Canoe Camping, Sparks Lake

How would you celebrate your 36th birthday? I went canoe camping with twenty-six friends. Not everyone stayed the entire time, some only stayed for a beer, but to celebrate with friends in the woods was something special. As for the cake, 'twas a gorgeous thing until my watermelon rolled into it's side on the way to our campsite. Oops! Happy Birthday to me!!

Team Land-ich on Holiday.

Holidays are a common occurrence in these parts. Anytime I get out of work and into the woods, I consider it a vacation. Last weekend was 'the biggest weekend of the summer' as described by some hyperbolist Bend friends. We drove westward and I blame the ocean. I lose myself and all my worries in that never ending push and pull. I relish that moment of becoming nothing before the 'infinitely-more-than-I-am' open ocean.

Here are a few pictures of our travels-all taken with a camera Dad bought me for my birthday. It's a step up from a point-n-shoot and not quite a digital SLR. It's perfect. So was the holiday. Happy Anniversary, R.

(In no particular order: Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Salmon River Estuary, Hebo Mountain outside of Pacific City, Mt. Hood.)

278 Cupcakes

Looking back, maybe being asked to bake 278 cupcakes should have scared me. The most I'd made until then was 90 or 100 for a small wedding. Those wedding cupcakes, while beautiful, didn't daunt me either. Jumping to nearly 300 cupcakes seemed like the improbable but unyielding jump I took from running six miles to signing up for my first marathon. Mentally, I knew I could do it. Preparation was my savior. Practice was the lesson. Along the way, I learned my share of at least 278 imperceptible valuable lessons.
The mountain bikers participating in 2009 Bend's Big Fat Tour (BBFT) enjoyed a choice of pumpkin with maple meringue frosting, vanilla with vanilla and chocolate with chocolate cupcakes. What I learned was integral for success in the future: Be thorough on lists and preparation, including items you normally don't buy every time: fuel for blowtorch, salt, baking powder and soda. While each recipe calls for a tsp, in the midst of making 4 batches of something you don't want to run out. Check details again: count cupcake liners, account for a percentage to burn, fall to the floor, etc. Shit happens in life. Don't let it ruin your cake order. Know the batch capacity of your stand mixer and the limits of said mixer. One mistake I made was in overloading my mixer. A properly loaded machine (i.e. stand mixer) works faster and better when loaded just below capacity. Believe me on this one. Think two steps ahead and multi-task. While baking two dozen cupcakes this seems wise, when baking 23 dozen... it makes a world of difference.

For this particular 'event' I had three distinct work stations. First: my dry mixing station. I measured out all the dry ingredients and sorted them by mixing method. All flour, salt, soda, powder, cocoa were sifted together into a bowl or bowls. I had the wet measurements to the side, but still sorted by recipe. Next was the actual mixing station. Here is where I stood mixing, in thirds, the wet and dry ingredients. Third, I had the cooling and frosting station on my kitchen table. Luckily, my table held every cuppy. I was a little worried what I would do with them! While I tried to multi-task. I knew I had essentially six recipes to account for. I worked so that each one was completed in a comparatively organized manner. I worked so that if I used chocolate I only made a chocolately mess once. Then put all those ingredients in the pantry. Seems sort of obvious, right? But staying focused and organized has helped me so much outside of cooking and I love the organization and cleanliness of a neat well-run kitchen.
My final and largest vexation. Transportation. I cleaned and sanitized a large piece of particle board large enough to hold all of the cuppys but hadn't anticipated how I would get it out of the house. (Big lesson!) The god's were with me that day! Laura and I threw up the front windows and pulled the 4'x7' plank through the windows and into my truck. Hallelujah! I think R. is right on this one. I'm ready for bakery boxes.

Dutch Ovens. No, not that kind.

I'm staring at the most recent addition to my collection of kitchen instruments, tools and toys. A cobalt blue enameled dutch oven. I nearly cried opening my gift. I have wanted one for nine years. Sure. I could have bought one- forgone those fancy beers, decided not to buy another wedge of Parmiggiano Reggiano but there are some things a girl MUST have. Fancy beers and fancy French cheese are two items on a long list of culinary must-haves for me.

