Spice Dish

Creativity Sparks

Dali Themed Street Art. Creative.

I went to a book club a little while ago. It was full of strangers. I’ve never, in my life, done that before. We had an amazing conversation and I left completely creatively energized. It wasn’t just that I was using my critical thinking skills for the first time in months, but that I was trying something new. I realized that I needed to do lots more of this sort of thing--  not in the interest of 'self improvement' but simply for the sake of experience. For fostering creativity. For enjoying life. So I came up with a list of “Creativity Sparks” (i.e. stuff I’ve never done before but am going to try in  order to keep  my brain excited and to experience new things) Hey if Stephen Fry can get pierced, I can find things I've never done!

I’m not calling it a ‘bucket list’ because I don’t care if I do or don’t do these before I die. Dying is not the point. Some are little things, some are big life altering things. Some are free and some make me thankful I have no kids in need of a college education. 

I think I know which one I’ll start with, but I’m not sure. I don’t even know how closely I’ll be keeping track, hell I don’t even know how many items are on this list! (Just counted... 64) Here I go. Here’s to creativity!

Ride in a hot air balloon
See the northern lights
Take a sailing lesson
Write a book
Have a conversation in a language other than english
Send a message in a bottle.
Ride a camel (or elephant) etc
Take a ballroom dance class
Learn to play a musical instrument
Take a singing lesson
Make a complete fool of myself
Eat at the French Laundry
Learn to juggle
Learn to drive a stick shift
Spend three months getting my body into athletic shape
Go fishing and eat my catch
Ride a motorcycle
Work on a farm for a day
Learn a new skill (no idea what yet)
Make soup dumplings
Run a 5k (not walk)
Find a food I've never eaten and eat it
Go to a jazz show
Play a game of ice hockey
Go horseback riding along the beach
Learn to ski
Take a fencing lesson
Go on a helicopter ride
Sleep overnight on a train
Collect fresh chicken eggs from a nest
Go to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Try a new restaurant in San Francisco
See the Parthenon in Greece
Go to Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Read Moby dick
Visit the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy
Spend an afternoon in El Prado in Madrid, Spain
See "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso at the Museo Reina Sofia
Spend a week in Bora Bora
Attend a Japanese tea ceremony
Learn to sculpt
Learn how to perform a magic trick
Learn to knit one thing
Make cheese
Watch lawrence of Arabia
Face a fear (not sure which one)
Become financially literate
Go to an auction at Christie's or Sotheby's
Sleep in a castle
Create a well-stocked pantry
Go to a yoga class by myself
Become an 'expert' at something
Write an article and have it published
Register for NaNoWriMo and write a novel in one month
Do NaBloPoMo for one month
Write a cookbook
Audition for something
Travel to another city to go to a concert/show (performer TBD)
Try fugu
Get a tarot card reading
Get hypnotized (for what I have no idea)
Eat something I've grown
Travel solo (even a day trip)
Get rid of 100 of my possessions

 

So what about you? You have a list? 

EB

Pucker Up! It's Lemon Bar Time

Ooooh tart!

This last Christmas, instead of gifts, I gave a few people little wooden chips I had found that offered "one homemade meal” or “one baked good” to the redeemer. I'm so glad I did. It's been fun as people turn in their chips. I get to host friends over for dinner, try new baking recipes (since I'm no baker, most every one is 'new'). All in all, a great gifting success. My mom's boyfriend, an incredibly sweet mid-western man was the recipient of one of the “baked goods” chips. He was hesitant to ask for his treat, but when finally pressed, turns out his request was something I never would have thought of... lemon bars. It's just not something that I come across a lot. Cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pie?... sure. But lemon bars? Not only had I never made them, I'm fairly certain I've never even eaten one! “Bars” of any kind are just not common 'round these parts.

But lemon bars, the man wanted, lemon bars he would get. I looked in a few of my older cookbooks and online, and came up with a bit of a hybrid recipe. I made a custardy/creamy version instead of the shiny yellow, corn syrupy kind. Only after I made them, did I realize that he was probably wanting the old fashioned, gooey, bright yellow, made in mid-Western winter sort! I haven't heard the verdict yet since I only handed them over yesterday, but I personally loved the way they came out. So rich and lemon curd-y. I did offer to make the stiffer/sweeter kind if he was disappointed. I'll just have to wait and see. 

