helloo......

It has been more than six months since my last post and I am hoisting myself back in the saddle.  This is going to be an update blog and then I will get going on the regular, super exciting stuff that I normally write about.

We are back in Oregon.  This is an amazing thing, I feel like my life has changed so much in the last year, and my whole perspective on everything that I covet and worship has shifted, in like a paradigm way.  I have this weird feeling that I will live here forever.

I am officially a soccer mom.  This last fall soccer season we had a total of 7 practices between three kids, with at least one game a week in Portland.  Tristan is practicing with the Olympic Development Team, and Ava seems to be this amazing soccer powerhouse.  Miranda is six, so she gets out there and gets dirty, but mostly has an amazing time squirreling around with her cute little friends.

I had a crazy and amazing summer.  I flew back and forth to Nantucket, Mexico (three times) and many points between, meanwhile spending fantastic and memorable moments with my fun children.  This shot is one of the beautiful gardens that they have everywhere on the island of Nantucket, I spent many hours walking to buy the groceries or biking around (after finishing cooking up the daily dinner), admiring the bountiful and beautiful flowers.

bad ass BOOBIES in South Beach, MIami

I begin this post paying homage to the amazing tits on the manikin that we found calling attention to an extra big bathing suit at a South Beach curios shop. Those have to be 38XXX, right?

When I first re-organized my direct flight plan to Las Vegas, to include a quick zip over to visit Sage in Miami, I was excited but I really didn't know what to expect.  Who would these wayward grown up hippies be?  Waiting for me at the Miami airport was the only other girl, besides Sage, that I knew would be at this party her name is Andrea Nickel, she is funny and a great friend that I get to see only every once in a while.  I, of course, greeted her with the ever welcoming "oh, my god I am so happy that you are almost as fat as I am" you know just to kind of cheer her up:)  

Our crazy cab ride to Key Biscayne was definitely the cab dudes first time, we had to stroke his fragile cab driving ego with encouraging quips and light laughter as he pulled into myriad of dead end streets.  This poor newly imported Haitian guy might still be pondering, like Confucius, which way to go in some god forsaken Dade county round- about. He just didn't quite get the 'go around, and then stay straight' concept.

We arrived to a lovely group of boys and girls dancing around on a patio, Sage ushered me to the far end of this massive house to 'the master' bedroom.  Picture Tommy Bahama meeting some really sophisticated European rock groupie and they design the best house ever invented for hanging out.  

Yes, that right, this is where I stayed for 5 days with 17 amazing new friends.

There were cute babies, with beautiful mom's and amazing daddy's. + Other like minded entreprenuerial coherts from San Fran; a lawyer, a rock promoter, internet t.v. producers, a real estate agent extrordinaire, and everybody was so nice, BONUS!  

To celebrate the pending big 40, Sage had picked out the latest in hip, stylish Cuban restaurant called 'sra. Martinez'. We dined on a lovely prefix menu of small chef selection tapas (http://www.sramartinez.com/menus/dinner-2/) and imbibed to our hearts content on a bunch of really complicated cocktails. (hence the need for me to sleep on the really clean and stylish bathroom floor).  My favorite for the night was called 'el matador' although the barkeep flat out refused to make it with any less simple sugar, so of course, it turned out too sweet.  Here is my version:

EL MATADOR

muddle together, which of course can be done, in a time of need with the bottom of a heavy wooden spoon handle!

1oz. fresh lime juice

4 fresh basil leaves

1 ripe organic strawberry

add: 2 oz. kettle one vodka

1/2 oz. jalapeno simple syrup

add rocks (ice) & shake vigorously, pour through strainer into chilled martini glass.

or coffee mug, or you can put the whole mix in a thermos and set it between your legs for a long commute.

JALAPENO SIMPLE SUGAR

• steep 1 jalapeno in 3 cups of boiling water (remove jalapeno and stir in 3 cups of super fine white sugar)

As my endless fun in Miami blog post continues to grow, I feel that as I draw the memories of a perfect vacation to a close, I MUST finish by describing.......the toilet in the master, where I had the pleasure to lay my head on Friday night and plant my bottom for the next few days that followed.  Just to clarify, I did not actually use the bidet function, in fact it didn't even occur to me, I was too busy being impressed by the fact that the lid lifted as I walked into the WC, a fan turned on as I sat down, and when I rose... of course the little bugger flushed itself.  Believe me you also should covet this new and latest show stopper. #FYI- apparently this is one of only two types of toilets used in Japan, they have the old squatter version, which is a wooden frame attached to the floor, or now bringing things up to speed, in the more modern Japanese household is the heated seated bidet!  I guess they skipped the whole water basin with a swirling flush thing, that us archived Americans still seem to be holding on to?

