should spread this concoction on the space shuttle tiles because it must be the best insulator in the universe. It takes quite a while just to get it up to temperature, and it NEVER COOLS DOWN. It's wicked viscous too. Not only does it blister the roof of my mouth but it sticks. It would probably make a good alternative to napalm or boiling oil should you ever need to engage in a land war in Asia or protect your castle from the parapets. Those villagers would never see it coming.

img_4105

Quinn — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:22:37 +0000

troopa

Quinn — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:13:12 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:17:42 +0000

gasmask

Quinn — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:40:48 +0000

Recovered: 3-D Gas Mask Design

Quinn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:25:15 +0000

Another t-shirt design, which is still in the works. I drew this a million years ago, and was reminded of my old sketch when I saw this "Troopa" t-shirt from Design Give on tcritic.com. Mine was inspired by the gas mask I bought in a mlitary surplus store in Berlin, a childhood love of 3-D glasses and the art of Ralph Bakshi, particularly in Wizards I like the look of white on black in the Troopa, so I think I'll appropriate that in the next re-draw, and when I prep it to print, I'll do all the negative space as an absence of ink. Your thoughts?

gasmask

Quinn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:29:05 +0000

gasmask1

Quinn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:32:35 +0000

Pumpkin Soup Time Again

Quinn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:39:32 +0000

It's getting cold, and I'm taking the day off to celebrate yesterday's presidential election. On my to do list is making a batch of pumpkin bisque. Recently, I directed a friend to my recipe, when she mentioned hers and she balked, saying it was too complicated. I flipped out a little. "Really?" I said, "All you do is roast a pumpkin, saute mirepoix, season it, add broth and herbs, simmer, add pumpkin, add cream and blend. Could it get any simpler without coming from a can?" I suppose, in retrospect, that I made the recipe look complicated on the bog, so I will dumb it down simplify the recipe and post it here again after I make it today.

img_4827-copy

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:00 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:07 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:17 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:26 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:34 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:42 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:09:49 +0000

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Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:14:00 +0000

Recipe: Pumpkin Bisque II

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:48:47 +0000

This is a revision of my first Pumpkin Bisque recipe.

1 splash beer (optional) 1 small pie pumpkin (about 3 pounds) 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 carrot, finely diced 1 celery stalk, finely diced 2 shallots, finely diced 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 cups boxed chicken broth (vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian recipe) 1 tablespoon herbes de provence 1 bay leaf 1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 375 and open a beer.

2. Remove fibrous/seedy part of pumpkin with a spoon, peel off the shell and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. Place in a covered baking dish with 1/2 inch of water and drizzle with maple syrup. Cook until fork-tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the diced vegetables and sauté, seasoning with salt and pepper and stirring occasionally until soft. If the pan gets a little dry, add a splash of beer rather than more butter.

4. Add broth and herbs to pan and bring to a boil.

5. Pour off liquid from baking dish and add pumpkin to simmering soup, mashing gently with a fork.

6. Simmer 5 minutes, add cream and remaining butter. Remove from heat as soon as soup returns to boil.

7. Discard bay leaf, blend soup until combined and visibly chunk-free, but some texture and bite remains.

8. Pour into four bowls and garnish with sour cream, crumbled bacon and fresh basil. Serve immediately with crusty bread or croutons.

coffee1

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:16:59 +0000

desk1

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:18:06 +0000

dinner1

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:19:16 +0000

coffee11

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:20:55 +0000

Look what I made (Hint: It's a Table)

Quinn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:24:52 +0000

Early in 2008, my Green Furniture Design Collaborative project got picked up for a hefty grant from Toyota through their now-defunct Heya program. With their financial, motivational and emotional support, I was able to design and build a website to host the project and start production on prototypes for an initial line. The site was built for designers to post ideas and concepts to be critiqued and collaborated on by other designers, greens and creatives to create new and innovative products, and also as a clearinghouse for ecological design research, ideas and resources. The long-term objective is to have a site where talent and funding can come together, so that designers could put together a team to collaborate online to develop a product, and interested investors could back or buy projects that they saw as having market potential. The table in the photos was the first prototype to come out of the experiment. We decided to focus on the urban apartment-dweller as our target market, looking at the most versatile items and most efficient use of space. The table achieves the goal as it can be reconfigured from a 5-foot long coffee table to a small desk/table. It is currently undergoing a redesign and is the centerpiece for a full line I am working on. That was a lot of words just to get to the pictures.

cran

Quinn — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:56:50 +0000

Thanksgiving Time is the Greatest Time

Quinn — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:00:10 +0000

It's food-centric holiday. Sure, Pillgrims, Indians and being grateful play in somewhere, but really it's all about the food. Since my family is so far away, I'm doing Thanksgiving dinner with TSB's family in the East Bay. Last year, I brought the classis Cranberry Orange Relish, that everyone always seems shocked by, despite the fact that the recipe is on every bag of Oceanspray cranberries. The unwritten trick though, is to cook it for a few minutes and then refrgerate before serving. Cooking it allows the liquids to gel a bit and brings if from dreary pinkish-grey to a bright red color. I'm trying to decide what else to bring this year. Anyone have any favorite Thanksgiving dishes to share?

qwertcards

Quinn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:44:10 +0000

Designing New Business Cards

Quinn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:01:18 +0000

I have business cards from the art college and the contemporary art center, but I don't have any with personal info or for the myriad other things I do. I toyed with the idea of listing everything I do on one card, since I joke that I have at least five jobs at all times, but really I think it's better to keep it simple for now. The first run is going to be a one-color letterpress job. Mandate Press is running a great special on letterpress business cards that can't be beat if you want a simple black design on white stock that is relief-printed so that the inked portion is embossed. After that I am going to work with a local letterpress printer to get something more exotic and exciting, particularly, I'd like to create a card printed inklessly to leave an impression (see example i. below). This morning, not knowing what I was working on, my psychic friend Janna sent me the link to The 75 Hottest Business Cards page, which spurred some creativity and led me to Faveup and then on to crazyleafdesign. Here are a few ideas I have been playing with, but I am not attached, so either vote for your favorite or make a suggestion. Notes: For d., e., and f., I'm thinking it would be easy enough to grab cyan and magenta highlighters to fill in the lenses. c. is just there for reference to help you imagine the other three as having 3-D lenses. Too creepy? i. is the concept to be explored at a later date, with all of the job titles and the non-url part of the address done as an inkless impression, so they will be legibly embossed, but not inked, inking only my name, phone number and website.

Buying a New Router

Quinn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:11:52 +0000

I mean the rotary wood milling tool, not an Internet router, so this won't be interesting to tech geeks. It probably won't be interesting to anyone except me, but I need a place to house my research and process my thoughts. A blog is supposed to be a journal right, so I shouldn't apologize for writing something of interest only to myself. My father said he prefers Bosch routers because the motors are almost impossible to kill and that he prefers a 3 horsepower router because it can swing a 3" bit, but that I shouldn't go below 2HP. He said to get a plunge base rather than a fixed base for greater versatility. Popular Mechanics published a comparison of 2 1/4 HP fixed and plunge routers in 2007 and the abridged version is as follows: PM agrees with Pops on the Bosch ($203), giving it their 5-star rating, as opposed to 4 stars for the Milwaukee ($188) and Porter-Cable ($259), and 3 stars for the equivalent Dewalt ($204), Hitachi ($162) and Ridgid ($???), with a measly 2 stars being granted to the Skil which came in at an unsettlingly cheap $85. So, it looks like will soon be mine.

bandana

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:11:42 +0000

bandana1

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:21:32 +0000

My Christmas Cards III

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:23:36 +0000

I set aside this project for the past few weeks, but with the election over and the holidays fast approaching, I’m back on the job. Here is the latest draft of the Jolly St. Roger Bandana that I am making instead of Christmas cards this year, and I’m going to use it in place of wrapping paper for some small gifts, so it is doubly cutting down on paper waste. I realize the layout is rough, but it’s more about the concept at this point and I will clean it up before the final print. What else does it need? Nautical stars in the corners? Should I leave well enough alone? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Alright, back to the computer lab.

mask056

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:02:32 +0000

mask057

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:02:34 +0000

shirt

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:02:37 +0000

3-D Gas Mask Redux

Quinn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:11:21 +0000

I've been cleaning up the gas mask image, and now I'm wondering olive drab or white? The following are: Old New Olive In Context

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:55:04 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:55:16 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:55:32 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:55:44 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:55:58 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:56:12 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:56:26 +0000

Bottles and Cans... and Just Clap Your Hands II

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:14:38 +0000

We just finished round one of Bottles and Cans. I made pumpkin pie spice rum, chipotle tequila, pickled bloody mary skewers and pickled beets and TSB made Dilly Beans and Giardiniera Mix. Recipes to follow.

I experimented with spearing olives, pearl onions, red bell pepper, cucumber and green beans on lengths of sharpened lemongrass for the Bloody Mary Skewers. I also tried skewering the ingredients with thinly sliced celery, but it got limp too quick and practically melted when I heat processed the jars. The beets were tasty after an hour, so I am excited to see what they taste like in a week. Booze is always good, whether the infusions work well or not.

img_4907

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:28:21 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:28:35 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:28:49 +0000

Recipe: Pickled Beets

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:05:12 +0000

Bottle and Cans commenced in a kitchen spattered with blood... or so it looked. It's amazing how much carnage a clumsy man with a pan full of roasted beets can cause, but it was worth it. The resulting pickled beets are tantalizingly sweet and tangy and I'm looking forward to sampling them again with Stilton and candied walnuts. 10 medium beets 2 cups water & more for roasting 2 cups white vinegar 1 1/2 cups sugar 5 cloves garlic, peeled 2 shallots, quartered 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon allspice 5 dried pequin peppers 1. Roast beets in a covered baking dish in 1 inch of water at 350 for 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with fork. 2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for ten minutes 3. While simmering, rub the skin off the beets under cold water, trim and quarter in wedges. 4. Put beet wedges into a (sterilized if you want to preserve them) jar and pour contents of pan over them. 5. Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

coke

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:48:58 +0000

logo_fphome

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:27:25 +0000

picture-1

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:33:31 +0000

yelp

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:38:05 +0000

logo

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:41:49 +0000

images

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:44:48 +0000

ls_logo_150

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:46:50 +0000

SF To Do

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:49:24 +0000

San Francisco To Do Tonight Tired of being asked, "what's going on tonight in San Francisco?" and generally responding by researching and providing suggestions (because I am a sucker for friends with little initiative), I made a site to catalog my event listing resources. Now, I just point people to the page, which I'm moving over to Nermo now. If you know any resources that deserve inclusion, let me know via the comments box at the bottom of the page. Event Listing Sites: Flavorpill SF Fun/cheap My Open Bar Yelp The Squid List City Dish . Email Newsletters: Flavorpill (for all) Thrillist (for boys) Daily Candy (for girls) City Dish (for foodies) . The Newspaper Calendars: SF Weekly SF Gate/Chronicle SF Bay Guardian SF Station

thrillist_san_francisco

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:05:36 +0000

logo-regular

Quinn — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:10:14 +0000

Recipes: Infuse the Booze

Quinn — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:18:25 +0000

Pumpkin Pie Spice Rum 750-ml silver rum (one shot removed to make room) 1 whole nutmeg, quartered 2 sticks cinnamon 1 tablespoon whole cloves 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut to fit in the bottle Chipotle Tequila 8 dried chipotles in a 750-ml bottle of 100% agave tequila (one shot removed to make room) . Note: each of these should be allowed to sit for 2 weeks . See also: Ginger Vodka FireWater

img_4965

Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:48:35 +0000

img_4969

Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:48:58 +0000

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Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:49:25 +0000

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Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:02:19 +0000

Recipe: Watermelon Pickles

Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:03:16 +0000

Bottles and Cans continues with Watermelon Pickles. Traditional watermelon pickles are all rind, which gets translucent and creepy, while all pink pickles are too mushy, so I make mine half-and-half. My roommate is freaking out on her boyfriend over the phone. I hope they resolve it, because she is supposed to move in with him in New York at the end of the week, and I already have a new roommate lined up. . 5 cups seedless watermelon, prepared as described below 4 cups water ¼ cup salt 1 cup white vinegar 2 cups sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon allspice berries 1 stalk Lemongrass, cut in 2-inch lengths 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Peel off the green layer of the watermelon and cut into 1” cubes, roughly 50/50 pink and white.
Combine water and salt in a medium, nonreactive bowl. Add the watermelon and let stand covered overnight.
In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, lemongrass and ginger over medium heat.
Drain watermelon, rinse with cold water and pat dry.
When liquid begins to boil, add the watermelon. Return to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the watermelon and place it into sterilized jars.
Return the liquid to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes more.
Pour over the fruit in the jars and seal. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Mexican Coke

Quinn — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:55:02 +0000

I get strange looks when I specify Mexican Coke while ordering at taquerias. The gawkers don't get the difference, but the important distinction is SUGAR. While domestic Coca-Cola is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, the south-of-the-border cola is made with pure cane sugar, which tastes better and is better for you, despite what is sort of implied in the following commercial. Seriously, watch the video. Do they ever say one GOOD thing about corn syrup, or do they just give smug looks in response to the implication that it is bad for you and ignore the actual health implications. I also love that they need to include the phrase in moderation.

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Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:03:28 +0000

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Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:04:04 +0000

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Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:04:58 +0000

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Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:05:32 +0000

Recipe: Strawberries and Pears Poached in Port

Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:20:28 +0000

Another Bottles and Cans production. I poached strawberries and pears as described below, packed them into separate, sanitized jelly jars and heat processed them to give as gifts... or to eat myself on separate occasions. 1 lemon 1 750-ml bottle of ruby port 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves 1/2 cup vanilla sugar (or regular sugar or honey) 6 bosc pears 1-pound strawberries 1. Prepare a large bowl with 4 cups cold water and the juice of one lemon, reserving the rest of the lemon. 2. Combine the rest of the lemon, wine, cinnamon, cloves and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. 3. As the poaching liquid heats, peel, and core pears and place them in the lemon-water. Wash and stem strawberries. 4. When liquid is boiling, submerge pears and poach for 7 to 10 minutes on each side until fork-tender. Add strawberries for last 5. 5. Discard the lemon and cinnamon sticks and store the fruit in the poachingliquid until ready to serve. 6. Boil down the liquid to a syrup before serving with vanilla ice cream or marscapone cheese.

I Need a Netbook

Quinn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:30:19 +0000

I'm tired of lugging my MacBook Pro to the office and to coffee shops, because in those places I am likely just writing, researching and blogging with it, so I don't need all the processing power, the huge storage space or the DVD burner, and I definitely don't want the size and weight of the MBP. I prefer not to travel with it either, for the reasons above as well as the risk of lost, theft and damage. As much as I am a Mac loyalist, until they reincarnate the Newton, my ultralight will need to be on a different platform, which means getting a PC. Considerations:

weight: 2 pounds is ideal.
footprint: smaller = easier to transport and I think 9" feels ideal after trying the 7" (TWSS?)
keyboard: larger is better because I don't have huge hands, but they aren't petite
drive: solid state rather than hard drive, because it's lighter, uses less power, starts faster and is harder to break
memory card slot: who cares how big the hard drive is if I can swap out memory cards
battery life: longer life means not needing to carry the power adapter on day trips
cost: under $300 is ideal
operating system: I lean toward Windows over Linux for it's familiarity and compatibility, but hate myself for it

Rye told me that as long as he has been watching, the top three, in order are: 1. Acer Aspire One 2. Dell Mini-Note 3. Asus Eee PC Joan also said Asus and HP, and has heard great things about the Lenovo IdeaPad S10. Lenovo and Dell Priced themselves out, since I couldn't find anything less than $400 and really do want this to be on the cheap. The least expensive seems to be the Asus 7" with 512 MB RAM, a 4GB drive and Linux for $257.20 at Amazon and the 9", which still only weighs 2# is on sale at Best Buy for only $280. I think I've narrowed it to 2 different 9" Asus models, bold-faced in the chart below.

Make	Model	CPU	Hard Drive	RAM	OS	Screen	Battery	Price	Weight
Acer	Aspire One	Intel Atom270 1.6 GHz Processor	8 GB SSD	512 MB	Linux ite	8.9"	6-cell 6-7h	$299	2.2
Asus	EeePC4G	Intel Mobileocessor	4GB SSD	512 MB	Linux	7"	?	$257	2
Asus	EEEPC900	Celeronon® Processor	16 GB SSD	1 GB	XP	8.9"	4-cell 3.5	$280	2.2
Asus	EeePC900A	Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz Processor	4 GB SSD	1 GB	Linux	8.9"	4-cell 4.2	$280	2.2
HP	Mini-Note	C7-M 1.0 Processor	4 GB Flashve	512 MB	Linux	8.9"	4-cell 3.5	$299	2.8

Thanks to Jepoy for this article which may make it possible for me to run Mac OS X on a netbook after all, and thanks to Neil and Christopher for answering my ignorant questions.

mask

Quinn — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:54:53 +0000

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Quinn — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:42:56 +0000

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Quinn — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:31:02 +0000

Christmas in VT

Quinn — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:39:09 +0000

I'm taking TSB to Vermont for Christmas, and my mother suggested I renew a long lost family tradition by hosting an ornament making party as a scheme to gather my old friends. My mother describes the custom best:

We started in 1974 by inviting all of our friends to make an ornament for our first tree, because we had no decorations and were always looking for a reason to have a party. They were a hard partying group so we ended up with some very unusual ornaments. We did this for several years, then skipped some, and when the kids started coming, we had a few more. The invitation was always the same: no cost to get in, but you can't leave until you make an ornament. It was an open house so people came and went all afternoon (and some years, all night ) and we always had supplies.......scissors, glue, felt, construction paper, craft sticks, clothes pins and whatever was hanging around. If someone had their own ideas they would bring the supplies they needed or even bring a completed project if they were more interested in visiting/eating/drinking. I think Aunt Kim [my mother's sister] is responsible for Dolly [Parton, made from a toilet paper tube, felt and a lot of cotton balls] and Grumps [my grandfather] was totally grossed out every time we put her on the tree (he didn't think it honored Christmas).