If you want to make the custardy version that I did, try these below: 

Lemon Custard Bars

Crust:

• 2 sticks room temperature butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 cups flour

• 1/8 tsp salt

Filling:

• 7 large, room temperature eggs

• 2 1/2 cups sugar

• 3 tbs lemon zest

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 cup flour

• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Crust: Cream he butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour and salt. Slowly add butter until just mixed. Gather the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a ball. Evenly press it into a 9 x13 x 2 baking pan. Chill.

Bake at *350 for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Leave oven on, cool pan on wire rack.

Filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, zest, juice and flour. Pour over crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling sets (if top starts to brown, top with foil). Cool to room temperature.

Cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar. Makes 20 small squares.

 

Enjoy!

EB 

Flea Market For The Win!

I love San Francisco (I mean I don't think I'm shocking any of you by saying that), but every once in a while a girl just needs to get out of Dodge. I was feeling restless a few weeks ago when I got an email from a friend asking if I was still up for the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market. The what? Where? I emailed her back wanting to know how intoxicated I was when I agreed to this mission. I then immediately emailed her again, to say "Screw it, I'm in!"

http://www.rgcshows.com/

To say the place is massive would not begin to describe it. This thing is HUGE. There are maps, there are sections, there are thousands of vendors. You will get lost (and you will buy a 1$ hot dog and 6$ beer because you don't know when you'll make it out). It happens on the 2nd Sunday of every month and it's the worlds largest flea market! I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into when I said yes. We exhausted ourselves wandering the aisles. I picked up some vintage fashions and a few amazing cooking pamphlets (more on those later) and my friend got a pair of foo dogs she just couldn't live without. My most fabulous purchase of the day? These:

Kitschy, creepy and perfectly at home in the bathroom. So, if you have one too many and agree to a weekend road trip to Pasadena, don't question it... just go. You won't be disappointed. 

Happy shopping!

EB

Resolutions 2012!

Happy New Year's!

Again, I'm not a New Years resolution kind of gal, just never have been. But lovely Marisa, of Food In Jars inspired me this morning. Just because I don't do personal resolutions doesn't mean I can't make some bloggy ones! So here goes, my Blog Resolutions for 2012:

1- To post more vintage cookbooks (you guys seem to like those)

2- Maybe a little re-design (change is good right?)

3- In general, just be more consistent with my posting (I can do it!)

Sound good? Ok then. Happy 2012!

EB

Most Popular Holiday Recipes

It’s holiday recipe time around the interwebs and SpiceDish always sees a bump in traffic during these dark days of winter. I've rounded up the top 3 searched recipes here for you. I say give them all a go. A San Francisco-esque pasta and two desserts. What could make a better meal?

mmm crabby

The first most popular is my Crab Ravioli. It seems that people are up to trying something a bit more fancy-pants than they normally would and these are just the ticket. They are actually pretty easy and offer a big payoff in flavor.

mushy!

The second most popular recipe is for this Chocolate Banana Bread. It really is amazing. I haven’t made it myself in a long time, but I just might have to. For grandma’s sake.

crack!

Last, but most certainly NOT least, is one of my all-time favorite recipes. I don't mean it ranks on top for my ice cream recipes, but I mean tops for all recipes. It’s just so, so, so addictively good. Peppermint Crack’ed Ice Cream.

 

Enjoy!

EB

Eat Good Food

Do you own a copy of Eat Good Food yet? NO? Buy one here! For every copy sold they are donating a dollar to The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and Nextcourse a group that offers food education to San Francisco youth. And that’s the point. Beyond being a book that highlights the bounty found at BiRite Market the authors advocate for the connection between food and community. The first chapter is aptly titled “Creating Community Through Food” and begins with how the market came to be what it is today and the neighborhood and city that formed it. 

Sam Mogannam’s book is a non-insider’s guide on how to shop consciously in order to foster your community all while eating better (for you and your neighbors).  The book is filled with history, credos, cooking and shopping tips, not to mention gorgeous photos and great recipes.

I used to live around the corner from BiRite (long before ‘food culture’ was on my radar) and I was a regular shopper. I didn’t know why then, but the food always tasted better and dinner companions always perked up when they saw a BiRite bag come through the door. The products were always simply superior.  The market is truly more than just a grocery store. It has become a hub of information and community outreach with the addition of 18 Reasons.

Mogannam’s idea is that ‘good food’ isn’t just for “rich” foodies, but everyone. He features this poster by the U.S. Food Administration from 1914 to make his point. These are not new-fangled ideas, but a plea to return to what made American food and communities great.