This bidet costs $1600. on sale, it is called the TOTO400

Off to Las Vegas I go!

PHO

Phở ([fɤ˧˩˧] ( listen)) is a Vietnamese noodle soup, usually served with beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà).^[1] The soup includes noodles made fromrice and is often served with Asian basil, mint leaves, lime, and bean sprouts that are added to the soup by the person who is dining. The dish is associated with the city of Hanoi, where the first pho restaurant opened in the 1920s.

My desire to seek out, all food Asian, has hit a high point here in Vegas.  The actual issue is; in the city that never sleeps I can get it at all hours of the day and night.  Choosing to take the path more frequently traveled I can wait until 11:00am and pick something up at the 'Noodle Bar' right here at the Bellagio, or I can travel by a quick $10. cab ride, at ANY time during the night to the back side of the strip and get some real shit, like authentic Korean food.  At Korean food restaurants you get lots of really cool fermented condiments.

If you happen to be a fermented cabbage lover, like me (I seriously used to bring a can of sauerkraut and a can opener to lunch during my high school years), I am going to give a quick brief,  on how to make some satisfying kim chi.


a white lady's version of KIMCHI:
take a head of napa cabbage, remove the base so the leaves are seperated
soak, totally covered in salted water (this means about 1/8 cup salt to 1 gallon of water)
these need to soak for about 4 hours, move them around when ever you think of it
rinse the leaves well
rub with this chile mix:
place 1/4 dried shrimp (available at Mexican or Asian Markets)
1 head of garlic with most of the husks removed
1 Tbls. chopped ginger
2 Tbls. chile powder
1 Tbls. cayenne chile powder
1 cup cold water
then you get to......'rub' down each leaf
add some inch long pieces of sliced green onion, and sliced or cubed radish
the best results will be had if you....
leave in a glass jar, outside of the fridge for 36 hours
then put in the fridge, chill and then add to any Asian inspired meal as a lovely side dish!


I am getting this post up so I can work on another one, (since I left Vegas, 6 days ago)!

not about food. well kind of

I have decided today February 8th, 2012, after sitting on my ass in front of the computer totally bored out of my mind, that I do not need a boyfriend or a husband, I need a job.  I am in love with working, and sorry but I can't do anything about it.  Actually I do need to do a specific kind of job, one that pays very poorly and has no health insurance or assurance in any way of success. I am of course speaking of walking down the mythical, restaurant ownership path of life.  I miss it, I can't stay away, I want Red Agave back, but not exactly, the glue is wearing off of the lights that Katie and I glued to the ceiling in the bar.  So because of this unconventional choice or path, I guess that I have to accept the fact that even with a moderately successful endeavor I will be a pauper in the end.  One piece of solace that I can gather from this disturbing realization, is that I will not be sitting on my ass in front of an electrical screen for the next 20 years. So Hallelujah, hip hip horray, says the glutton for punishment, I have formally agreed with myself to get back on the horse...

paletas+ ice cream

Well our visit to Todos was worth the drive (about 1.5 hours) arriving to Cerritos beach for a couple of great surf hours for Tristan and some beauteous beach time for me and the girls.  
The whales have been swimming not far off shore and there were so many of them, you would think there was some kind of sale on krill. I'm just saying, tales, spouts, little ones and big boys too, it was so cool that eventually it was boring, so many whales. Of course I am just kidding, but the pacific side whale show tends to impress with frequent viewings of small pods of whales that kind of hang in the water close to shore.


We went over to Peter Townsends totally hip palapa bungalows (that he rents out at a very reasonable rate) pretty early and figured out our sleeping arrangements before heading in to town.  My 1991 Land Cruiser is kind of my favorite car made, especially for all of the off road driving we do, down in Mexico.  It is about 3-4 miles of washboard dusty, cactus lined roads to get you from the beach palapa to the paved road.  



We left Tristan in the care of a manly dude neighbor that was gearing up for the Superbowl and my sweet girls and I, breezed over the dirt road in our rig built to last and cruised the 8 miles into town. If I suggest that this whole trip was planned to settle my craving       for home made passion fruit ice cream, I might be exaggerating, a little.
On 'this dark dessert highway' right around the corner from the Hotel California you will find, the best Mexican made Ice cream I have yet to try.  


There are many small 'paleterias' (Popsicle shops) most are called Mazatlan..........something, but nothing compares "la paloma"(the dove).

art & beer

My clients are safely home to Aspen and my long work week is over.
Maribel and I made some excellent meals, and when I get the pictures organized I will share them, including some simple kitchen techniques to make preparing them easier.