So, when I get back to Burlington, we're cooking up a feast, stocking the bar, throwing open the doors and making weird Christmas crap out of pipe cleaners. I'm excited. I'm going for a high-brow/low-brow for my ornament craft projects. I've been wanting to make a tree full of origami brocade (Kusudama) ornaments made from wrapping paper (reuse always trumps recycling), but I am sure I will make something obscene out of popsicle sticks and glitter too. Here's an instrructional video if you want to learn.

bandana2

Quinn — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:02:26 +0000

All The Stuff That's Fit To Print

Quinn — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 06:06:34 +0000

I'm ready to spend some serious silkscreening time in the studio. Three of of the projects I'll be printing have been posted here as they evolved. The proofs are below (click a thumbnail for the big picture), and if you want me to print you one, let me know.

3-D Gas Mask t-shirt	Securitree t-shirt	Jolly St. Roger bandanna

I'm silkscreening a few other pieces as Christmas presents, so I can't post them yet, else spoil the surprise.

Recipe: Pumpkin Fritters

Quinn — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:56:24 +0000

Easy, tasty, fried. That's what the holidays are all about. Below is the app I made for TSB's family Thanksgiving, and if there is any doubt about my assertion that cooking the cranberry relish really makes the color pop, here's photographic evidence. First from thekitchn's article and second, the batch I made.

1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 medium onion, fine dice
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
oil for deep frying

Combine all ingredients, wrap in cheesecloth or paper towels and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 375°. Roll dough into 1" balls and drop into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Sriracha sour cream. More Thanksgiving fun on thekitchn.com's delicious links entry.

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Quinn — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:49:39 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:10:18 +0000

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Quinn — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:10:59 +0000

After That, It's All Gravy

Quinn — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:24:06 +0000

Friday, I was in charge of the gravy for a post-Thanksgiving dinner, and the two turkey breasts weren't offering enough juice to make gravy, so I went with the old standard. Mine has its roots in the Cook's Illustrated All-Purpose Gravy, but mine is simpler and taste's better. All the measurements are one or a quarter, and the times are all dimes.

1 /4-stick butter
1 carrot, fine dice
1 stalk celery, fine dice
1 large shallot, fine dice
1 /4-cup flour
1 quart stock (beef or chicken or half and half)
1 /4-teaspoon peppercorns
1 /4-teaspoon basil
1 /4-teaspoon oregano
1 /4-teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

Saute the vegetables in butter over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and lower the heat to medium. Stir in the flour and cook 10 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes more, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Strain or remove the bay leaf and blend, then salt & pepper to taste.

"To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy."- Bette Davis

An Open Letter to the Obama Campaign

Quinn — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:18:05 +0000

I am writing to inform you that you won the election, so please cease your fund-raising efforts. I'm perplexed as to why your staff is still emailing me on a daily basis to request donations in exchange for swag, particularly since I already contributed and never received the refrigerator magnet I was promised. I’ve worked hard to set aside my fear that your campaign promises could go the way of my magnet, lost in transit, or just an empty offer with no intention of fulfillment. I will persevere in my hope for change and assume that your Ginsu Knife of leadership has not just sliced through its last tin can. The more nagging concern is wondering if this funding strategy will extend through the next 4 or 8 years of the Obama Administration. Can I expect an email in February, urgently requesting my financial support for the universal healthcare plan? Will Treasury Secretary David Plouffe write me a heartfelt hypertext plea for a contribution to make the dream of affordable medical care for all a reality? Will giving at least $200 entitle me to a toaster that brands my bread with a golden-brown likeness of the president? I'm picturing a moment back in early August 2008, when candidate Barack Obama sat head in hand over a stack of fiscal projections, agonizing over how to fund the programs he had promised while still giving tax relief to the middle class in the face of a looming economic crisis, when a staffer burst into the room to announce that the sticker and t-shirt promotions had left the campaign so flush with cash that rather than just airing commercials, they could buy entire hours of prime-time. Jump forward to August 2009: It’s the 19th hour of the 4th Presidential Telethon. President Obama’s blue silk tie has gone from a perfect Windsor at noon to a crooked knot around dinner, and then loosened during the 11:30 commercial break. The top button of his shirt was opened shortly after midnight, and the second button soon thereafter. Contributions had spiked during the star-studded sing-along of America the Beautiful, Tina Fey’s still-not-getting-old Sarah Palin routine and the water pistol duel between Kieth Olbermann and Jon Stewart, on which their respective cable networks wagered a multi-million dollar donation. It’s getting close to dawn now, contributions have slowed to a trickle and the president's fatigue is becoming harder to conceal. He pulls off his tie in a gesture of common-man connection and steps up to the giant thermometer that reads $75 million shy of its target apex. “My fellow Americans, if we are going to ensure strong public schools and an affordable college education for all of our children, we’re going to need to dig deep and pony up some cash. The school year is about to start and this mandate needs to be funded. For the sake of our children, if you donate at least $100 in the next hour, I'm going to send you this Obama/Biden lunchbox and one lucky contributor will be selected at random to spend a night in the Lincoln Bedroom. If you already gave, don’t get jealous, just pull out your wallet and make another donation. Operators are standing by.”

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Quinn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:47:37 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:47:39 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:24:26 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:46:34 +0000

Site Logo Idea

Quinn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:53:36 +0000

I'm finally building a front page for nermo.com and while I was at The Lab's annual Post-Postcard show Friday, I was reminded of the Home Fugu Chef Kit I designed for the show 2 years ago, and of the Mr. Yuck-inspired "tetrodotoxin poisoning" sticker for the chef's guests to put on their foreheads before dining so paramedics would know how to treat them once found, and I painted a cute little picture of a pufferfish with a sumi-e brush for the sticker. I need to clean it up, but here is the original sticker and a few site logo ideas: Your thoughts?

New Knives, New Wounds

Quinn — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:58:01 +0000

I just got a sweet deal on a 6-pack of Shun knives with a bamboo knife block, but in washing them before first using them, I was reminded of

1.) how sharp new and well-maintained knives are 2.) how I need to get my old Globals sharpened 3.) the old adage, "you are more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one," and how it does not apply to the washing process like it does to cutting vegetables.

Oh well, I wasn't really using that thumb for much anyway.

bandana1

Quinn — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:20:48 +0000

Santa Pirate Banadana Printed and Already Saving the Planet!

Quinn — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:24:59 +0000

I finally printed the first Pirate Santa Bandana, but complications with exposing the photo emulsion left the final result moderately crappy, and without time before I head to the East Coast, I am putting the project on hold. I may have late Christmas presents wrapped in bandanas for folks in the west when I get back, or I may postpone altogether and make them a feature of Christmas 2009. Although gifts themselves, I'm also using them as gift wrap to cut down the amount of paper my loved ones will be throwing away this holiday season. Thanks to the Japanese Ministry of the Environment for this Furoshiki guide sheet.

Beer Brewing Time

Quinn — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:16:19 +0000

I've been out of the homebrew habit for a while, but a few recent experiences, most notably taking TSB on a tour of the Magic Hat brewery in Vermont, have inspired me to get back into the habit. I need to start rebuilding my brewery, most notably with a new copper (stockpot) and a couple of fermenters. I think I will bottle in champagne bottles mostly, as I tire easily of the bottling process, and hell, who ever opens just one small bottle of homebrew? Plus, bigger bottles make better gifts, and thanks to the joy of Gloria Ferrer, I have a lot of empty champagne bottles lying around. Note: Miller High Life is known as the Champagne of Beers

apple-touch-icon

Quinn — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:38:10 +0000

Nermo.com and Nermo Blog now iPhone Sexy

Quinn — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:27:50 +0000

Now that I have my little blowfish logo, I set it so that when you go to nermo.com or the Nermo Blog on your iPhone or iPod Touch and choose "Add to Home Screen" the button will be the fugu icon instead of the generic webpage screenshot icon! Doesn't this make you want to add us to your home screen?

Recipe: Carnitas!

Quinn — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:45:42 +0000

TSB and I wanted to make dinner for my family while home for the holidays, and thought it would be fun to undertake one of her family's favorites, which would also bring her south-of-the-border heritage to the whitest state in the Union. To hear her dad and step-mom talk about making Carnitas (Mexican pulled pork), you would think it was the most labor-intensive task, requiring a full day of dedication and attention to the pork, and that the process would nearly destroy your home, both through the filthy, airborne fat globules that attach themselves to every surface in the house, and the strain that the cooking will put on your relationship. MALARKEY! It was the easiest thing I've ever made, and it was delicious! Many traditional recipes call for you to trim the fat off the pork and then cook it in lard. This must be the stupidest thing I have ever heard, "remove fat and then add fat." Traditionally, carnitas is a stove-top endeavor that involves a lot of splattering fat, but it works just as well in a crockpot which you cover, fill and forget about, then finish in the oven, requiring almost no attention and creating no mess. Carnitas Recipe Serves 6-8

3.5 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder, cut into 2 inch chunks
1.5 tablespoon garlic powder
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon salt

Set crock pot to low, add a layer of pork, sprinkle with garlic powder and repeat until all meat and garlic have been used.
Pour in enough broth to cover, put on the lid and let stew for 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 and remove pork from the cooking liquid onto a baking sheet.
Using two forks, shred the chunks and spread them evenly. Season the pork with half the salt and put in oven.
After 15 minutes, the top of the shredded pork should be getting crispy and brown. Turn over the pork and season with the remaining salt before putting it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Serve with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, rice and beans... or with hamburger buns, BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

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Quinn — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:00:58 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:30:37 +0000

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Quinn — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:33:22 +0000

Recipe: Pear Shallot Jam

Quinn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:05:21 +0000

The office network went down around noon today and boss-man let us hit the bricks a little after 2:00. No way was IT on top of their game today. On the way home I stopped at the local organic grocery and grabbed the dollar forty-nine discount bag of gorgeous, yet supposedly past its prime fruit and a loaf of bread. A cheese plate was was calling my name, so I busted out the insanely sharp cheddar and maple syrup I brought back from VT and made myself a snack. Here's the highlight. It doesn't make a lot. It's just enough for a cheese plate. Pear-Shallot Jam

1 Shallot, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small pear, roughly the size of a chicken egg, cored and diced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 pinch red pepper flakes
A pinch of salt
1 allspice berry
2/3 cups water

Over medium heat, add the butter to a small, heavy skillet and cook the shallot for five minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered for 20-30 minutes, until everything is soft and the liquid has evaporated (you know, like jam).
Squish with a fork to the desired consistency and serve with cheese, honey or maple syrup and bread or crackers.

fuguicon1

Quinn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:16:15 +0000

Brew Blog: Oxtail Ale

Quinn — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:46:55 +0000

After a 4 or 5 year hiatus, I've resumed brewing beer. Here's the recipe I made last night. I'm calling it Oxtail Ale because I'm hoping it will be ready in time to serve at my Lunar New Year dinner party, celebrating the year of the ox... and because as the wort boiled, I was marinating oxtails for a test recipe. Brewing was a bit of a mess since I'm out of the habit, but a few drops of burned malt and a separate boil for the finishing hops shouldn't do any harm. I realize this isn't the sort of recipe anyone is looking for on my blog, but I keep it here so I won't forget or lose it.

0.5# Special Roast malt
1# Crystal Malt (40L)
5.5# amber malt extract
1 oz. Centennial hops
1 oz. Tettnanger hops (pellet)
Dry English ale yeast (Safale s-04 11.5g packet)

Heat 1.5 gallons of water to 160 degrees.
Crack grains with a rolling pin, tie up in cheesecloth and submerge in water. Steep for 1/2 hour.
Remove grains from water, add 1 gallon tepid water, malt extract and Centennial hops, stirring to dissolve extract.
Boil wort for one hour, adding Tettnanger hops for last minute of boil.
Pour 2 gallons cold water into fermenter, Strain and sparge wort into fermenter. Add water to make 5 gallons.
When temperature drops below 75, add yeast, stopper and fermentation lock.

(Note original gravity reading: 1.022, but it looked less dense at the top, where I poured from into my hydrometer flask)

To Serve Man: A Cookbook

Quinn — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:13:16 +0000

My quirky cookbook concept that I should probably pitch to a publisher. I'm going to edit a cookbook, getting accomplished chefs (I know a few, and they each know several) to create recipes with the same primary ingredient: people. There's plenty of room for variety, as there are many types of people, each with several parts. Ensuring that it's still a conventionally useful cookbook, each recipe would also list an alternate, non-cannibal equivalent, like tofu, pork or chicken (humanity all tastes like chicken, right?). Between recipes, featuring photos of the respective chefs biting into body parts, will be nested stories about cannibalism in popular culture, glossaries of cannibalistic terms, boxes with nutrition facts about person meat, warnings on the health effects, insets about famous cases of cannibalism, sidebars about cannibalistic cultural practices , and so on. One of my favorite episdes of The Twilight Zone is "To Serve Man" about an alien race landing on Earth and offering the solutions to war and hunger. SPOILER ALERT: throughout the episode, government code-breakers try to decipher the book, To Serve Man, left by the aliens, which they eventually discern to be a cookbook. Now that I've spoiled the shocking ending, you can watch the entire episode on the left side of the screen Keywords: soylent, donner, hufu, recession dining, effects of global warming on the food supply, Kuru, Jonathan Swift

New Category: Booze

Quinn — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:00:44 +0000

I'm realizing that for all the writing I do about beer, wine and liquor, it' not right to lump that into the "food" category alone. It was fine when it was just a few infused vodka recipes, but it's gone too far, so I'm adding "booze" to the category list linked at the top of the page. Booze blog entries to date:

Brew Blog: Oxtail Ale

Beer Brewing Time

Recipe: Strawberries and Pears Poached in Port (sorta)

Recipes: Infuse the Booze

Bottles and Cans… And Just Clap Your Hands

Link: Molecular Mixology

Note: Martini Is The Name Of A Drink, Not A Category

Recipe: Bloody Buddy

Journal: Latin-Japanese Fusion

Journal: Firewater

Journal: Vegan Jell-O Flop

Journal: Black Absinthe

Journal & Recipe: Ginger Infused Vodka

Journal: Bathtub Gin and My First Hangover

Update: Holidays = Foodtastic Renewal

Quinn — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:53:43 +0000

Although I requested no recipe books for Christmas this year, I received a couple gems in my stocking that got my culinary brain going: Ferran Adria's A Day at elBulli (still nobody has bought me the 7Bowls system) and The Hungry Scientist (I am determined to be a contributor in the next installment). I also visited 5 craft breweries in VT over the break, which got me thinking. First off, I need to get a soda siphon, because everything is better with bubbles and I need to test an old theory about carbonating pineapple chunks. It's also a good move environmentally, to carbonate one's own water or make homemade soda/pop/soft drinks, rather than buying them bottled. Second, I've been inspired to make more booze, returning to my homebrew roots to craft beer, and soon my own sake. I was thinking of calling it "For Pete's Sake" I'm back to just screwing around in the kitchen more too, which has been rejuvinating, and I only hope that as my busiest semester starts gearing up today with the first class of my after school program (followed shortly be the start of the university semester which has me teaching two courses and taking one for fun on top of 37 hours a week in the office), I still have time for art and mayhem in the kitchen.