 

Go... now.... get a copy... I'll wait....

 

EB

Cheap Eats in the Summer of Love

Looove the logo!

Hardworking immigrants who operate small establishments, serving heartfelt food at living wage prices? That’s our favorite thing these days in San Francisco right? Really, there is some truth to the saying that there is nothing new under the sun. We've always been a food city.

In 1969 R. B. Bread was a writer for the Examiner-Chronicle and a little book called “The San Francisco Underground Gourmet: An Irreverant Guide to Dining in the Bay Area.” His specialty was finding “different and excellent eateries” that were “small and modest.” He championed the mom n' pop joints that were overlooked by most publications. At the time, “ethnic” foods were all over the city but not nearly in the numbers we think of as normal today. While now you see Bernal Hill three year olds chowing down on octopus at any given sushi joint, in 1969 Read had to spend half his time explaining what things were before he could tell you where you should eat them!

So why on earth did I pick up an ethnic food restaurant guide from 1969? There were two things that made me plunk down my four dollars for the book: one, Read proclaims that “San Franciscans need a restaurant guide” due to the fact that for all of San Franciscans “heady interest in the subject” there was very little exploring outside of certain comfort zones. Can you imagine? Us needing a restaurant guide? Two, Read includes “Gay” as an ethnic food category, right between Frisco and German! He acknowledges that most gays are not “glamorous theatrical personages” but “wage earners in humdrum and humble occupations” who needed a place to go be themselves, where they could be free from discrimination. In a sign of the times, while he only finds three Korean restaurants worth mention he lists almost three pages of “Gay” restaurants. Can you imagine his joy cruising the Richmond today? 

Very few of his haunts remain, but some like Lois the Pie Queen hold fast and have changed little. Others like Tadich Grill remain but are clearly out of the budget conscious realm that got them in the book.

While apparently Read was a “well-known San Francisco epicure and bon vivant,” a “world traveler, journalist and resource economist,” I haven’t been able to find much about him. But I think it’s pretty clear, with his ‘get out there and find good food in small places’ mentality he would undoubtedly be a food blogger if he were on the scene today.

EB

The Girl in the Pink Unicorn

She rode in on a pink unicorn!

You know Jessie right? If you don't I have one question... just what is wrong with you? Dear, darling, tiny Jessie is the force of sweet nature behind CakeSpy, a land of all things wonderful, sugary, pink and unicorn filled. Her book is out and you really should buy it. I mean really... you should. Her recipes are fun. Pure 6 year old, let loose in a sugary factory, fun.

Yay cupcakes!

She hit up San Francisco while on her book tour and I was lucky enough to finally meet Jessie after years of following her. I have to say, she was sweeter than any Halloween candy I could have crammed in my face. Omnivore Books was filled with lovers of her drawings, her recipes and her humor. She gave away sox, tote bags and wisdom of the ages i.e. "frosting makes everything better." And really... the girl is not wrong.

So go now... buy your copy. Pass out from a sugar coma. It's ok... you'll dream of unicorns.

 

EB

Of Anniversaries and Things

My first picture posted

I started SpiceDish four years ago. FOUR. It’s strange where life takes you in four years. I’ve never been a diary keeper (too embarrassing) but I realize now that SpiceDish is a diary of sorts. Looking back on past posts I can see when I was happy at my work (fewer posts), when I needed escape (more posts), when I was engaged with the blogosphere (lots of comments), and when I was playing recluse (no comments).

I can see when larger life issues, very personal ones, took precedence over posting or when I was compelled to post by those same issues.

I have met some truly amazing people because of SpiceDish. People like Bethany, Victoria, Sarah and Jessie.  I have been let into many other worlds in the past years and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Like a lot of you, I’m at yet another crossroads in life. The ‘what’s next’ type. The ‘can I really make that happen’ type.  I have no idea where I will be come next October’s blogiversary, and that’s a bit scary. I do know that I’ll be able to look over the year’s posts and see where I’ve been. And that is comforting.

Here’s to another year.

Enjoy-

EB

 

Big News!

See that up there? That is the banner for my very awesome, soon to be a reality, web store. It's not up and running yet but it will be soon. I'll have amazing vintage finds for women, men and some great (mostly mid-century) housewares too! There will also be a smattering of cook books and other kitcheney items.

Stay tuned!!

EB