The kids and I are getting excited about their three day week-end and we will be heading over to Todos Santos early in the morning with my sister Evie.  One of our favorite places to stop is a unique little place called 'art & beer' where an eccentric Mexican couple sell there paintings and more importantly this amazing beer concoction.

TODOS SANTOS SUPERIOR CLAMATO
OR RED BEER / OJO ROJO


things you will need:
horseradish
limes
Worcestershire
kosher or sea salt
black pepper
Tabasco or small can of chipotles
tomato juice
celery
onion 
garlic
shrimp( 6 medium)
scallops and or clams (2 of each or more depending how many drinkers there are)
some great Mexican Beer like Pacifico or Corona






making the home-made shrimp stock takes the most effort, the rest will be like a fun mad scientist experiment as you create the best beer drink you have ever had in your life.  I actually look at this particular recipe as diet fare, because the drink itself is so filling you will only need to accompany it with a simple fish taco or maybe a small bowl of pozole.


peel and devein the shrimp 
take the shrimp shells and add:
2 roughly cut stalks of celery
1 medium carrot peeled and cut into large chunks
2 qts. water
1/2 teas. celery salt
a few grinds of pepper
leave at a low boil until the liquid is reduced by half
drop clean shrimp/scallops/clams into boiling liquid
cook another minute 
strain and cool
pick out your poached seafood


these drinks look great 
(and fit nicely) in 32oz. mason jars


add to giant beer mug (or mason jar) 
half way filled with ice:
2 oz. chilled shrimp stock (freeze left overs in ice cube trays)
8 oz. tomato juice
2 oz. lime juice
1 each of the poached little seafood dudes
a dash or dollop of Worcestershire
horseradish
black pepper 
Tabasco or chipotle
and a nice clean piece of crunchy celery


maybe you snow birds will wait until the summer sun shines its lovely face on your neck of the woods, to try these refreshing beauties, but I wouldn't.  In fact I am going to have one at approx. 12:30 tomorrow.


cheers

day one - key lime pie

I live most of the year in San Jose Del Cabo, the weather is almost perfect every day, until it turns into a burning infierno, and then it is not.  I work in an amazing atmosphere as a private chef in an exclusive resort for one very nice family and I do some catering when they are not in town.  This sounds good, right? Well I am totally restless and discontent just like everyone else.  
Or maybe its just me, but that's how I am.   
I have decided what better way to pass the time than to give away all of my personal secrets, as well as a few of my favorite recipes.

KEY LIME PIE

This particular key lime pie was made in Nantucket for my bosses to take with them to a dinner party at John Kerrys, kinda cool..

(FYI when attempting to re-create any of the disclosed recipes, always remember a heavy handed dash of common sense)

you will need:

1 spring form pan 8-9 inches

graham crackers or other plain cookie (marias doradas work great, found in Mexican markets)

sweetened condensed milk

eggs

butter

small tart limes (Mexican limes or key limes) 

lets do this:

pre-heat oven to 325

grind graham crackers of cookies in food processor or blender

melt 1 stick of butter in microwave (glass only please)

in your spring form pan, please make sure that the bottom is securely in the little rudders put 3 measured cups of cookie crumb and the 8oz. of melted butter work through with your fingers and then press into the bottom of the pan, leaving a nice thick bottom, but also pushing up a small lip around the edge of the bottom of the pan.

empty 4 cans of sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl 

it is much easier and less time consuming to completely remove the lids from the cans so that you can use a spatula to quickly get all of that sweet love into your bowl.

zest 1 lime right into the sweet milk

take your now bare naked lime + probably about 20 more and squeeze enough juice to fill an empty can of sweetened condensed milk

strain this lime juice into your milk/zest mixture

add 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks

fold or whisk these ingredients together and pour into prepared pie crust

bake 15-20 minutes until just set, but not browning around the edges.

while baking make the lime curd

if your pie stays to long in the oven and comes out a bit caramelized of worse yet 'breaks' (which in the case of a key lime pie it looks kind of curdled), you can totally disguise your mistake by adding extra whipped cream and curd.  I have found that this stuff makes everything taste amazing, it's kind of like ranch dressing? for desserts.

to increase the chances of not overcooking your pie, be very careful to keep the oven at a nice low temperature.

LIME CURD:

in a non-reactive saucepan

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup lime juice

dash of salt

6 egg yolks

whisk over low heat until thickened

remove from heat

add 1 teaspoon lime zest

4oz. butter

set aside to cool

whip fresh heavy cream until soft peaks form

you can add a little sugar to the cream, but I never do

when you serve the slices of key lime pie

place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the pie and drizzle the curd/sauce over the top.

that's it, first secret out on the table

don't worry they will get better, I'm just getting started.