Art Lesson Plans

Quinn — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:19:44 +0000

Art Lesson Plansat http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edart.htm Arts Edge All for integrating art with other subjects. Good search features. Visual Arts Lesson Plans VA Lesson Plans; mostly for younger students. Education at the Getty Several good lesson plans from the Getty Museum including About Contemporary Art, Looking and Learning in the Art Museum (Grades 6-12), and symbolism in sculpture Artsconnected.org MN-based educational materials for art teachers. The Art of the Print (for rent?) ArtsNet Minnesota not much here KinderArt Activities, but not theory Lesson Plans Art lesson plans for all grade levels; very broad Incredible Art Department - Favorite Lessons A large selection of lessons organized by grade level. Includes elements and princ's Edu-Orchard.net - Arts DEAD LINK Resources for Teachers Elementary and Middle Level Lesson plans from the University of Houston. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute Overwhelmingly large and broad Utah Museum of Fine Arts Lesson Plans for Teachers Art lesson plans organized by topic. Lessons cover such topics as modern art, African art, and ancient Egyptian art. Skutt Ceramic Products Lesson Plans and Instructional Information Three sets of ceramics lesson plans as well as information on kilns and kiln rooms. Art Activities and Lesson Plans for Exploring Friendship A long list. See also Art Activities and Lesson Plans for Exploring Kindness and Art Activities for Exploring Self-Esteem . Color Theory A middle school lesson plan. For elementary lesson plans on color, see Scheming with Colors and Getting to Know the Color Wheel. Anthropological Art Projects Interesting art lessons on topics such as cave art, natural art, and art from around the world. Explore Art DEAD LINK Crayola Home Page Information about and lesson plans using crayons. Use the scroll-down menu to find the lesson plans. Aunt Annie's Crafts Many ideas for crafts projects, including seasonal and holiday suggestions. Artists Portraits A webquest for middle school students. A Snowy Day A lesson plan from the World Artist Directory's Art Teacher Page. It involves the use of crayons, chalk, and construction paper and is listed for grades K-12. Fun With Colors on the Internet A kindergarten lesson plan from The Educator's Reference Desk. Art Takes Time Primary grade art activities that meet the National Standards for the Visual Arts. Ancient African An elementary lesson plan on African masks, shields and "Kente" Placemats. African Art and Culture A unit for grades K-4 from from Arts Edge. Africa: Communicating Values and History through Masks An early elementary lesson plan in which students create an African style mask that depicts a value or character trait that is important in their community. Arts Careers A K-4 unit from Arts Edge using a stations approach to learning about arts careers. Watercolor Butterfly A lesson plan for grades 1-2 Form and Texture in Autumn Another lesson plan for grades 1-2. American Folk Art A thematic unit for grades 2-5. Modern Art Lesson Plans Lessons on a variety of artists such as Andy Warhol, Alex Katz, and Robert Indiana. Pro Cartoonists Teacher's Guide A teachers' guide for using the Professional Cartoonists Index in your classes. See the index at the side for lesson plans. Adapting to the Land An activity for grades 2-4 integrating art and the study of cultures. Collage and Romare Bearden An elementary art lesson plan on the work of African American artist Romare Bearden. Maya Lin A lesson plan for grades 3-4 on memorial art and this woman who designed the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial. Rockin' Chalk A 4th-grade lesson plan integrating art and science. A Painter for Mother's Day: Mary Cassatt A lesson plan for grades 4-5. Lesson Plan Ideas Using Petroglyphs Activities for grade 5. Asian Influences on European Art Elementary and middle grade lesson plans. Finishing Sadako's Cranes A 4th-grade lesson plan on Japanese Origami using Eleanor Coerr's book Sadako and the Thousand Cranes. An Introduction to Mexican Art and Culture Through the "Day of the Dead" An art activity based on this Mexican holiday celebrated October 31 through November 2. Religious Beliefs Made Visual: Geometry and Islam Classroom activities designed to show how Islamic art can provide important insights into the technology, scientific knowledge, and religious beliefs of Moslems. Islamic Foil Art This art activity, which is appropriate for many grade levels, may be just what you need for your multidisciplinary unit on Islam. Visual Patterns in Tessellation A lesson plan allowing students to examine the mathematical nature of art, tilings, and tessellations. A Tribute to Miro A lesson plan for grades 5-8 from Arts Edge. Murals, Memories, and Making Art From the above site, this unit is also for grades 5-8. Exploring the Uses of Art through Latino Murals A lesson plan for grades 6-12 from LA Youth. Emotion in Art and Poetry A multidisciplinary lesson plan for elementary and middle school. Seeing Feelings An art lesson plan using Van Gogh's The Old Mill. Hands - Art Lesson Ideas Several lesson ideas for middle and high school students. Color in 3-D: A Nature Design Project A lesson plan for grades 6-12 in which students create a two-dimensional design using two aspects of Hans Hoffmann's art. A Study of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" A 7th-grade unit involving discussion and painting. Model Unit-Grade 7 Unit integrating math and the visual arts. Picasso: The Early Years, 1892-1906: Teachers' Guide Three lesson plans for middle and high school grades. See also Online Picasso Project. Landscape Painting: Artists Who Love the Land Two lesson plans for the middle grades and above from Smithsonian Education. How to Recognize a Painting by Frida Kahlo A lesson plan for grades 8-12 in which students learn to identify paintings by specific artists. Monochromatic Painting A secondary lesson plan in which students experiment with monochromatic painting and learn about the connection between color and emotion. What Did They Say? Interpretation of Criticism A lesson plan for grades 11-12 in which students learn aesthetic qualities and terms of art criticism and then construct a review of a given artwork. Tessellations and Golf Balls A high school lesson plan. Ceramics: A Vessel into History A unit for a high school ceramics course with a studio emphasis. Japan: Images of People A unit designed to help students understand Japanese painting and culture. Still-Life Painting: Arranging Art Four lesson plans for grades 9-12. Color Wheel This unit for grades 9-12 students allows students to explore the mixing of colors. Looking and Learning at an Art Museum Lesson plans for grades 6-12. Neoclassicism and the Enlightenment A curriculum for the middle and high school grades . Photographing America: A Cultural History, 1840-1970 Ten curriulum units! Representation of American Culture, 1769 -1969: Art and Literature Ten more curriculum units. Racism, Gender, Ethnicity, and Aesthetics in the Art of Graffiti A high school unit. Shaping Ideas: Symbolism in Culture Three lesson plans for grades 9-12. Impressionism: Reflections of a Culture A high school unit created to complement the French curriculum. Art Resources Art Education Page Huge list of links. Artcyclopedia An excellent source of information and links to sites about artists and their works. Words of Art An on-line glossary of art terminology. ArtiFAQ 2100 Time Portal A highly interactive site designed to predict how art will influence our lives in the next hundred years. Through probing past art inspirations and scientific methods, students can use available data to make reasonable forecasts for the future. Solving the site's quiz will give you access to the Future Art Gallery. World Artist Directory This comprehensive site features artist forums, world art news, a portfolio gallery, and a special section for kids. The site even has a search engine (Internet Art Engine) for locating sites about a specific artist, art form, or topic. Explore Art Site allows you to view images of all works on display at the Getty Museum. Dick Blick Art Materials Excellent online source for art supplies. Online Picasso Project His life, works, and everything else about Picasso. Web Clip Art Need clip art? Find it here. Photography from About.com Learn all about it from an online guide. A. Pintura Art Detective On-line art history adventure for kids. Art History for Kids Online art history activities for kids The Incredible Art Department Art lessons, news, links to other arts sites. Art Museum Links From Thinkquest. See the left-side menu for links to sites on styles of art, famous artists, and art by kids. Click here for more art museum links. Smithsonian American Art Museum See their Online exhibits. Eyes on Art On-line art activities including elements of design, eras of art, and the works of unknown artists. Click on Artspeak 101 for the elements of design. A wonderful site!!

pyramid

Quinn — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:37:35 +0000

caucasian

Quinn — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:38:10 +0000

Iron Chef: Battle Chocolate

Quinn — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:50:26 +0000

This weekend in Pac Heights, TSB and her roommate are hosting the next installment of Iron Chef SF. You may recall, I was robbed of victory (aka. I bombed) in Battle Mango, but redeemed myself as champion of Battle Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough. Saturday, my title will be on the line in Battle Chocolate. My two dishes are starting to get out of hand. Just one sweet and one savory, but everything from ingredients and technique to naming and plating are growing exponentially more complex with every passing minute. Allez cuisine! The main involves searing meat, making a pan sauce, making fresh pasta dough and a filling, filling and cooking the pasta, cooking and glazing a veg and putting it all together to look amazing. I want to spill the beans now (that's not a hint), but I'd better play the details close to my chest today. I'll post (very long, byzantine) recipes soon. Secret Treasure of the Aztec Temple and an Angry Conquistador, as I am calling the dessert, will likely necessitate hiring a licensed civil engineer to assist in plating. Yes, there actually will be an actual temple constructed on the plate with an actual treasure inside, and a Caucasian cocktail. Actually!

valrhona

Quinn — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:08:21 +0000

valrhona1

Quinn — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:11:26 +0000

Recipe: Battle Chocolate Savory Entree

Quinn — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:24:07 +0000

Here's my first dish from last night's Iron Chef: Battle Chocolate. I'll update with pictures when I get a chance.

Pepper-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Pumpkin Ravioli and Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Steak and Sauce

2 five-ounce beef tenderloin steaks
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked pepper
1 small shallot, sliced thin
1/4 cup Port
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 ounce high quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (82% Valhrona)

Salt steaks and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Coat both sides with pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan until shimmering. Add the meat and sear 4 minutes per side (medium-rare). Remove from pan and let rest. Add shallot to pan and sauté 1 minute.
Add port and vinegar and simmer for a minute or two until syrupy. Add stock and rosemary and return to a simmer. Stir in chocolate and cook until slightly thickened sauce forms.

Chocolate Pumpkin Ravioli

1 15-16 oz can pumpkin (see note)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper to taste
one batch of chocolate pasta, recipe below

Combine all ingredients except pasta.
Place one tablespoon filling in center of each pasta square. Brush edges with water, top with another square and press edges to seal.
Working in batches, cook ravioli in pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute.

Note: Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin is actually a squash variety somewhere between jack-o-lantern and butternut, so really, it's better suited than fresh pumpkin

Chocolate Pasta

3 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1/4 water

Sift together flour and cocoa into a large bowl. Shape into a mound with a deep crater and pour in eggs and water. Beat wet ingredients with a fork. Using a circular motion, bring the dry ingredients into the center. Stir until all the flour is moistened. Add more water as needed in small amounts. Shape dough into a ball and knead 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Cover dough and let it rest ½ hour. Roll out the dough and cup into 2-inch squares.

Glazed sweet potatoes

2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1.5 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Cocoa powder
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), cooked, peeled, and cut in 1/2 inch slices

In a heavy skillet, combine brown sugar, water, butter, salt and cocoa powder.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

MobilePost: Fancy Food Show 2009

Quinn — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:11:51 +0000

I scored a press pass to the 34th annual Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco this weekend. I only spent 2 hours there today, but decided to take the next two days off from work in order to really dig in. I've already got at least a half dozen story ideas in mind, so I think the next two days will be both fun and productive. Keep an eye out for articles on wild, new food products in the coming days and weeks. Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa was lurking around aisle 900 today according to Nicole at PMGCreative, and thanks to Suki for reminding me that there is a Wordpress iPhone application so I don't need to lug my MacBook Pro to Moscone while I wait for my new netbook to arrive. Jennifer In the press office was a peach, but the guy who jumped me for my card the moment I left the office with my press pass scared the living daylights out of me. Only a well-paying blogging gig could get me over the shock ;) An annual event in San Francisco, the Fancy Food Show is a convention with over 15,000 exhibitors presenting over 80,000 products. That's a hell of a lot of samples for this intrepid blogger, but I shall persevere.

Recipes: Secret Treasure of the Aztec Temple and an Angry Conquistador

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:30:09 +0000

My second dish for Battle Chocolate is a pyramid of tortilla chips coated in chili and chocolate ganache. Inside the pyramid is a little bowl of crème fraîche sweetened with honey and it's served with a spicy white russian cocktail. The center design was created with a hand-cut stencil and cocoa powder.

Secret Treasure of the Aztec Temple and an Angry Conquistador

Chili Chocolate Tortilla Temples

4 medium flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
12 oz extra dark chocolate, finely chopped
Chili powder
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon warm honey

Preheat oven to 350.
Cut tortilla chips into equal sixths and cut rounded edges flat. Brush both sides with butter and arrange triangles in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, rotating the tray half way.
Simmer cream in a saucepan with vanilla and cinnamon. Remove from heat and let sit ten minutes. Remove bean and stick , return to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until fully combined.
Dip chips 2/3 of the way to the tip in ganache and wipe gently against edge of pan if coating is too thick.
On wax paper, arrange 3 chips, clean point up to form a pyramid, making sure that all three chips touch each other in the chocolate-coated regions. Sprinkle with chili powder while still wet and allow to cool.
Combine crème fraîche and honey and divide into 8 small cups.
Once cooled, arrange pyramids over the cups of and serve with an Angry Conquistador (recipe below). To eat, guests should break apart their pyramids and dip individual chips in the sweetened crème fraîche.

An Angry Conquistador

1 part firewater
2 parts Kahlua
3 parts half-and-half
4 parts vodka

Mix all ingredients and serve on the rocks in an old fashioned glass.

classic1

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:12:01 +0000

dave1

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:12:53 +0000

dem_sauce

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:13:46 +0000

happy_boys

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:14:12 +0000

img_5050

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:14:42 +0000

luckytacodan

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:15:00 +0000

meandpaul

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:15:18 +0000

reeds

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:15:54 +0000

stubbs

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:16:08 +0000

sweetwater

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:16:29 +0000

waynes

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:16:45 +0000

aztec_temple

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:23:44 +0000

baconme2

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:55:14 +0000

Fancy Food Show Day Two

Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:17:40 +0000

On Sunday I performed a whirlwind sweep of the convention center in the last two hours of the day, but today I endeavored a little deeper with a few people and products. Each of the following photos deserves an entry of it's own, and they are forthcoming, but for now, the photo montage must suffice, because I need to get up early to watch the inauguration with friends and cocktails in the Financial District. [gallery]

Lucky Taco/ Unlucky Taco

Quinn — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:14:39 +0000

The most amusing booth at the Fancy Food Show and the most disturbing news item of the day involve tacos, and leave me with two questions for you. [caption id="attachment_1146" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Dan, The Lucky Taco Salesman"][/caption] Lucky Taco is the Mexican equivalent of a fortune cookie. That is to say, it's as Mexican as a fortune cookie (invented in San Francisco) is Chinese. Fruit favored cookie wafers folded over a fortune, they taste like my memories of Fruit Loops. We'll do an SAT-style analogy, because just looking at the picture below would be too easy "cookie wafer : fortune :: tortilla : meat and cheese" There, get it? If not, look at the picture. It's really just a fruity fortune cookie with one less fold. Here's another analogy regarding technical complexity, "fortune cookie : origami :: Lucky Taco : folding a piece of paper in half." I hope this clarifies everything for you. . [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Pathetic Loser "][/caption] According to his local Fox Affiliate, This smug little SOB brat hit his mother in the face with a taco while she cleaned the kitchen because she unplugged his video game after repeatedly calling him to dinner, which she had graciously prepared, while the boy wasted his life in his room rather than getting a job or going to school. Question 1: Would you welcome a Lucky Taco at the end of a Mexican meal, if your server dropped off the check with a colorful cookie? Question 2: Are you reconsidering the validity of corporal punishment, because I sure am. Somebody needs a good caning.

love

Quinn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:30:26 +0000

Quest for the Ultimate Blue Cheese Stuffed Olive

Quinn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:07:32 +0000

Day one at the Fancy Food Show, cruising the aisles for interesting, new and outrageous specimens, I speared a blue cheese stuffed olive and popped it in my mouth. Despite expecting nothing shy of rapture, I couldn't swallow the fetid thing. Hearkening back to the oil-slicked martini wherein I first experienced that precious, pungent, briney gem, I was sorely disappointed. But filled olives were in heavy rotation on the convention center floor, so I set out on my quest. I wish I could say that I rediscovered the joy that I found in that cocktail years ago, but alas it was not so. The blue cheese stuffed olives I sampled are listed from best to worst, but I'm still searching.

Santa Barbara Olive Company: The olive nearly overpowers the cheese, but the filling is authentic, albeit weak in flavor, and has a bit of tooth to it, unlike every other one on the list.
Miss Leone's: pleasantly tangy with a bit of a spicy bite to the olive, but the filling is the consistency of whipped cream. If I want blue cheese foam, I'll go to wd-50 or Alinea.
Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro: Balanced flavor but kinda bland and the whipped cream filling was a little gritty.
Delallo: Gray cheese; tastes like a cheap pickle.
Silver Palate Kitchens: The label says it comes from New Jersey and the flavor confirms it. There was hardly any bad faux cheese in the middle but I'm not sure if that made it better or worse.
Barhyte: Completely out of blue cheese stuffed samples early on the second day, but claiming to have the best. If they had the best, they would have opened another jar to prove it to me and end my quest.

(Note: All I can say about Divina's is that they don't taste good after a mint. My mistake.)

All your BASE Are Belong to Us

Quinn — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:18:17 +0000

The French have their roux and mirepoix,but so many other nations and regions have their own flavor-packed base pastes kept on hand to add bold flavors to soups, stews, stir-fries, sauces, and even dishes that don't start with "s." Here's an not-so-comprehensive list of recipe links. What else should I add? Asia Basa Genep (Bali) Indian Curry Paste (India) Massaman Curry Paste (Thailand) Red Thai Curry Paste (Thailand) Green Thai Curry Paste (Thailand) Yellow Thai Curry Paste (Thailand) Sambal Bajag (Indonesia) Base Gede (Indonesia) Africa Berbere (Ethiopia) Harissa (North Africa) Europe Battuto (Italy) Caribbean Sofrito (Puerto Rico)

lucky_taco

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:04:12 +0000

olives

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:29:56 +0000

Simple Advice

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:56:55 +0000

Unsalted butter: use while cooking. Add salt as appropriate. Salted butter: leave on the table for your baked potatoes and pancakes. --- End ---

brew

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:55:42 +0000

brew2

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:48:24 +0000

Illustrated Guide to Brewing Beer... On a Napkin

Quinn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:50:18 +0000

As I tried to explain the beer brewing process to TSB a few weeks ago, I remembered that she is more of a kinesthetic and visual learner, and not so much auditory. I knew she'd get it once she tried it, but since she asked me to give her the gist in advance, I drew it on a napkin for her.

Hi Mom!

Quinn — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:01:07 +0000

My mother doesn't read my blog. We check in over the phone most Sunday afternoons to catch up on each other's lives, and I always need to remember to tell her the things I normally don't mention to people I am close to, because I've already written about them. I intentionally keep the content of my blog free from profanity and perversity under the assumption that my mother will eventually read it. When I mentioned all this to her, she said she is far to busy at work to read and at home she never goes on the computer. I teased that I could print the whole thing out and mail it to her and she told me that was a lovely idea. I mentioned the environmental impacts and she encouraged me to use recycled paper. I opted not to explore the carbon footprint implications of mailing something from coast-to-coast. Maybe I will just convert this into a blog about porn and foul language.

Dear Mom, I hope this has shamed you into at least skimming my blog occasionally. The next step is to post a comment. Click on "comments" at the bottom of this or any post. Fill in your name and email address (Don't worry; nobody but me can see your email) and then write something nice. Then click "submit comment." My 5 readers and I will all hold our breath until we see a comment posted by you. Love, Your son

Iron Mixologist

Quinn — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:01:21 +0000

TSB hosts the occasional Iron Chef-type events. The outcome is phenomenal in terms of mirth and quality food produced, but it's a lot of work, a lot of food and a lot of mess. Nobody in San Francisco has a big enough kitchen for five people to cook simultaneously, so everyone preps at home and then all frantically try to put on the finishing touches at the party. It’s a full-contact sport in that kitchen. As an alternative, I’d like to host Iron Mixologist. Despite infinite variations, here’s the format I propose. The Host: announces a brand of booze one-week prior to the event (better than giving an advantage to those who can afford top-shelf), and provides enough (see note) of the chosen spirit for everyone to use, as well as a standard set of bartending tools. Mixologists: each makes one cocktail on-site, and brings any mixers, other ingredients or special tools for his or her own recipe. Each should also bring a written copy of their recipe for the host to post on blog.nermo.com after the event. Judges: score each cocktail on flavor (10 possible points), presentation (5) and creativity/use of ingredient/ that certain je ne sais quoi (5). Any tie is settled by a Classic Cocktail Sudden Death. The host names a classic cocktail and its ingredients, but no measurements and the bartenders compete to make the best. Judges vote by Australian ballot for their favorite replication. Guests: should bring beer or snacks to share. Note: a standard 750ml bottle of spirits makes about 17 drinks (39 drinks from a 1.75 liter “handle”). Assuming a party of 15-20, including 5 mixologists and 5 judges, each contestant should make a batch of 10 drinks, one for each judge and five to be shared by guests, and so the host should have at least 3 bottles, which would be enough for 51 cocktails. If you are cutting it that close, the host should specify recipes to be based on 1.5 oz of the selected spirit. Afterthought: based on the first 3 comments, judginng needs to come with a cost. Should each judge bring a bottle of the featured liquor? Is there a better alternative? What should the first featured liquor be?

pr0k

Quinn — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:12:07 +0000

Food Porn! All I've heard about for the past year are the sinful delights of pork and it's many unconventional uses, so of course everyone seems to be calling bacon "soooo last year," but if bacon can be wrong, then Baby, I don't want to be right! Always ahead of the culinary curve, I've been making bacon fat ginger snaps for years (OK, and all of Sweden has been making them for hundreds of years). I'm a good little environmentalist, saving my drippings in a can to use in cooking and I'm a big fan of wrapping wholesome foods in bacon and grilling them. My only fear is the looming threat of bacon fatigue, so I'm testing your endurance. Here's a dozen links to bacon-related art, products, events, and other plural nouns. I'm exhausted and this is only a drop in the bucket. I can't do it all in one little post, and I don't want you all to burn out on sheer porcine glory all at once. I might need to launch my own bacon porn site! . Note: The title is a joke in poor taste that only the web-savvy and perverse would get immediately, but pr0n is a term for adult material that aficionados use to circumvent filters which weed out things containing the word p-o-r-n, so they juxtapose the interior letters and replace the o with the numeral zero. I've done the same, but with pork. Get it?

Thing-A-Day 2009

Quinn — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:27:43 +0000

I just registered for thing-a-day 2009, the challenge to create one new "thing" every day for the month of February and post it on the site. The concept grew out of an assignment from a class taught by Ze Frank at NYU early in the millenium that was resurrected by some of the students in the class in 2007. Neil just reminded me, so I can sign up on time for once. I can't quite tell what counts as a "thing" since the site is more or less down right now. Anyone know the rules? So far, I am stock-piling ideas including food, sake, beer, infused booze, photos, videos, animation, book arts projects (I'm taking a class), silkscreen t-shirts, drawings, a crossword puzzle, furniture, picture frames, a party, a case for my new netbook (grey flannel maybe), a bacon-porn website, a shiny wood-veneer shell for my netbook, a coat rack, a bomb (just kidding), and trouble (does making trouble count?). You can find my posts by clicking Quinn on the Participants page or just by clicking my linked name on this line. What else should I make?

Lunar New Year Dinner Party 2009 (4707 on the Chinese Calendar)

Quinn — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:22:49 +0000

Happy Year of the Ox! My Lunar New Year's resolution is to not spend this year's party in the kitchen. Here's a link to last year's menu and my tentative menu for this year is below. I've been too busy to revamp the entire thing, so I am bringing back some favorites with new additions, including a couple of oxtail dishes. Apéritif: Tet-Nis Shot Amuse Bouche: Oxtail pâté on crispy wontons Starters: BBQ Pork Buns (test batch with oxtail not great) Crab Mangoon OMG Ribs Vietnamese Spring Rolls Noodle Bar: Rice and egg noodles Peanut Sauce Asian Pesto Coconut Curry Beef Pho broth with oxtail Grilled meat and tofu skewers Veggies and aromatics Dessert: Haupia with pineapple juice pearls Yuzu Fro-Yo (?) Digestif: Orange slice jello shots Note: I realize that oxtail is really just cow tail, but whatever.

nycard

Quinn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:27:08 +0000

Lunar New Year Party Invitation Art

Quinn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:29:46 +0000

I've told a bunch of people to save the date, but never got around to sending the invitations. It's the year of the Ox, so of course there needs to be an ox. The rest of it is pretty random.

tet-nis shot

Quinn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:03:52 +0000

Lunar New Year Specialty Cocktail: The Tet-Nis Shot

Quinn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:58:17 +0000

"An aperitif guaranteed to inoculate you against bad luck in the year 4707" (2009 on the Roman calendar) 1 part Campari 1 part Sweet Red Vermouth 1 part Shiso-infused Vodka Shake with ice and serve up. It's a variation on the Negroni, substituting shiso-infused vodka for gin to give it a little Asian aromatic quality, while maintaining the bright red color and medicinal, herbaceous bitterness. If you don't get the name, Tet is the word for Lunar New Year in Vietnam, as in the Tet Offensive. Hmmm.... "Tet Offensive" sounds like a good name for another Lunar New Year cocktail.

Chipotle™ Vinaigrette

Quinn — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:56:13 +0000

About three times a year, I eat at Chipotle, the burrito subsidiary of chain restaurant formerly partially owned by McDonald's. I'm not judging if it's your favorite "Mexican restaurant," but I live in a city with amazing Mexican food and only go to the chain if I am in dire need of expeditious eats. It's less than a block from my office, and even when the line is a mile long, it only takes 5 minutes to be served. I order the oft-neglected salad, not because it's carb-conscious, since I order tortilla chips too, but because of the smoky, tangy tub of chipotle-honey vinaigrette that comes with it. This stuff must be bad for me, because it tastes so good. I drizzle a little on the salad, but save most of it to dip my chips. I'm guessing you could make something similar or better by vigorously shaking up the following: 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon pureed chipotles in adobo a pinch of cilantro, minced 2-3 tablespoons olive oil If that's too tangy, I may swap out some of the lime juice with orange juice, and a little zest from either would be a nice touch. I'll give it a try next week and post results as a comment.

Culinary Flashback: Bove's Vodka Sauce

Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:16:59 +0000

At the Fancy Food Show, I met a lovely lady from my home town who brought up Bove's, the institutional Italian family restaurant in Burlington, Vermont. My first thought was of longing for their incredible vodka sauce (particularly over cheese ravioli with meatballs), which is now being sold in stores nationally. My second thought was of a girl long-forgotten. After flirting through a grad class and a few after-learning cocktails, she invited me over for dinner the following week with the lure of her "amazing homemade vodka sauce." As promised, the penne alla vodka blew my mind. It was zesty, creamy, smooth and utterly enchanting. If I hadn't offered to do dishes, I might be married to that girl today. I opened the trash can to scrape out a salad bowl, and there sat an empty jar of Bove's. I can abide a liar, but not a gal who doesn't recycle.

pate1

Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:55:46 +0000

pate2

Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:03:14 +0000

Recipe: Oxtail Pâté

Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:10:12 +0000

The amuse bouche to start my Lunar New Year dinner party necessarily features oxtail surrounded by Asian elements. I just wish it were prettier. 1/2 pound braised oxtail 1 shallot, finely diced 1 tablespoon butter 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed blood orange juice 1/4 teaspoon drained bottled green peppercorns 1 teaspoon braising liquid 1/4 teaspoon salt dumpling size wontons, quartered and deep-fried pickled carrots and daikon radishes, jalapeno pepper and cilantro (optional)

Remove meat from fat and bones, reserving 1 tablespoon braising liquid.
Saute shallot in butter for 3-4 minutes.
Combine all ingredients, except wontons in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Serve at room temperature on crispy wonton crackers.
Garnish with pickled shreds of carrots and daikon radish, paper thin jalapeno rings and a small cilantro leaf.

Shopping List

Quinn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:54:41 +0000

Wow, this is epic. Here's my ingredient/shopping list based on my recipes, with a few omissions that I haven't planned yet for the noodle course. Strikeouts mean I already had it on hand, or I have already picked it up on one of my many recent market runs. Choosing to give up my car and take the train makes buying several hundred dollars worth of groceries a challenge.

Apéritif: Tet-Nis Shot Amuse Bouche: Oxtail Pâté Starters: BBQ Pork Buns, Crab Mangoon, OMG Ribs, Spring Rolls Noodle Course: Rice noodles, Peanut Sauce, Asian Pesto Sauce, Coconut Curry, Beef Pho with Oxtail, Skewered proteins, veggies and aromatics Dessert: Haupia with pineapple pearls Digestif: Orange Slice Jello Shots

Shopping List

Booze

Campari
Sweet red vermouth
Shiso-infused vodka
Port
Vodka

Meat and Fish

3 pounds oxtail
3 pounds pork shoulder
1 (8 ounce) package faux crab legs
10 pounds pork spareribs
1 pound shrimp

Spices

fennel seeds
tumeric
red pepper flakes
cinnamon stick
vanilla Bean
five-spice
cumin
star anise

Vegetables

1 shallot
4 green chili peppers
8.5 inches ginger
9 cloves garlic
2 carrots
1 daikon radish
1 medium cucumber
1 small head romaine Lettuce
2 bunches cilantro
40 scallions
1 1/4 cups Thai basil
1 cup mint leaves
1 large onion
1.5 cup bean sprouts

Fruit

6-12 oranges
2 mangoes
1 blood orange
6 limes

Bottles and Cans

green peppercorns sub capers
mirin
beef stock
soy sauce
honey
Sesame oil
Sriracha
rice vinegar
2.5 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
Oil for deep-frying
1 cup peanut butter
Oyster sauce
2 bottles hoisin sauce
1 cup veggie broth
2.5 cup chicken broth
8 cups beef broth
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
3 14-ounce cans coconut milk
1 bottle fish sauce
1 can Pineapple juice

Dry Goods and Starches

all-purpose flour
white sugar
baking powder
chopped peanuts
active dry yeast
shortening
2 packages wontons
15 Rice paper rounds
rice stick noodles
flat rice noodles
Orange Jello

Dairy

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup whole milk

Chemicals

Sodium Alginate
Calcium Chloride

drill_whisk

Quinn — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:00:49 +0000

Two Passions United

Quinn — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:03:23 +0000

As two of my favorite pastimes are cooking and designing furniture, you'd think I would have tried this sooner.

Oxtail Steamed Buns... or Not

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:20:24 +0000

Gregorian New Year has passed and Lunar New Year is upon us, which means I needed to grind out some new recipes for Saturday's Lunar New Year Dinner Party. It's the Year of the Ox, which is a little more enticing than year of the rat, so I went straight to the ox for inspiration. This lead me to oxtail, which is actually part of a cow, but I'm not going to stress about it. I was going to make BBQ pork buns (like Cantonese Cha siu bao), but I have been told that the OMG ribs needed to happen again (I bought over ten pounds of ribs) and that would mean a lot of pork among the starters, so I worked up a recipe for Oxtail Steamed Buns. --- Needle scratching across the record and the music stops --- The Beer Braised Oxtail (recipe far below) was great, but not suited to a steamed bun, so I went back to the more traditional pork. The method works fantastically well, because I made the meat and sauce in a crockpot, but let it cook down until the liquid was sticky and didn't cover the meat so the top got charred and developed a barbecue flavor. BBQ Pork Buns (Cha siu bao) 3 pounds pork shoulder 1 teaspoon 5-spice 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup hoisin 1/4 cup mirin 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup oyster sauce

Cut pork into 2-inch strips and sprinkle with 5-spice.
Combine other ingredients in crock pot and add pork.
Cook on low for 10 hours (and then it sat on "warm" another 8 hours, but I am not sure if that was essential).

6 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white sugar 1 3/4 cup warm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 tablespoons shortening

Dissolve sugar in water, and add yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes/until frothy.
Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add shortening and yeast mixture and knead until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until tripled in volume.
Flatten a golf ball size lump of dough into a 4-inch disc, place a 1-inch ball of meat in the middle and wrap dough to encapsulate the meat.
Let completed buns sit in the steamer baskets another 30 minutes and then steam for fifteen minutes. Serve hot.

Beer-Braised Oxtail

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons high quality oyster sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder
3-4 pounds oxtails
1 cup beef stock
1 can beer

In a bowl (or in your crockpot if inner bowl is removable!), combine soy, hoisin, oyster sauce, mirin and 5-spice powder.
Add oxtail to bowl, submerging in sauce, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Add beer and stock, stir, cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.

pork_buns

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:13:00 +0000

party1

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:41:55 +0000

party2

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:02:45 +0000

Lunar New Year Party Debrief (with recipes)

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:06:43 +0000

Party Stats First guest arrived: 7:30 pm Number of Guests: 19 Culinary Concoctions Served: 11 Number of fights over sustainably-raised cattle that nearly came to fisticuffs: 1 Last guest departed: 2:15 am (was also the first guest and had one arm in a cast from shoulder to finger. What a trooper!) After a couple of last-minute cancellations and finding myself behind schedule, I scaled back the menu and kept it to canapes and cocktails, followed by 4 appetizers, a noodle bar with three sauce choices, and two desserts. Here is a PDF file of the menu with recipes. Past Party Links: Lunar New Year Party Invitation Art Recipe: Oxtail Pâté Oxtail Steamed Buns… or Not Orange Slice Jello Shots Lunar New Year Specialty Cocktail: The Tet-Nis Shot Shopping List Lunar New Year Dinner Party 2009 (4707 on the Chinese Calendar)

jello

Quinn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:32:11 +0000

Orange Slice Jello Shots

Quinn — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:24:52 +0000

I can't take any credit for this recipe, since I adapted it entirely from WikiHow. The one thing I can add, is to recommend slicing the oranges from top to bottom, rather than around the equator, since they tend to leak through the ends. Everyone at the party loved these and devoured them within minutes. • 6 oranges • 2 cups boiling water • 6 oz. package of orange Jello • 3/4 cup cold water • 1 1/2 cups chilled vodka 1. Slice oranges in half and slide a spoon between skin and fruit to remove cleanly*. 2. Bring water to a boil, and remove from heat. 3. Stir Jello into hot water until dissolved, then stir in cold water and vodka. 4. Set orange peel halves into shallow cups or glasses on a tray so that the edges are level and fill with jello liquid to the rim. 5. Let cool overnight in the refrigerator and slice each half into thirds with two vertical cuts. *Reserve the orange fruit to juice for mimosas in the morning. If you have executed the rest of this recipe properly, you will need them.

Video of the Whisk-Drill in Action

Quinn — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:51:58 +0000

I got a number of requests for a report on (and video proof of) how well the Whisk-Drill works in the kitchen. It works remarkably well. Sorry about the bed-head.

NorCal Grilled Cheese Inviational: The Garden of Edam

Quinn — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:39:48 +0000

I came in 5th in the dessert division last year (actually October 2007) with the Ol' Vermonter, so this year I am taking another approach. This year I'm entering the Vegetarian Kama Sutra division with a little something I am calling the Garden of Edam. I had the name before any actual culinary concept was developed, but it necessarily involves Edam cheese, and I'm probably going to use something like my Pear and Shallot Jam as a condiment. What else should I do? Bread? Veggies? Any ideas?

_mg_5265

Quinn — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:03:03 +0000

_mg_5267

Quinn — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:03:34 +0000

3-D Gas Mask T-Shirt Printed!

Quinn — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:28:25 +0000

I've been toying with this image for a long time and finally got it burned onto screens. Sorry the photos aren't top notch, but I wanted to get them up today for thing-a-day. Now I need to buy decent t-shirts to print them on. The image on the right is actually a print on paper that I made for my little brother, who needs stuff to hang on the bare walls of his new apartment.

rorschach1

Quinn — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:44:45 +0000

rorschach2

Quinn — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:46:01 +0000

Rorschach Inkblot Valentine

Quinn — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:49:07 +0000

I painted/photoshopped this Valentine card for TSB. Click the image to see the inside of the card.

Leftover Inkblots

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:31:06 +0000

I made a bunch of inkblots while creating the Rorschach Inkblot Valentine, so I'm posting them, since I found the process relaxing and the product amusing. Tell me what you see, and just like when administered by a psychiatrist, if you get the right answer, you'll win a prize! a.) b.) c.) d.) e.) f.)

_mg_5296

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:40:43 +0000

pasta

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:56:05 +0000

salad

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:56:23 +0000

sauceman

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:56:48 +0000

bacon

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:58:28 +0000

bluecake

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:58:49 +0000

Valentine Crème Brûlée

Quinn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:50:11 +0000

My Valentine made me crème brûlée, but I got to do the brûléeing and photography

Valentine's Dinner

Quinn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:11:50 +0000

TSB and I cooked together Valentine's night rather than going out on the town. She made the crème brûlée, boiled the penne and put together the spinach and goat cheese salad while I made a cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and summer sausage, and a warm dressing of bacon, shallots and balsamic vinegar for the salad. TSB thought she saw a little man with an anguished facial expression in the sauce. Click the image to the right to look for yourself.

bluecake2

Quinn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:13:46 +0000

bluecake3

Quinn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:14:42 +0000

bluecake4

Quinn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:18:16 +0000

Lazy Sunday Morning Breakfast

Quinn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:30:42 +0000

Blueberry pancakes with Vermont maple syrup, bacon, fresh spinach and a shallot, cheddar and mushroom scramble.

blot1

Quinn — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:55:08 +0000

blot2

Quinn — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:55:47 +0000

blot3

Quinn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:15:56 +0000

blot4

Quinn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:16:31 +0000

blot5

Quinn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:17:22 +0000

blot6

Quinn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:18:09 +0000

crockpot

Quinn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:31:13 +0000

Grilled Cheese and Sour Grapes

Quinn — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Thwarted again and the Grilled Cheese Invitational. I can live with that, but this year's entry form distinguished registration in the Kama Sutra category between vegetarian and meaty, so for the added challenge, I entered the vegetarian division. To my chagrin, they pitted my delicate veggie delight, the "Garden of Edam" against sandwiches loaded with bacon! NOTHING BEATS BACON! This is a universal truth, and I can't for the life of me figure out why they made us register vegetarian OR meat if we would all be judged together. I'm bitter. Anyway, my sandwich came out well. I grated Gouda (couldn't find Edam) and mixed it with cream cheese and roasted red peppers to make a spread, which went on white bread with pear slices, watercress, pear & shallot jam and a little more gouda. The bread was perfectly toasted, as I spread ample amounts of butter and weighted it with an inverted plate, which also eliminated the need for a spatula. Hey look, I made it into someone's photo (upper right):

Please Stand By...

Quinn — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:57:12 +0000

Sorry folks, but upgrading to Wordpress 2.7 was more involved than I expected, and I have work to do, so it will be a little while before I restore my photos and layout. Happy March.

UPDATE (3/6): Images are back up, and I'll get to the visual elements of the theme eventually.

My Monday Morning

Quinn — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:51:50 +0000

What I was reading when I should have been getting ready to teach: Wall St. Journal article on the makers of St-Germain elderflower liqueur and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. 7x7 Q&A with SF's Top Pastry Chefs (but where's Jane Tseng?) LA Times article on the Evolution of the Slow-Cooker. Iannone Design: Eco-Friendly Modern Design has really eye-catching furniture that I was admiring. Catching up on the NY Times, including this article on meat pies and working on the crossoword puzzle (I actually managed to kill the Sunday Times puzzle by mid-afternoon last week!) New on my blogroll: 1. My Little Sister on Posterous.com 2. The Secret Life of a Female Gamer is Jaime's new blog at nerdress.com. I have little to no clue what she is saying, but I helped her set up the site. 3. Suddenly Free, My friend Christopher's take on unemployment amid the current economic conditions. To do this week: San Francisco Pie Fight At The Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround Bonus: Jamba Juice is offering fruit-topped oatmeal for a buck with this coupon through the end of March. OK, time to teach.

Emo Frittata

Quinn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:39:44 +0000

My admin turned 20-something last weekend and I was in charge of her office birthday celebration. She goes above and beyond to make my life so much easier, and I owe her greatly, so I vowed to do it up right last Friday. Along with a cake (the first one I've baked in a decade) and a tiara, I made a frittata. It was good. Here's the recipe: Frittata with Leek, Goat Cheese, Zucchini and Lemon

1 large leek
Olive oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
10 eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
10 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Split, clean and trim leek and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Cook leeks, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes or until softened. Add zucchini for the last five minutes.
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and zest, then stir in goat cheese, parsley, and finally leeks and zucchini.
Put the skillet back on the heat and wipe it down with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.
Pour in egg mixture and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the frittata has mostly set. Use a spatula to peel back the edges and tilt pan to pour the uncooked eggs underneath.
Once set, put th frittata under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly puffy.

DIY Condiments

Quinn — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:35:00 +0000

I've decided to make my own condiments, so when civilization collapses and we return to an agrarian society, I will still be able to have ketchup on potatoes, mustard on burgers and mayo in chicken salad. I suppose I should learn to farm first, but I'll worry about that later. In considering condiments, I've come to the conclusion that it's all about vinegar. If you consider the standard BBQ toppings, the common ingredient is vinegar. It's the acid that gives everything a tangy kick and also creates an environment that is hostile to bacteria, keeping food from spoiling too quickly. Below are links to basic recipes for all the classics. I'll try them out and post my own variations soon. Ketchup: tomato, onion, olive oil, brown sugar, vinegar and salt Mustard: mustard seed and/or powder, salt, sugar, vinegar Relish: pickled fruits or vegetables (pickled in vinegar, of course) Mayo: egg yolk, mustard, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper Hot Sauce: peppers, vinegar and salt BBQ Sauce: tomato, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, seasoning, mustard and cayenne Steak Sauce: ketchup, onion, garlic, water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard

Art Curriculum: Text Art Silkscreens

Quinn — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:56:34 +0000

The latest challenge I have given my high school arts students at YBCA is to

"design a dynamic, one-color silkscreen print using only text to create the image."

This assignment was actually first inspired by this Skull T-Shirt, but the Ork Poster of SF is probably a better example. I place the roots of text art in the neo-impressionism of Seurat, who's pointillist paintings could be viewed as the forerunner of ascii art. If Sunday Afternoon can be composed of daubs of paint, why not daubs of text? The assignment serves several purposes:

Revisiting and emphasizing the Elements of Art
Exploring their first significant, individual silkscreen project
Create large, bold images for Orson, one of the top restaurants in San Francisco, who graciously provided the opportunity to have the work of our class projected on the restaurant's digital wall.

If you want to take a look at the assignment sheet I gave the students, which includes several more examples of text art, click this link for a PDF version of the handout.

What I've Been Watching (and Looking at) this Week

Quinn — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:47:30 +0000

Carl's Fine Films Unauthorized commercial for Trader Joe's is a lyrical masterpiece shot on a cellphone. David Lynch's daily weather report videos. I don't care what the weather is like in LA. I live in NorCal. I just find him entrancing. Leslie Miles has the world's longest blog title, but she can count me as one of the ten. Check out "The aim is not to be everyone's tenth favorite blog, but rather ten people's favorite blog" for a thematic photo montage of some of the web's most striking images. My faves so far were She's a Lady and Born With It. Glennz makes some of the wittiest, most visually striking t-shirt designs. Period. World Builder is a fun spin on the use of CGI and Visual Effects from Bruce Branit.

westback

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:19:58 +0000

westfront

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:20:25 +0000

white

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:20:50 +0000

westback1

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:25:14 +0000

westfront1

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:25:31 +0000

white1

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:25:44 +0000

westback2

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:47:07 +0000

westfront2

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:47:21 +0000

white2

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:47:34 +0000

Recommendations Wanted: Blank Canvases

Quinn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:19:22 +0000

I just raided Macy's for a couple dress shirts to use as canvases for new silkscreen projects. Maybe I will wear them, or maybe I will just sell them on Etsy. Click any image to enlarge. The first is a mustard yellow Hilfiger western-style with opalescent snaps . I want to go totally counter-western with the design and solicited suggestions on Twitter. I was told to go with a ninja, geisha, kiwi, elephants, monkeys, giraffes, lions, aliens, rocket ships, and bacon . I was also asked to lend someone a hot glue gun, cordless drill and a staple gun. I like the ninja and the geisha, for taking my anti-western concept to heart, and I am considering something in the style of a Japanese woodblock print. Looking musically as well as hemispherically, I'm thinking punk. Maybe the anarchy circle-A in a western font and a gash held together by gold safety pins. A co-worker reinforced the outer-space concept so I'm considering a Cosmonaut theme as well. The second is a standard white Calvin Klein dress shirt, except for a strip of checkered embroidery that runs the length of the shirt to the right of the buttons. I haven't put any thought into this piece other than wanting to incorporate the embroidery. So, what themes, images or other ideas do you suggest I print onto these two?

1 Week Until BaconCamp (Can You Feel The Excitement?)

Quinn — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:49:39 +0000

I thought I mentioned this in more detail, but apparently not. BaconCamp San Francisco is next Saturday (3/21/9). People keep asking me what BaconCamp is and the best I can offer is that it is an afternoon devoted to the celebration of bacon. There will be bacon-based food, presentations, demonstrations, vendors and even a bacon poetry slam. My plan was to silkscreen the image above in white ink on a red t-shirt. Having toyed with the idea, my question for y'all is if I should print in white or silver and if the bacon should be horizontal as you see it, or diagonal, like a sash (vertical looks like a bacon tie). Opinions?

baconshirt1

Quinn — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:28:16 +0000

baconshirt11

Quinn — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:38:40 +0000

baconshirt2

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:13:45 +0000

baconshirt21

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:16:18 +0000

baconshirt3

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:22:48 +0000

baconshirt4

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:25:23 +0000

baconshirt5

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:29:35 +0000

d. horizontal, white, partial

Bacon T-Shirt Variations

Quinn — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:42:25 +0000

Late Edit: Bacon on one side (as below), and on the other, the Official Bacon Camp San Francisco logo that was just sent to me.

Not everyone can visualize the inner workings of my mind, so here are some variations to peruse. [caption id="attachment_1619" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="a. horizontal, white, full back"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1625" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="b. diagonal, white, full"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1627" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="c. horizontal , white, full"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1625" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="d. diagonal, white, partial"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1624" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="e. silver, horizontal, full... OK, the chrome effect sucks, so just imagine the images above in silver."][/caption]

Containerization

Quinn — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:14:11 +0000

I've long been fascinated by transforming a discarded shipping container into a house. Yeah, I was that daydreaming 8th-grader scribbling container dream home blueprints in my notebooks during class. Living in the Bay Area, the ports provide a surplus of containers, while housing prices rule out all other options, so if I ever want to own, I think this is my only hope.

Anyone have open land in SF they want to give me?

Prefab Friday from Inhabitat

Stylish Modern Homes from Shipping Containers from Re-Nest

2+ Weekend House from Arhitektura JureKotnik

Recycled-Container Chic from the New York Times Home Sweet Repurposed Shipping Container from Poetic Home Container House by Leger Wanaselja Architecture from Apartment Therapy

Bob Villa is kind of a d-bag, but he has a decent how-it's-done overview page

Reclaimed Wood Furniture

Quinn — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:46:15 +0000

I love the aesthetic of wood strips or chunks recomposed into solid furniture.Being made from castoffs bound for the landfill makes them that much more impressive. The style reminds me of the gorgeous cutting boards my father makes from the scraps of hardwood cabinetry projects.

Great How-To Links

Quinn — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:16:16 +0000

Here are the tutorials I've been skimming of late:

Craft

Handmade Detroit give us the Yudu How-To, which is poised to be the successor to Gocco. I need one. Photojojo's 12 awesome photography business card ideas remind me that I have a few new sets of cards to make. Craftynest's bamboo veneer flowers + Ikea Lack tables runs through a simple process yielding snazzy results. I have other projects where I intend to use a similar application. Urban Threads showed me how to make do manly embroidery. The stencil bleaching part of the tutorial is most useful, and I think the little "punk" patch is a mis-matched design element. My favorite Instructable that I am sure I will never get to: The Paracord Bracelet. Will someone please just make one for me?

Tech

Piclist is teaching me to be an engineer, because I didn't listen to my father as much as I should have in my youth. The Make Blog is giving me ideas for how to make my own photobooth and giving me the rundown on jigs, clamps and helping hands. DealNews will tell you how to make spare cash online.

Plants

Apartment Therapy SF is greening my thumbs with articles on Fun with 4-Inch Succulents and How to Care for an Orchid.

Food and Drink

The Kitchn has been telling me How (and Why!) to Preseason my Meat and How to Make Pasta, as well as planning ahead with how to make golden chocolate Easter eggs. Jaime Oliver explains something he calls gingerbread. The SF Chronicle offers a piece on do-it-yourself cocktail ingredients. Eddie Ross teaches us how to set the table.

BaconCamp T-Shirts

Quinn — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:49:21 +0000

I'll recap BaconCamp soon, but for now, I need to follow up on the silkscreening. I had a blast, printing about 20 BaconCamp t-shirts and then, upon refilling my ink bottle, the screens locked up and wouldn't print. I had to send away another 20+ unsatisfied baconistas, promising to print more in the coming weeks.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Making a Bacon T-Shirt for the Mad Meat Genius"][/caption]

If you want to order one, they will be $10-12 and all proceeds will still go to the American Heart Association. Once I am done giving midterms today, I'll figure out how to make this happen. In the meantime, just email me and I will reply to everyone with ordering details once I have them. Click here to order.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="My sign photographed by Ekai"][/caption] I also want to credit Pete Hottelet for the fantastic Bacon Camp logo that we printed on one side of the shirts. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Another satified bacon t-shirt customer by kveton"][/caption]

Breakfast for Dinner

Quinn — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:10:42 +0000

Breakfast for Dinner

Quinn — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:14:03 +0000

I was too busy making t-shirts to eat anything at BaconCamp, so I don't feel bad for turning back to my sizzling mistress as quickly as Monday night. I'm in he midst of a major apartment overhaul and decided I needed a supper break. Sitting in my fridge was a half-pound of bacon, a bunch of asparagus and a round of goat cheese. I grabbed a bottle of wine and got to work. I ended up in a bed of red cabbage topped with an egg over medium-easy and bacon-wrapped asparagus with a chèvre sauce (I poured off the bacon fat, deglazed the pan with a couple splashes of Pinot Grigio and stirred in about an ounce of goat cheese). Sorry about the grainy photo. I'm cleaning, so I have no idea where anything is, including both of my cameras.

BaconCamp T-Shirts

Quinn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:24:59 +0000

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="400" caption=""BaconCamp Screenprinting" by RodBegbie"][/caption]

BaconCamp T-Shirts are on sale through the end of March. I'll get in touch with you as soon as yours is printed (the next two weeks). As before, proceeds go to the American Heart Association (so be nice to me, as I am doing this for free).

Please let me know in the "Printing Instructions" box if you want something other than the standard bacon on the front/logo on the back.

Note: this is my first time on the receiving end of PayPal, so I hope the little widget works. If you have any questions or concerns, just email me. I'm assuming everyone is local enough to pick up their shirts in the city (downtown/FiDi/SoMa).

dresser

Quinn — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:53:11 +0000

5-Drawer Dresser

Quinn — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:55:10 +0000

I've been distracted of late (spring is always so busy for my "real jobs" and so my passion projects tend to get the red-headed stepchild treatment), so I haven't done much in the realm of designing furniture, but this morning I had an image in my head that I need to get on paper. Actually, paper was the tough part, so I ended up using 3-D modeling software to "sketch" the dresser I was picturing. It's a chest of drawers that swing on a pivot rather than sliding out, and the outside of the dresser is a rhombus, rather than right angles, but the inside spaces of the drawers are regular rectangles. Take a look at the pictures to get the gist. I realize I need to do a little structural work, but this is just a concept. Thoughts?

Funky Friday Morning

Quinn — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:23:29 +0000

Here's what I've been up to now that I am ready to teach at noon: 1. Picking out a weekend rental in wine country. I like Le Petite Olivet because it's on a vineyard, but Mark West Retreat for the architecture. 2.Listening to DIEHARD, my muse Liz's new band. I wish they had more than 3 songs up. Catch them Tuesday 3/31 at Union Hall in Brooklyn. 3.Warming up for the opening night party at YBCA for the Nick Cave (not of the Bad Seeds) exhibition. 4. Working on some recipes for homemade bitters that I hope to make some time soon. 5. Playing with how to structure the new dresser that I am designing so that it is Ikea-easy to assemble, sturdy and visually perplexing.

Mayo of the Day-O

Quinn — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:11:53 +0000

Old calypso music was blaring as I revved up the whisk drill to whip my first batch of mayo. 1 large, fresh egg yolk ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon dijon mustard (optional) ¾ cup vegetable oil

Whisk together all ingredients, except oil, until combined.
Continue to whisk, while ever-so-slowly adding oil.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Baconnaise, while brilliant in concept, is a vegetarian product, which makes it dumb. To make your own Baconaise, follow the recipe above, replacing two tablespoons of oil with bacon drippings (not just the rendered grease, because most of the flavor is in the brown flecks on the bottom of the pan).

Fascinatingly Foodie Friday

Quinn — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:41:10 +0000

I've been on a stationary culinary quest this week: too busy to do much in the kitchen, but now that other projects are winding down, I've been doing a lot of planning and research for gastronomical experimentation and I will hopefully have a little more time to play in the kitchen. It just hit me that I missed yuzu season, but kumquats are back and I reckon I should make a little marmalade this weekend, inspired by the cocktails at Midi, where they use house-made blood orange marmalade in the margaritas. They also make their own syrups and bitters, which got me thinking that I need to step it up in the cocktail component category as well. Look for more mixology makings in the near future. I haven't forgotten about my plan to make classic and unconventional condiments either. Last week's mayo fell a little flat, tasting of mediocre canola oil until I added the bacon fat, but Alton Brown suggests corn oil, which I have in spades, so I will give that a try, as well as another topping or two, depending on my mood and produce selection.

Here's what's been on my screen:

Chicago Tribune's Annual Peep Diorama Contest is on. I'm brainstorming scenes that I will build and looking for collaborators, but damn, the timeline is short. I may buy peeps at a discount after Easter and build something in the hope that they host the contest again next year.

Frank Bruni questions the dollar per drink tipping standard in the New York Times, which irritates me, because I don't now any decent bartenders who aren't making good money at a dollar a drink, and his justifying tipping by percentage because some drinks cost more is silly. Pouring a $10 beer takes as much time and effort as pouring a $2 beer. Crafting a superior cocktail may well warrant a bigger tip, but that has nothing to do with the cost of the drink.

The Vessel One makes me wish I were a tea drinker. This ceramic and silicone teapot goes right on the burner, from which it can be picked up by (bare) hand, and then set on it's magnetic trivet, which becomes part of the pot. The best part: it's stark white until filled with hot liquid, at which point, a blue design appears, ranging from pretty flowers to Space Invaders baddies.

Chefs: SF's Nate Appleman, was honored as one of Food and Wine Magazine's Best New Chef's of 2009. The linked interview/profile offers some insightful stuff, including his thoughts on butchery, with which I've always been fascinated. Grant Achatz, one of my favorite foodies to follow on Twitter, wrote a piece for the Atlantic Monthly on experiential dining in which he contemplates tossing out Alinea's set 27-course dining experience for a choose-your-own-adjective-adventure menu.

Photos: Saveur offers a photo-essay of 20 Amuse-Bouches from Great American Chefs, which I am preserving via link for future inspiration when I need to throw together some small plates, and Eat Me Daily displays a great series of photographs by artist Stephanie Diani with all of her models dressed in offal.

3424718973_0a965af4cb_o

Quinn — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:15:21 +0000

A perfect Manhattan

Friday List: On My Radar This Week

Quinn — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:07:59 +0000

Booze Reviews:

I'm a big fan of the Nirvino community of cocktail reviewers. Mine can be found at mquinnsweeney.nirvino.com
97 Bottles is a new brew review site. I haven't explored much yet, but it seems like a straightforward review site
Snooth offers a full community experience with links to online wine merchants to score the best prices

Design Contests:

Going with the Grain: design a flat pack object from one sheet of plywood and minimal hardware
Hugo Awards Logo: create the logo for the annual sci-fi lit awards. Be recognized by nerds across the world!
The 4th Bin: design an e-waste bin to help NYC keep old computers off the curb

Stuff I don't actually want, but briefly desired:

Snow White MacBook made me want to mod my MBPro. Garden of Eden or roasted pig with the apple in its mouth?
My own TV show or video podcast. I don't want to be famous, but it might be the motivator to get me in better shape
Moleskin is now letting you customize your little black notebooks.
Skinny LaMinx offers a great view of her process creating cut paper designs, but who has time for that?

_mg_5395

Quinn — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:05:04 +0000

_mg_5410

Quinn — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:06:35 +0000

Anyone Want Kumquat Marmalade?

Quinn — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:20:57 +0000

Since I can't grasp the concept of moderation, I turned 4.5 pounds of Kumquats into 2 gallons of marmalade this weekend.

Glad I mentioned this plan a couple weeks ago, because Sunday, the SF Chronicle ran an article called Spirits: Bartenders find new ways to sweeten the deal on the nontraditional sweeteners local bartenders are concocting, and even mentioned the blood orange marmalade used at Midi, which inspired this project.

[Feel free to skip down to the recipe if you don't care about the process] The first batch was 2 pounds of fruit (arduously seeded by hand), 8 cups of water and 8 cups of sugar. Chopping the fruit in my Cuisinart, I discovering that the blades did little damage to the seeds I missed, which mostly floated to the surface while soaking, so the second batch was tossed into the food processor whole and seeds were skimmed off the next day. It cut prep time by more than half. The chopped fruit is soaked in water overnight to soften the skins and to release the natural gelling agents (pectin) from the seeds, which makes your marmalade set up, or else you would be left with fruity simple syrup. I mixed Thai basil into one batch and tarragon into the other. Both added a delightful kick and complexity to the marmalade, but didn't overpower or remove any toast-topper potential.

Kumquat Marmalade Recipe:

2.5 pounds kumquats, washed and stemmed
1/2 gallon water (8 cups)
4 pounds sugar (about 9 cups)
Optional fresh Thai basil or fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Pulse kumquats in food processor until finely chopped
Soak fruit in water for 24 hours, then skim and discard seeds
In a large saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour
Stir in sugar gradually and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently and skimming off foam and errant seeds
Add optional herbs to taste to the hot marmalade
Follow proper canning procedure if you intend to save for more than a couple weeks

ceviche

Quinn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:51:21 +0000

Quick Ahi Ceviche Recipe

Quinn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:52:43 +0000

A quick and dirty throw-together; it isn't pretty, but damn does it taste good.

1/3 pound fresh Ahi tuna, 1/2 inch cubed 1 green mango, 1/2 inch cubed 1 small shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon ponzu sauce 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha

Combine all ingredients in a small, covered container and refrigerate 1 hour.

Tales of the Butterscotch Avenger

Quinn — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:29:05 +0000

On a recent trip to Safeway, my the Butterscotch Avenger's sidekick, TSB The Tart, struggled to find parking, ultimately resorting to a stake-out of one soon to be vacant spot, her blinker on, clearly waiting. Some chump, who wasn't even in the row when the car finally started to pull out of the spot, abused the departing auto's position to sneak in, making a snarly little face as he did. She leaned out the window and yelled, "Are you kidding me? I was clearly waiting for the spot" to which he replied, "Too bad, I was soooo waiting too," and then he literally ran pranced into the store, preempting any further conversation. A spot opened up two spaces down, and as she pulled in, she asked me the Butterscotch Avenger if it would make her a bad person if she spit on his car. I He told her that it would. She waited in the car and he ran inside to grab booze, but on the way to the checkout, inspiration struck and the Butterscotch Avenger snatched up a bottle of butterscotch sundae topping stepping into the express line only moments before his arch-nemesis joined directly behind him. It was unclear if he recognized me the Butterscotch Avenger, but he clearly noticed the odd assortment of 4 large bottles of hard alcohol and one brown plastic sauce dispenser, so the Butterscotch Avenger tauntingly hummed the Sesame Street classic "One Of These Things (Is Not Like The Others)" while they waited for the cashier. Upon completing payment, the Butterscotch Avenger raced back to the car, tearing the tamper-deterring seal off the plastic squeeze bottle with his teeth as he ran, tossed the grocery bag into the back seat and hollered, "Baby, start the engine! He's right behind me." He stepped over to the villain's car, prompting the woman in the DeSoto between them to pull her door closed with a look of, "I don't wanna have nothin' to do with this," as he hosed down his windshield in gooey, sugary, caramel-colored glory, making sure that each of a dozen strokes crossed ever onto the hood at it's base and the roof at its apex. Heart pounding, I the Butterscotch Avenger pulled a Luke Duke through the window and into the passenger seat of the Jetta Tart-Mobile and they sped away...for about 12 feet before reaching the line of merging cars creeping ever so slowly toward the street. She isn't the greatest getaway driver, but she sure is cute.

breakfast

Quinn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:17:51 +0000

yogurt

Quinn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:59:18 +0000

Sunday Sliders

Quinn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:33:26 +0000

I made sausage, egg and cheese sliders on homemade biscuits with TSB this sunday. Those towers were almost too tall to eat. I had her sample my marmalade with vanilla yogurt and got the nod of approval.

5020w

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:24:20 +0000

Big Week!

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:30:53 +0000

Happy Earth Day, Administrative Professionals Day, National Grilled Cheese Month and Poetry Month. Tomorrow night is the Opening Night Party for Through Future Eyes: The Endurance of Humanity, an exhibition at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. This is kind of a big deal for me, because rather than letting the head of the Visual Arts department curate the show, or hiring a guest curator with decades of experience, they gave the job to six of my high school YAAW students. Over the past nine months, these six San Francisco girls have poured countless hours into choosing their theme, researching and selecting artists, commissioning new works, and innumerable other tasks to make this happen. Along with emerging artists, they selected Shepard Fairey and Diego Rivera to round out the exhibition.

Earth Day:

I'm entering a flat-pack Christmas Tree in the Design21 Going with the Grain competition. Essentially, it's a modernist/ kitch artificial Christmas tree that uses nearly every inch of a sheet of plywood to create a pop-together tree with a stand, ornaments and a wreath that packs up small to take up minimal space while not in use. It's greener than a real tree and sexier than the artificial alternatives. My major Earthcomplishment this year was training TSB to scrub dishes with the water off, then rinse them into the dishes that need to soak, maximizing water use. If anyone wants to buy me a countertop dishwasher, I will not object. This morning, my coworker told me a charming story of how her 5-year-old daughter saw her brushing her teeth with the water running and snapped at her, "Shut that off!" How long will it be before teachers encourage children to report their parents for non-Earth-friendly activities?

Administrative Professionals Day:

I slyly arranged for Take My Admin Out And Get Her Drunk Day to coincide with Administrative Professionals Day so that she won't be able to object when I demand that it's my treat again this time. I'll tell her again that she can pay next time, and that gives me a month or so to figure out an excuse to pay next time.

National Grilled Cheese Month:

It's National Grilled Cheese Month. Need I write more?

National Poetry Month:

I will leave you with a masterwork by my favorite poet, Ogden Nash. The Ostrich The ostrich roams the great Sahara. Its mouth is wide, its neck is narra. It has such long and lofty legs, I'm glad it sits to lay its eggs. Coming Soon: San Francisco Cocktail Week

exterior

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:58:39 +0000

living

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:59:17 +0000

dining

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:00:43 +0000

dining2

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:01:02 +0000

Hangover Brunch Menu

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:27:32 +0000

TSB and I are renting a gorgeous house in wine country with two other couples this weekend, with the intent of getting out of the city, spending Saturday tasting wine and spending a few days just having fun. The girls snatched up menu responsibilities for Friday and Saturday dinners before I had a chance to interject, but I love to cook for a crowd and I don't suffer from hangovers, so I'm taking on post wine-tasting Sunday brunch. I'll be serving duck hash with poached eggs, a perennial winner, which can be prepped ahead and quickly sauteed in the morning. In the news lately, science supports bacon's hangover healing powers, but I've already covered savory/crispy, so I'm making a braised pork belly, which I butchered myself in class over the weekend. I still have a ton of marmalade, so I think I will feature it by offering crepes, toast and yogurt with kumquat marmalade along with mimosas and spicy bloody marys.

belly_off

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:32 +0000

cavity

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:35 +0000

cleaning

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:40 +0000

despining

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:43 +0000

face_man

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:47 +0000

face_meat

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:51 +0000

first_cut

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:54 +0000

frenched_ribs

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:24:58 +0000

ham_ribs

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:03 +0000

head

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:07 +0000

head_demo

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:12 +0000

head_off

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:19 +0000

heady

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:23 +0000

leg

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:27 +0000

onlooker

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:31 +0000

opening_up

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:37 +0000

our_pig

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:39 +0000

quartered

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:42 +0000

rib_roast

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:48 +0000

spitting_open

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:52 +0000

split_hams

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:56 +0000

teamwork

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:26:02 +0000

the_saw

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:26:06 +0000

the_spoils

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:26:10 +0000

veins

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:26:15 +0000

Whole Pig Butcher Class with Ryan Farr

Quinn — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:10:44 +0000

I spent Sunday at la Cocina learning how to butcher a pig from Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats, formerly chef de cuisine at Orson. It was a thought-provoking and edifying experience. I gained a better understanding of how pork is produced, learned why various muscles/meats are cooked differently and was taught more precisely where they come from on the animal. It gave me a greater respect for my food, which is exactly what I was after when I signed up for the class.

I learned a great deal, had a great time and headed home with a huge pile of frenched rib roast, the accompanying boneless rib (great for the OMG Rib recipe), leg, neck, shoulder (the next victim of my Carnitas! recipe), two slabs of pork belly that I will be braising in wine country this weekend, and a foot, with which I am not quite sure what I will do. I had to turn down bones for making stock and skin for cooking with beans or tomatoes because I already had more meat than I was comfortable taking home on a bus through the Mission.

Ryan was patient, friendly and thorough in his explanations, which took me by surprise, since every other chef I know is a bit of a prick. My only disappointment, and I don't know how it could be remedied, is that I didn't get to do as much of the butchering as I would have liked. Having a second pig would have helped, since many of the steps were done in the demonstration and could not be repeated, but that would have increased the price and the length of the class, neither of which appeals to me, so I really shouldn't complain. Overall, it was an outstanding experience and I am looking forward to future classes. Links to full gallery below. [gallery order="DESC" columns="5"]

breakfast-002

Quinn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:37:23 +0000

breakfast-008

Quinn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:38:28 +0000

breakfast-005

Quinn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:46:04 +0000

Breakfast in Sonoma

Quinn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:50:00 +0000

I woke up at seven and couldn't convince myself to go back to sleep, so I got up, put the cover on the hot tub, cleaned up the house, collected the empty wine bottles and split a baguette with a poached egg on one side and homemade marmalade on the other. I managed to finish eating just before everyone else started emerging from their rooms.

duck1

Quinn — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:08:34 +0000

braise2

Quinn — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:13:12 +0000

raw1

Quinn — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:13:17 +0000

Real Grenadine, Fast and Easy

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:33:52 +0000

The florescent bottle you bought isn't grenadine; it's the bastard red-headed stepchild, but thanks to the public demand for antioxidants, pomegranate juice is now available in every store in the double-bubble bottle, so we can all make our own grenadine, the right way.

Grenadine Recipe

1 16-ounce bottle of Pom (pomegranate juice) 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 shot of vodka (preferably high proof) Simmer the juice until reduced by half, then stir in sugar to dissolve, and add vodka. Let cool before pouring back into original bottle.

pork1

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:45:16 +0000

pork9

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:45:37 +0000

hash3

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:56:51 +0000

hash8

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:57:14 +0000

bloody

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:22:58 +0000

Hangover Brunch: Bloody Mary

Quinn — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:31:37 +0000

It contains juice and assorted vegetables, making it healthy, and vodka, which will aid in your recovery. Add ingredients to a highball glass in the order below, stir with celery and add remaining garnish. Take a deep breath.

Bloody Mary: (roughly)
4 ice cubes
2 ounces vodka (optionally half firewater)
4 ounces V8
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 Dash Worcestershire sauce
2 Dashes Sriracha
1 Pinch celery salt
1 Pinch black pepper
1/3 teaspoon horseradish

Garnish:
1 celery stick
1 lemon wedge
1 spear pickled veggies (or olives)
1 strip crispy bacon

Hangover Brunch: Braised Pork Belly

Quinn — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:10:39 +0000

The belly is where the bacon is, but if you don't want to smoke it, you can braise it. Recent studies have shown that bacon is the ultimate hangover cure, because of it's high protein content - converted to amino acids - resulting in a clearer head and the enticing smell leads to eating more, increasing the metabolism, thus speeding the healing process. Simply brine the belly for 3 days, then move the belly from brine to oven before you go out on the town. When you get home, turn on the oven and go to sleep. When you wake up, breakfast is almost ready.

Braised Pork Belly

Brine

1 cup sugar
1.5 cups salt
2 tablespoons pickling spice
2 tablespoons black pepper
4 cups water
4 cups ice

Everything Else

2-3 pounds pork belly, skin on
1 quart frozen chicken stock
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
6 shallots, peeled
1 small potato, peeled and quartered

3 days ahead: mix all brine ingredients but the ice, bring to a boil and simmer until sugar and salt have dissolved. Take off heat, add ice and let completely cool, then submerge pork belly and refrigerate. The night before: before you go out, remove pork from brine, place in covered pan with remaining ingredients in cold oven. Before you go to bed: set oven to 200 degrees and set your alarm for 8 hours. Leave a note on your pillow or you'll forget. In the morning: slice the belly into quarter-inch strips across the grain and sear on both sides until crispy. Savor the smell, simmer cooking liquid to reduce with the vegetables and then blend to create gravy. Serve with gravy on the side.

Note: This also makes a great garninsh/edible swizzle stick for a bloody mary. Celery is for sissies.

Hangover Brunch: BBQ Duck Hash

Quinn — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:10:50 +0000

Don't fear the hook. Asian markets offer amazing barbecue duck, but you need to get past the shock of seeing it hanging in the front window.

One of my favorite morning-after-drinking-recipes is hash made with the meat of one of those glorious mallards topped with a poached egg. You can do all the prep the night before, toss it all in one container and fry it up in the morning.

Duck Hash Recipe

1 barbecue duck
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 large potato, peeled
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 scallions, cut to 1/2 inch lengths
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

The day before:

Remove duck meat from bones, separate meat from fat and skin and cut both piles into 1/2-inch pieces.
Boil sweet potato, potato, and carrots until cooked, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and combine with scallions and meat.
Add skin/fat to a hot pan to render fat and crisp skin. Pour off fat, add butter and reserve for the morning.
Add crispy duck skin to other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate covered.

In the morning:

Add 4 tablespoons fat to a wok or large skillet. Once hot, add hash and stir fry until crispy and brown on the edges.
Serve on a bed of greens with a poached egg on top and hot sauce on the side.

spicy_salt

Quinn — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:19:04 +0000

egg

Quinn — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:14:56 +0000

honeydewmarg

Quinn — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:22:28 +0000

#14: Melon Margarita with Sriracha Salt

Quinn — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:10:33 +0000

Pondering my "50 Uses for Sriracha" list, which I hope to post soon, I devised a Sriracha salt that would be delightful if sprinkled over edamame, served with a cheese plate, dusted on caramel desserts, and of course, on the rim of a margarita. I concocted this cocktail for TSB a few weeks ago, when she offered to make dinner if I provided the watermelon margaritas. The only melons I could procure were honeydew, but we were pleasantly surprised by the results. Best to make the salt a day ahead to ensure ample drying time.

Sriracha Salt

1 tablespoon Sriracha 1/4 cup kosher salt Mix Sriracha and salt until uniform in color and consistency. Spread as thinly as possible and allow to dry overnight.

Melon Margarita

1 ounce honeydew, pureed 1-1.5 ounces silver tequila 1 ounce triple sec 3/4 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce agave nectar Combine all ingredients, shake with ice and serve in salt-rimmed glass.

Cocktail Recipe: The Cheery Herring

Quinn — Sun, 10 May 2009 05:32:47 +0000

The featured ingredient in this cocktail is Cherry Heering, hence the name. Heering is a smooth and not-too-sweet liqueur; the original cherry brandy as developed by Dane Peter Heering in 1818. I was just going to call it Happy Fish, but I wasn't sure that would be enough info to get the joke, so now I am over-explaining it. Meh, I can't win.

1 ounce bourbon
1/2 ounce Cherry Heering
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce grapefruit juice

Shake with ice and serve up, garnished with a Swedish Fish

Note: Swedish fish candies are made to resemble herring and a red herring (like this one I drew) refers to irrelevant information given to distract someone from the main issue, rooted in an old superstition that when travelling, one could keep predators off one's trail by dragging a red herring back and forth across the path.

shot

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:51:29 +0000

shot2

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:05:38 +0000

shrimp

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:41:13 +0000

shrimp1

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:43:03 +0000

#25 Spicy Cocktail Sauce

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:41:27 +0000

I found a bag of tiny shrimp while cleaning out my freezer and decided I should eat them now or put them to rest. Thinking of the "50 Uses For Sriracha" list that I am compiling, I reconsidered the cocktail sauce my father taught me to make as a kid. You may notice that this interpretation is essentially a Bloody Mary paste, making the term "cocktail sauce" doubly relevant, and also delectable.

Cocktail Sauce:

1-2 tablespoons Sriracha
5 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
juice of 1/4 lemon

Combine all ingredients

#46 Thai Massage Parlor Shot

Quinn — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:10:22 +0000

I've been scheming and testing out recipes for my forthcoming "50 Uses For Sriracha" list and this weekend, I decided to follow in the footsteps of George Thorogood, so I drank alone, mixing and sampling some Sriracha cocktails. A hot shot is a good start to any weekend, in Bangkok or sitting alone in the darkest corner of my living room.

Thai Massage Parlor:

1 ounce bourbon
1 ounce peach brandy
5 drops Sriracha

Shake with ice and serve in a shot glass beside a 24-oz. can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Thanks to Amanda for the suggestion.

Offbeat Wine Picks

Quinn — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:10:12 +0000

Just because you are on a budget, doesn't mean you need to drink bad wine. OK, that was tacky. If I ever write like Rachel Ray again, please find me and slit my throat. I'm not a connoisseur, but my pedestrian palate knows what I like and what I don't and generally, people agree, so here are a few gems I've encountered of late. The first three are from Sonoma Valley and the last is Argentinian. Taft Street in Sebastopol is one of my new favorite wineries. I've heard that their wines haven't been the greatest in past years, but when I was up there a few weeks ago, I was blown out of the water by their Riesling, Sav Blanc and Pinot Noir, and as much as I hate to admit it, the Rosé of Pinot Noir was really enjoyable too. All of their bottles run in the $16-22 range, making Taft Street a steal. The tasting room is small but homey and Greg was engaging in how he guided our tasting, not to mention an all-around fun and interesting guy. We walked in as a group of five including one member of their wine club, and departed three members stronger (all four joined really, considering that the 4th is marrying one of the new members). Greg invited us and friends back for a barbecue next weekend, if anyone wants to be my designated driver on the 16th. Gloria Ferrer does fantastic sparkling wines at the $20 price point (often on special at Safeway and with case discounts, I've bought it for $12 a bottle). The Brut is fine and I see it around more often, but the Blanc de Noirs is totally tantalizing and tinted pink without being one of those sissy-looking sparkling rosés (which I secretly have begun to enjoy). Worth popping for a celebration, but not so precious that you can't dump it into mimosas. Rosenblum must be clearing out their cellar of 2005 North Coast Zinfandel, Appellation Series because I don't see it listed online, but here's a link to the 2006 vintage. I loved it enough to be shocked by the price. I just picked up a case at their tasting room for about a hundred bucks, making it an $8 bottle of delight! Colores Del Sol only makes one wine, and the 2008 Reserva Malbec is their first vintage, but they hit on a winner. It was introduced to me on a recent trip to Sonoma, despite being an Argentinian wine. After dinner, TSB thrust a glass under my nose, chanting, "Smell it! Barbecue ribs, right?" and I absconded with the bottle after my first sip. I just found it at BevMo for 10 bucks a bottle.

redherring

Quinn — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:46:47 +0000

choke4

Quinn — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:26:17 +0000

choke2

Quinn — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:26:37 +0000

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Quinn — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:59:43 +0000

Generally, I just steam and serve with garlic butter, but this weekend I was inspired by a beautiful globe and a few odds and ends in my fridge that were begging to be eaten. The recipe is for two because if you make this, you will want someone there to be impressed by it, although the recipe is easily halved.

2 larger globe artichokes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 lemon
4 pecans, finely diced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup loose, shredded Parmesan Reggiano
salt and pepper, or other seasoning mix (Old Bay or Slap Ya Mama recommended)
2 cloves garlic, diced

Lay each artichoke on its side, and cut off top 1/2 inch, taking off the majority of the prickly tips. Cut off stems, trim off ends and peel stems with a vegetable peeler.
Pull out pale and purple leaves from the center and scrape out hairy chokes with a spoon, thoroughly, but careful not to remove any of the heart.
Steam artichokes and stems for 40 minutes or until outer leaves pull away freely.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Saute shallots in oil, adding carrots for the last two minutes. Remove pan from heat and add 4 tablespoons butter, stirring to melt.
Incorporate breadcrumbs, zest of the lemon and pecans, adding water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Stir in cheese and season to taste.
Remove artichokes and stems from steamer. Invert artichokes on a kitchen towel to remove excess water. Dice stems and add to stuffing mix.
Loosely pack stuffing into artichoke cavities, then spread out leaves and sprinkle remaining stuffing between them.
Bake 15 minutes.
While baking, combine remaining butter and garlic in a small pan and boil the garlic in butter, skimming solids that rise to the surface. Remove from heat, add the juice of the lemon and whisk to incorporate.
Serve artichokes with lemon garlic butter on the side for dipping and an additional plate for discarded leaves.

Vice Cream

Quinn — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:10:12 +0000

It's time to buy a better ice cream maker. Here are the boozy flavors I am currently developing: Cherry Chocolate Port: vanilla base with dried bing cherries reconstituted in port and chocolate chunks Bloody Mary: tomato ice cream spiked with vodka and hot sauce Driver: orange and vodka (or soju) sherbet Mimosa: granita of orange juice and prosecco Bicyclist: lemon beer gelato (see: Radler) Breakfast: bourbon, maple, bacon and waffle cone bits Blood and Sand: scotch, Cherry Heering, orange juice and sweet vermouth swirls in vanilla ice cream Thanks to Bill B. for coming up with the name "Vice Cream" within two seconds of me asking for suggestions.

chipdip

Quinn — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:00:19 +0000

edamame

Quinn — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:00:25 +0000

shot21

Quinn — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:00:39 +0000

shrimp2

Quinn — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:01:03 +0000

wings

Quinn — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:01:10 +0000

grilled_cheese

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:21:24 +0000

honeydewmarg1

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:22:01 +0000

mac1

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:22:11 +0000

macx

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:22:16 +0000

pineapple

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:22:20 +0000

52 Uses For Sriracha - The Culinary Duct Tape

Quinn — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:11:50 +0000

"Rooster Sauce" is the MacGyver of condiments, the DaVinci of deliciousness, the A-Team of aliment, the Edison of esculence, and the Benjamin Franklin of foodstuffs.

Recipes in orange below.

Turn marinara sauce into Arrabiata (like driving through Phuket to get to Rome).
Whisk into mayo for a powerful sandwich spread on roast beef, pork or poultry.
Buffalo sauce: combine 1 part vinegar, 2 Sriracha and 3 clarified butter; toss cooked wings in pan to coat
Substitute for Tabasco 2:1 in any situation for improved results.
Ratchet up ranch dressing as dip to enliven frozen pizza, carrot sticks or bland chicken wings.
Serve it straight-up as dipping sauce for seafood, just like they do in Si Racha, Thailand.
Drizzle on fresh, grilled peaches or pineapples.
Wet rub: 2 bulbs roasted garlic, 1 T. salt, 2 T. Sriracha, 1 T. brown sugar, 1 T. oil, 1 t. cumin
Saturate with soy sauce for spicing up Asian noodle dishes or dunking potsticker dumplings.
Combine with ketchup and dip your tater tots.
Mix with mayo (for Canadians and other Europhiles) and daintily dip your pommes frites.
Rain Forest Fire shot: 1 teaspoon Sriracha stirred into a shot of tequila
Add quick heat to boring BBQ sauce when you need more acid and spice.
Hot Salt (great on the rim of a margarita or on edamame): 1 T. Sriracha mixed with 1/4 c. kosher salt, dried
Escape from prison (if it works for salsa...).
Coat leftover boxed mac'n'cheese in eggwash and breadcrumbs, pan-fry and douse in Sriracha.
On buttered corn on the cob (seriously spectacular).
Spicy Marinade: Juice of 1 lemon, 1 T. zest, 2 T. Sriracha, 3 garlic cloves, ½ c. fresh herbs, ½ cup oil, S&P
On top of deviled eggs instead of paprika or folded into the yolk for kick and color.
Make your own.
Add to raw ground meat when making burgers or sausage.
Mix into melted butter and pour over popcorn.
On ice cream (dark chocolate or tropical flavors).
Create a compound butter with Sriracha and Thai basil for cooking fish or daubing on steak.
Make cocktail sauce (essentially Bloody Mary paste, but so good): 1-2 parts Sriracha, 5 parts ketchup, 1 part horseradish, celery salt, pepper and lemon juice
Substitute for jalapenos in a recipe if you don't feel like slicing hot peppers.
Spice a Bloody Mary.
Make a Cerveza Preparada more enticing.
Throw together with a little mayo and chopped raw tuna to make "spicy tuna" for sushi rolls.
No salsa? No problem!
Polish copper (that's polish, not Polish)
Blend into cream cheese on a bagel.
Feel better: add to chicken noodle soup for flavor enhancement and to clear your stuffy nose.
Mix with mustard on bratwurst. (34-41 suggested by Jen at seejeneat)
Red onion sauce (like at NY hot dog carts): sweat a large diced onion in 1 T. oil, add 2 c. water, 1/3 c. cider vinegar, 1 T. Sriracha, 3 T. tomato paste, 1 T. sugar, and simmer 45-60 minutes.
Chili-fy sloppy Joes.
Heat up hummus or other Mediteraenean food (falafel, gyro, kebab, dolmas, tzatziki, etc.)
Make meaner meatloaf by adding a couple tablespoons to the mix.
Piquant pesto: add the following, in order, to food processor with motor running: 6 garlic cloves, 1/2 c. pistachios, 1/2 c. grated Parmesan, 1/2 c. olive oil, 2 c. packed fresh basil, 1 1/2 T. soy sauce, 1T. Sriracha. Blend until smooth

Spice up sour cream with scallions as a dip for potato chips.
Maple glazed nuts: toss 6 c. nuts in 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 T olive oil, 2 T herbes de Provence, 1 T. Sriracha, salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and stir half way through.
Make a spicy science fair project by loading the volcano with Sriracha and baking soda.
Stop kids from thumb-sucking with minimal neurological damage.
Handjob lube for a cheating partner (44-47 via Amanda at datingismiserable).
Create a variation on the Russian Roulette cupcakes from Vanilla Garlic.
Thai Massage Parlor shot: 1 oz. bourbon, 1 oz. peach brandy, 5 drops Sriracha
Add to lip gloss to make your lips puff up.
Blistering Brine: boil 4 c. H2O, 1 c. sugar, 1.5 c. salt, 2 T. pickling spice, 2 T. pepper & 1/4 c. Sriracha; add 4 c. ice
Make grilled cheese that will please.
Create kicky vinaigrette: 1/4 c. cider vinegar, 2 t. Dijon, 1 shallot, salt & pepper, 1 T. Sriracha, 3/4 c. olive oil
Make Thai peanut sauce.
Apply liberally to eggs, any style.

I wanted to make a list of 101 uses. What do you do with Sriracha? Add more ideas in the comments section below.

poach

Quinn — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:25:43 +0000

poach2

Quinn — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:25:48 +0000

poach4

Quinn — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:25:51 +0000

What's The Big Deal About Poaching An Egg?

Quinn — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:45:57 +0000

I keep seeing articles in (otherwise reputable) food blogs on the controversy of poached eggs and the difficulty of making them. It's like arguing about how to pick your nose: anyone can figure it out and ultimately, you do it however feels best.

I find it easiest and most reliable to bring 2 inches of water to a gentle boil, add a tablespoon of vinegar, crack the eggs directly into the pot and don't touch it again until they are done. I've never had one come out badly.

For What Should N.E.R.M.O. Stand?

Quinn — Sat, 30 May 2009 23:18:31 +0000

This isn't about ideals; it's about abbreviations. I kind of hate myself for the title grammar, but I'd rather be awkward than wrong. Wait, I'm not sure that's true. Anyway, I'm at a nerd conference and at this and other moments when I've worn my URL on a name tag, people ask me what Nermo means and I create an elaborate, absurd fiction. The truth of the matter is that I found it by searching expiring web address registrations with 5 characters excluding numbers and dashes. Let's face it, all the real 5-letter words are taken, so I was happy to find something that looks like it could be a word. I'm calling you all to suggest a good meaning for Nermo as an acronym. Maybe the letters N-E-R-M-O can acquire meaning actually relevant to the site. Alright, start submitting those comments.

Guest Blogger: Ernest Hemmingway (on Campfire Cooking)

Quinn — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:53:16 +0000

Old Ernie was a man after my own heart: a man of great passion, bad habits, a love of good food and heavy drinking and careless gun cleaning habits. To honor the start of summer, the following is an excerpt from Hemingway’s essay “Camping Out,” originally published in the Toronto Daily Star on June 26, 1920.

---

Outside of insects and bum sleeping the rock that wrecks most camping trips is cooking. The average tyro’s idea of cooking is to fry everything and fry it good and plenty. Now, a frying pan is a most necessary thing to any trip, but you also need the old stew kettle and the folding reflector baker.

A pan of fried trout can’t be bettered and they don’t cost any more than ever. But there is a good and bad way of frying them. The beginner puts his trout and his bacon in and over a brightly burning fire; the bacon curls up and dries into a dry tasteless cinder and the trout is burned outside while it is still raw inside. He eats them and it is all right if he is only out for the day and going home to a good meal at night. But if he is going to face more trout and bacon the next morning and other equally well-cooked dishes for the remainder of two weeks he is on the pathway to nervous dyspepsia. The proper way is to cook over coals. Have several cans of Crisco or Cotosuet or one of the vegetable shortenings along that are as good as lard and excellent for all kinds of shortening. Put the bacon in and when it is about half cooked lay the trout in the hot grease, dipping them in corn meal first. Then put the bacon on top of the trout and it will baste them as it slowly cooks. The coffee can be boiling at the same time and in a smaller skillet pancakes being made that are satisfying the other campers while they are waiting for the trout. With the prepared pancake flours you take a cupful of pancake flour and add a cup of water. Mix the water and flour and as soon as the lumps are out it is ready for cooking. Have the skillet hot and keep it well greased. Drop the batter in and as soon as it is done on one side loosen it in the skillet and flip it over. Apple butter, syrup or cinnamon and sugar go well with the cakes. While the crowd have taken the edge from their appetites with flapjacks the trout have been cooked and they and the bacon are ready to serve. The trout are crisp outside and firm and pink inside and the bacon is well done—but not too done. If there is anything better than that combination the writer has yet to taste it in a lifetime devoted largely and studiously to eating. The stew kettle will cook your dried apricots when they have resumed their pre-dried plumpness after a night of soaking, it will serve to concoct a mulligan in, and it will cook macaroni. When you are not using it, it should be boiling water for the dishes. In the baker, mere man comes into his own, for he can make a pie that to his bush appetite will have it all over the product that mother used to make, like a tent. Men have always believed that there was something mysterious and difficult about making a pie. Here is a great secret. There is nothing to it. We’ve been kidded for years. Any man of average office intelligence can make at least as good a pie as his wife. All there is to a pie is a cup and a half of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-half cup of lard and cold water. That will make pie crust that will bring tears of joy into your camping partner’s eyes. Mix the salt with the flour, work the lard into the flour, make it up into a good workmanlike dough with cold water. Spread some flour on the back of a box or something flat, and pat the dough around a while. Then roll it out with whatever kind of round bottle you prefer. Put a little more lard on the surface of the sheet of dough and then slosh a little flour on and roll it up and then roll it out again with the bottle. Cut out a piece of the rolled out dough big enough to line a pie tin. I like the kind with holes in the bottom. Then put in your dried apples that have soaked all night and been sweetened, or your apricots, or your blueberries, and then take another sheet of the dough and drape it gracefully over the top, soldering it down at the edges with your fingers. Cut a couple of slits in the top dough sheet and prick it a few times with a fork in an artistic manner. Put it in the baker with a good slow fire for forty-five minutes and then take it out and if your pals are Frenchmen they will kiss you. The penalty for knowing how to cook is that the others will make you do all the cooking. It is all right to talk about roughing it in the woods. But the real woodsman is the man who can be really comfortable in the bush.

Homemade Cocktail Ingredients and Infusion Tips

Quinn — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:31:20 +0000

For years I've been making cocktail ingredients at home. I've mentioned some favorite infusions and liqueurs, including roasted ginger vodka, chipotle tequila, firewater, pumpkin pie spiced rum and kumquatcello, but I have also been making sweeteners, including grenadine, flavored syrups and marmalades, and novelties like dried bing cherries reconstituted in port. I've been wanting to make aromatic and potable bitters, but I haven't gotten around to procuring the obscure ingredients. . Most recently, I remembered an experiment from my college days, dissolving a bag of gummy peaches in cheap peach schnapps, making a sweet, peachy goo that dissolved well in other things. A month ago, I bought 5-ounce bags of Haribo Peach Rings and Fizzy Cola and dissolved each in a cup of vodka. After a couple weeks, both batches had reached an oozy equilibrium, but I haven't concocted any good uses for them yet. The latest trend according to GQ is Liquid Smoke, which is simple to make, but a slow, involved process. As far as I am concerned, liquid smoke is already a common cocktail component called BOURBON. On a final note, instructions on infusing your own spirits are easy to come by online, but here are a few tips and tricks I've learned from experience and haven't seen elsewhere:

Infusion Tips:

-Smirnoff has an incredibly clean flavor, great for infusing, and is not an expensive vodka.
-With tequila, only use 100% agave, even if you are infusing with something strong. It makes a difference.
-If an infusion is too strong, spicy, sweet, etc., decant some and dilute that with more booze until the levels are right, and keep track of the measurements so that you can repeat. Don't just keep adding more booze to the original infusion.
-Interesting glass vessels with tops or corks can do double duty as decoration while their contents mingle.
-If you are experimenting with ingredients that may not infuse at the same speed and desired intensity, infuse smaller, separate batches of each and combine teaspoonfuls to get the balance right before mixing the whole batch.
-Dried fruit infuses better than fresh fruit. Water is the infusion killer.
-When infusing with herbs, bruise leafy herbs before adding, but insert woody herbs unharmed.

tales07

Quinn — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:10:22 +0000

Tales of the Cocktail

Quinn — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:30:57 +0000

I am thrilled to announce that I secured media credentials to Tales of the Cocktail, the annual festival/conference of cocktails, cuisine and New Orleans culture, July 8-12, and I managed to get a room at the (supposedly sold out) Hotel Monteleone. This will be my first trip to the Big Easy, I know nobody there, and I will likely be going alone unless my sister manages to get the Ice Man to send her along. If you have any thoughts on what I need to see while I am there, please chime in with suggestions in the comments section at the bottom of this page. Brief overview for those unfamiliar with TotC:

"The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs—for a five-day celebration of the history and the craft of the cocktail. This year, the most spirited event of the summer invites everyone to “Stir Your Soul” with a spirited series of dinners, cocktail demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and special events all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. To put the event in quantifiable terms you can taste, Tales of the Cocktail 2008 used 85 pounds of mint leaves, 40 pounds of super-fine sugar, 280 liters of lime juice, 350 liters of lemon juice, 1815 lime wedges, 2115 lemon twists, 2340 jalapeño slices, 50 pounds of ginger root, 12 pounds of cherries and satisfied the taste buds of thousands of cocktail lovers from across the world."

I am looking forward to learning for personal enlightenment/intoxication and of course I will be sharing my experience with all of you (Hi Mom!) If you will be there and want to meet up, or just want to be jealous of all the fun I will be having, here is my itinerary:

7/7/2009 21:00-23:30 Secrets of Benedictine
7/8/2009 14:30-16:00 Teaching Technique: Improving Cocktails by Uplifting Your Staff's Skills
16:30-18:00 The Fine Art of Banging Out the Drinks like a Maniac
18.30-21.00 Tales of the Cocktail Welcome Reception Presented By Beefeater Gin
21.00-24.00 The Hendrick's Enchanted Portal to the Peculium
7/9/2009 10.30-12.00 Mixologists and Their Toys
12.30-14.00 The Molecular DNA of Classic Cocktails
14.30-16.00 From Brewer to Distiller
16.30-18.00 Creative Mixology: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday
17.30-19.30 Cocktail Carnival Happy Hour
22.30-24.30 Mischieve in the Garden of Agave
7/10/2009 14.40-16.00 Sugar: The Science of Sweet
16.40-18.00 The Fine Art of Tending Bar
22.00-01.00 Birth of the Daiquiri
19.00-20.30 Grand Marnier and Navan presents On The Fly Competition
21.00-22.30 Leblon Cachaca Presents the USBG Caipirinha Competition
7/11/2009 24.00-02.00 Grey Goose Tasting dans le Noir
10.30-12.00 Secrets to Successful Cocktail Photography
12.30-14.00 Carnivorous Cocktails
14.40-16.00 Hammer of the Gods
16.30-18.00 Agavepalooza-Spirit of Mexico: The Agave Elixirs
18.00-20.30 Seven Deadly Sins
20.30-23.30 Spirit Awards Presented by Pernod Ricard USA
23.30-02.30 Audrey & Simon's Bartenders Breakfast 2009 The Masquerade Breakfast Ball
7/12/2007 10.30-12.00 Buddy, Are Your Bitters Better?
12.30-14.00 Asian Influenced Cocktails
14.30-16.00 Beer Garden

Let me know if you have any burning questions for the cocktail elite. What have you been wondering?

cheeseplate

Quinn — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:45:54 +0000

Last Night's Cheese Plate

Quinn — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:01 +0000

Last night's cheese plate (starting top left and spiraling clockwise): clover honey, sheep's milk mozzarella, Cabot Hunter's Cheddar, bing cherries reconstituted in port, Semifreddi baguette, mango chutney, feta, bruder basil, pecans, goat Gouda, crackers, and red grapes. I think I met most of the specifications listed in "A Proper Cheese Plate"

Some surprisingly delightful combinations: Goat gouda with honey and a pecan A cracker with feta and mango chutney Cheddar on a cracker with grapes Bruder basil on a baguette with port-soaked cherries

lasagna

Quinn — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:45:52 +0000

janna

Quinn — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:59:58 +0000

the-history-of-beer

Quinn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:36:29 +0000

Booze News

Quinn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:53:30 +0000

I'm preparing myself for Tales of the Cocktail by ramping up my tolerance through daily "exercise" and a little light reading. My drinks of choice for reading in this unseasonably warm SF summer are a Tom Collins with cucumber infused gin or a variation on the Lynchburg Lemonade made with smoked lemons. Now follow along in your test booklets as I read aloud:

-In local news: I discovered that my latest batch of chipotle infused tequila is about 20x too potent, so I can take a small bottle to new Orleans and buy tequila there (unless a quality tequila brand wants to sponsor this endeavor) and dilute it to share with anyone who wants to sample.
-Worth reviewing: the Times just published a mini glossary of topical cocktail terms.
-Proof66 will aggregate booze reviews for you(s).
-It's stone fruit season, time to make your own plum wine... or cherry, or apricot or whatever you want by following the process described in the linked tutorial.
-Manolith presents an Illustrated History of Beer (pictured).
-More vodka infusing advice and a piece from Chow on meat infusions.
-Lawmakers in Arizona are trying to repeal the no guns in bars law, under the assumption that drunk, gun-toting good guys will serve as a safe deterrent to gun-toting bad guys who want to rob bars.
-Utah is relaxing their absurd liquor laws because the Tabernacle Choir isn't enough of a tourist draw.
-Finally, when I get back from Tales, I intend to spend the rest of the summer touring local breweries and distilleries. If you want to come along, let me know.

Old Project, Rediscovered

Quinn — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:14:22 +0000

I forgot about an old project I played with in grad school. I dug up old images from a repository of ephemera on the Library of Congress website, and repurposed them into whimsical little things with no relevance to their original intentions. This photograph of a munitions storage area from the Civil War seemed dreary, so I livened it up a little.

tincture

Quinn — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:45:30 +0000

Tinctures, Bitters and Infusions

Quinn — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:10:04 +0000

Tinctures, bitters and infused spirits are all created by steeping culinary components in alcohol to extract flavor. It really is just that simple and it is easy to do at home, so I will keep an eye out for how they're being used at Tales of the Cocktail next week and update you on any trends or exciting uses I discover. At a gin tasting workshop last night (many thanks to Right Gin and Nirvino) I asked a favorite local bartender, Josh Harris of 15 Romolo, what exactly a tincture is, having only recently encountered the term as a cocktail ingredient. He defined it as being like aromatic bitters: herbs, spices or other ingredients with intense flavor steeped in over-proof, neutral spirits (strong grain alcohol like Everclear) to extract the flavor, which is added to cocktails in dashes or drops. He said that while bitters are a combination of flavors, tinctures are made with a single flavor. I've since seen tinctures online that were composed of more than one flavor, but none so complex as bitters, so a stronger distinction may be that tinctures need not be bitter in flavor. Note: the definitions of these terms in bar-speak differ from their traditional usage. Technically, all three are tinctures, defined as an alcoholic extract of plant material with an ethanol percentage of at least 40% (assuming the spirit you are "infusing" is at least 80 proof). Infusion is the result of steeping plants in water or oil, not alcohol, so infused vodka, rum or gin is a contradiction in terms. Vinegar is also an acceptable medium, so shrubs are really tinctures too. I would offer recipes, but frankly, all you do is soak stuff in stiff spirits. Just go try it.

Picpoket Test Page

Quinn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:04:36 +0000

Creative Commons

Quinn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:38:45 +0000

All photographs on this site by M. Quinn Sweeney are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. You may share and adapt them, so long as you attribute the images to M. Quinn Sweeney with a link to nermo.com

_mg_6297

Quinn — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:19:52 +0000

_mg_6307

Quinn — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:20:08 +0000

_mg_6451

Quinn — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:46:28 +0000

peppery

Quinn — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:49:22 +0000

On my way to Tales of the Cocktail...

Quinn — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:55:29 +0000

Because I couldn't just spend the weekend celebrating the 4th and packing for Tales, I:

made a batch of hot sauce from farm-fresh chilies
created a tincture of shiso
made a gallon of traditional umeshu
improvised almost a gallon of apricot/pluot "umeshu"
infused a bottle of Hendrick's gin with cucumber and persimmon
devised the Tomcat Collins with the aforementioned gin (recipe posted soon)
hosted the "Squash Blossom" dinner party with the lovely TSB (we may not be together any more, but we still throw one hell of a dinner party), where I served the aforementioned cocktail the following hors d'oeuvres
deep-fried two kinds of cheese-stuffed squash blossoms (chevre and mascarpone) with 4 dipping sauces (southwestern salsa, spicy tomoato, lemony aioli and a green onion sour cream).

jigger

Quinn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:25:14 +0000

measure

Quinn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:02:17 +0000

traditional

Quinn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:02:26 +0000

uber

Quinn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:02:36 +0000

ubertool

Quinn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:12:12 +0000

bltini

Quinn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:21:45 +0000

makinbacon

Quinn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:21:56 +0000

BLTini: Bestialized Little Tipple

Quinn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:51:56 +0000

Inspired by the Carnivorous Cocktails seminar at Tales, I started Sunday brunch with the BLTini, a sandwich in a glass. I like my BLTs on potato bread, so I opted for vodka over gin, squeezed the bejeezus out of a gorgeous heirloom tomato, then decided that lettuce was lame and so opted for basil as an aromatic garnish. Tip: bacon is best for this purpose when crispy, flat and most of the fat has been rendered off, so I devised this little trick. Lay raw bacon in a hot pan and then put a Pyrex baking dish on top, pressing the bacon flat while it cooks. Creates perfect cocktail bacon.

BLTini

2 ounces vodka (plain or citrus)
2 ounces tomato water (see note)
1 dash dry vermouth
1 piece crispy bacon
1 basil leaf

Shake vodka, tomato water and vermouth with ice to chill and strain into a chilled martini glass. Stir with bacon, and literally clap once with the basil leaf on your palm to release the aromatic oils before floating it in the glass. Note: to make tomato water I diced the tomato, wrapped it in cheese cloth and squeezed out as much liquid as I could. When my hand got tired, I put the whole pulpy package into a citrus squeezer, extracted the rest and filtered the tomato water through a fine mesh strainer. A medium-large heirloom yields about 2 ounces of juice, less than you will get with a roma of comparable size.

Jigger Is Not A Dirty Word

Quinn — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:10:40 +0000

It's the little cup your bartender uses to measure, and no matter how good he or she is, you should be grateful if it's being used at the end of the night. Free-pouring a drink accurately is tough for anyone, and after a few hours with a shaker, fatigue can throw off even the most skilled.

For the home bartender, it's just essential. Don't be ashamed to use one in front of your friends. They will be more impressed by an exceptional cocktail and it's not nearly as emasculating as asking for directions at a gas station.

The trio below came into my possession at Tales of the Cocktail last week and they offer a good range. On the left is a traditional jigger, which can also come in clear plastic with measurement lines. In the middle is a measuring cup that lists measurements in milliliters, ounces and fractions of a cup. In a pinch, a standard coffee scoop is a one ounce pour, equivalent to 2 tablespoons if you are really desperate.

On the right is an innovative piece from Ubertools, which I noticed in heavy rotation at the Carousel Bar while I was at Tales. One side is a full ounce measure and the other side is separated into three sections (1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 ounces), each of which is on a corner to facilitate easy pouring.

Cheers!

Quinn — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:28:58 +0000

I am tired of hearing people say they are, "going to cheers," when a round of drinks is delivered. That involves a trip to Boston, as far as I am concerned, and I'm not sure how it has come to the point that I hear "to cheers" used in place of "to toast" more than I hear toast used as a verb.

toast: verb [trans.] drink to the health or in honor of (someone or something) by raising one's glass together with others : he toasted his family's health.

cheer: verb [intrans.] shout for joy or in praise: he cheered from the sidelines.

cheers: Not a verb! You cannot cheers someone. The phrases, "let's cheers," or "we should cheers to him" should never be uttered. Cheers is an informal exclamation, expressing good wishes, in particular before drinking, not the action of toasting: “Cheers,” he said, raising his glass.

::end of rant::

portgarcia

Quinn — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:16:01 +0000

Vice Cream #1: Cherry Chocolate Port

Quinn — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:22:14 +0000

As promised, I bought an ice cream maker and started concocting my boozey Vice Cream. The first batch is fantastic.

Cherry Chocolate Port Ice Cream

1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon corn starch 3 large egg yolks 1 1/2 cups milk, scalded 1 1/2 cups cream, cold 1/2 vanilla bean (about 2 inches), scraped 3/4 cup dried bing cherries, reconstituted in port 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips Stir together sugar and starch and whisk in egg yolk, then milk. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a chilled bowl, stir in vanilla scrapings, cover and chill. Once cold, whisk in cream and put in ice cream maker (mine took 20 minutes, but follow the instructions on your own), and then stir in cherries and chocolate before covering and putting in the freezer to harden. Notes: scalding milk is simply bringing it briefly to a boil, which will cause solids to separate from the milk and stick to the pan, so they are left behind when you pour off the milk. To make the cherries, put a cup of dried bing cherries in a cup of good port and let them sit, covered at room temperature for a few days.

portgarcia

Quinn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:10:26 +0000

JerryThomas01

Quinn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:16:32 +0000

Oysters and Shots

Quinn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:59:26 +0000

I just found out that it's National Oyster Day. Pairing drinks with food may consider the flavors, smells and even textures of a dish, but rarely the motion involved in its consumption. Pairing shots with oyster shooters is a great way to enhance the sensory experience, and to move the accoutrement off the oyster and into a glass. An for those of you who don't like oysters, just remember that taking a shot first makes anything more palatable. Here are a few of my favorites:

Colorado Rattlesnake (Pepper/Spicy)

1 ounce Tequila
3/4 ounces tomato juice
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
course ground black pepper

Aviation (Citrus/Sour)

1 ounce gin
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 dash maraschino

Last Word (Citrus/Sour)

1/2 ounce gin
1/2 ounce green Chartreuse
1/2 ounce maraschino
1/2 ounce lime juice

Bourbon or Mezcal (Smoky)

1.5 ounces cold bourbon or mezcal

Dirty Martini (Brine/Salty)

1.5 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce olive juice

chart

Quinn — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:12:29 +0000

chart

Quinn — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:12:39 +0000

bruce

Quinn — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:53:43 +0000

craig

Quinn — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:00:35 +0000

egg

Quinn — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:06:28 +0000

Beer Pairing

Quinn — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:04:12 +0000

Wine was a four-letter word Sunday morning, which I spent at the SFChefs.Food.Wine beer pairing boot camp with Beer Chef Bruce Paton and City Beer Store owner Craig Wathen. I would have liked a few hard and fast rules, but there doesn't seem to be a simple formula for matching food with beer. The gist was that beer can be paired as a contrasting flavor, a complimentary flavor, or as a palate cleanser. Even the beer chef said he doesn't actually pair his appetizers with beer, but rather puts out a lot of really great apps knowing that a lighter beer compliments just about anything. My favorite pairing of the day was Temptation from the Russian River Brewing Company, with a lemony bite that was gangbusters with ginger-scallion shrimp cocktail. Ultimately, you need to consider all facets of the beer (sweetness, bitterness, additional flavors, alcohol content, carbonation) and of the food (flavor, richness, sweetness, acidity, heat, texture) when pairing. Here are my beer-pairing guidelines, a combination of personal experience and tips picked up in the seminar:

Light to Dark: over the course of a meal, beers should progress from lightest in color and flavor, to darker, heavier, higher in alcohol and more bitter.
Match intensity: pair stronger flavored food with stronger flavored beer and subtler food with subtler beer.
Red or White? White meats (poultry, fish, pork) match best with sweeter, maltier beers, while red meat pairs best with richer, more fruit-forward ales, and most anything off the grill rocks with a smokey porter or stout, unless it's spicy, and then a crisp lager will cut the heat.
Home brewery advantage: ethnic food often pairs best with its regional beers, brewed to suit the local cuisine.
Sweet and Sour: When matching sweet or sour flavors, choose a beer slightly sweeter or sourer than the food.
Barley wine goes well with just about any flavorful foods. Keep a few bottles on hand at all times.
At the end: Porter, stout and barley wine pair particularly well with desserts and end of meal cheese courses.
Large bottles, small glasses: If you are going to serve multiple courses paired with brews, diners won't want a full 12-ounces with every course, so put out smaller glasses and pass around a bigger bottle. Like Belgians, many craft beers are available in 750 ml bottles (just over 25 ounces). It's always good to keep a variety of larger bottles on hand. They are easier to store than six packs and make it possible to have a variety, and thus "the perfect beer" on hand when needed.
Not too cold: remove beer from refrigerator 15-30 minutes before serving. If it's super cold, you won't be able to get the full effect, because beer is most flavorful at 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit.

My admin just informed me that Miller Light pairs nicely with everything from cookies to caviar, but if you want a second opinion, download the Brewers Association pairing chart (.pdf) by clicking below.

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Quinn — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:38:39 +0000

RAMOS

Quinn — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:59:33 +0000

Ramos Fizz

Quinn — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:07:28 +0000

After stealing two sips of a friend's Ramos Gin Fizz at Rickhouse, I wanted to make my own. It's one of those drinks that you don't order just anywhere and it's rarely worth the effort to make unless you are really trying to impress someone.

Ramos Fizz

2 ounces Hayman's Old Tom gin
1 egg white
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce Clement's Creole Shrubb
1 ounce heavy cream
soda water

Combine all ingredients but soda and shake with ice for 2 minutes. Strain into a collins glass and top with soda water. Lots of Tips:

When making the Ramos Fizz for others, use a three-piece shaker instead of a Boston shaker, because nobody wants to see the cream in their cocktail curdle with lemon juice in glass.
Using a soda siphon enhances the drink aesthetically, because adding soda under pressure allows you to create a bubbly head on the drink that simply pouring soda will not allow. Lacking a siphon, you can use a trick I learned from mischievous students when I was teaching middle school. Poke or drill a hole in the cap of a plastic soda water bottle and squeeze it into the glass in a sharp stream to froth the drink.
The traditional recipe calls for orange blossom water, but it is absurdly hard to find outside of the middle east, so Clement's Creole Shrubb, or another orange liqueur, such as triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, can be substituted as above. Alternately, rosewater can be used.
Drop the spring from a cocktail strainer into the shaker and shake before adding ice and shake again to expedite the emulsification of the egg white.
If you don't have an Old Tom gin, use a regular London Dry gin like Beefeater and add a barspoon of sugar.

ramos2

Quinn — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:20:47 +0000

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