But back to the dutch oven and all four quarts of heavenly possibilities. At any given moment I find myself writing mental menus. Christmas night I ate a glorious meal with friends including my second farm-raised turkey of the holiday season, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, roasted root vegetables, gravy, biscuits, pumpkin poundcake and hot buttered rum. While digesting this meal I was still, STILL, talking about food. Discussing how to make something, improve, adjust, tweak. I never stop talking about it. So there I was, opening my lovely Christmas gift with R. in a robe, me home late from work but celebrating Christmas when our schedule allowed.... and I'm imagining what I'll make as soon as the cobalt blue hits my eyes and my brain processes that image into... a DUTCH OVEN in sparkling, twinkling light from the glow of clarified butter. See? I can't stop sometimes. Mentally I'm making Boeuf Bourguignon,roasting chickens five different ways, basic Tuesday night pot roast, ladle after ladle of soup-cream of cauliflower, french onion, cream of mushroom, barley and vegetable. I'm mentally baking rigatoni, bread pudding for a dozen and the largest batch of creme anglaise to come out of my kitchen. After making all these dishes, I mentally wipe the dutch oven clean with nary a scrub. Because that's how easy it is in real life. That's why I am enamored by my enameled dutch oven.

Slow Food or Slow Service.

Sitting at 900 Wall Friday night, experiencing yet another night of poor service, R. mentioned how apropos it was that the NYT posted a list of 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do. One thing missing on said list is to make a customer wait for service. And wait. While we sat in a bustling dining room, watching another couple sit, order and get served, somehow we were in no man's land. There were the flittings of waitstaff around the room but none could find a way to our table. When I walked to the host station and asked for service the host asked where we were sitting. I responded 'at the only table without food or drinks'. We joked how we didn't have the appropriate look for good service- we weren't over forty-year-old Awbrey Butte residents.

In my opinion that's exactly why we should receive equal service. We CHOSE to spend our disposable income at this restaurant. Bend still has high rates of unemployment, houses in foreclosure and restaurants closing. We were dressed smartly for Art Walk. And really, if I sit down to eat at your restaurant should I be judged for not wearing a Coldwater Creek jacket? Wouldn't a restaurant want to keep the patrons they have? Wouldn't you put on the charm offensive to keep us coming back?

Our waiter arrived, we ate. Will I return? I'm undecided. it's the third time I've had a bad experience there -the first time our busser, a Zac Efron coiffed snowboarder, dumped my water glass and half-heartedly daubed at the mess. Second time the gnocchi arrived but it wasn't gnocchi. Not even Ferran Adria would have called it gnocchi. And then last Friday.

If you are a server-read the list. And part two.

I miss my two favorite restaurants with truly impeccable service in Boulder. Both must have learned lessons from Danny Meyer and Union Square Cafe in New York: The Kitchen and Frasca. I can't wait to get back to Boulder for good food and great service.

The return of the gourmand.

It's back. I wondered where it went and if I'd ever find it again. Welcome back, long lost culinary skills, I've missed you so. I spent the first part of this year insecure, doubting if I knew how to truss and roast a chicken. I started questioning every culinary decision I made. Then I stopped. I stopped cooking creatively. I made simple foods, I lost my appetite. I acted dumb when asked a food question. I just did. not. want. to. try. I lost weight. (That's probably more about riding bikes). I was out of work, stressed and unsure about my decision to move to Oregon. Sure I baked the occasional cake for friends. I'd bake cupcakes to make extra money and wonder if I'd forgotten the baking powder. I'd make a big meal and doubt myself the entire time. Then, sometime in the last two months, like an unexpected package on my doorstep, my confidence appeared. I'd get asked how to make a dish and would rattle off not only a recipe but the history of said dish and interesting anecdotal information. I was working again. I was--get this--using my brain. Suddenly, I was the go-to person at work for culinary questions. Not only was I the culinary encyclopedia at work, I realized-to my core- I KNOW how to cook. And I enjoy it. When a customer needed to know what to use as a substitute for, say, beef bouillon in a stew because of a food allergy, I'd suggest adding a beef shank. When a customer asked me why she needed fettuccine for her recipe, I explained to her how each pasta is but a vehicle for the sauce and how to carefully choose a pasta appropriate for the sauce. She laughed and said "I guess I asked the right person!" All I could think was that she'd asked me at the right time.

Now that my love of cooking has returned, now that I feel confident, perhaps for the first time, to cook, that's all I've been doing. I spent one weekend baking 278 cupcakes for Bend's Big Fat Tour. I made pumpkin with maple meringue frosting (my all-time favorite cupcake), vanilla with vanilla and chocolate with chocolate. But that's a post for another day.

This last weekend I made boeuf bourguignon. I fed six people on the first night and ate leftovers for three additional meals. I served the stew over polenta. Culinary heresy, I'm sure, for mixing French regions, but the polenta sounded warm and cozy on a cold night. I also roasted three kinds of beets from a Bend farmer-red, golden and chioggia drizzled with balsamic glaze from Fairview Estate in South Africa- a gift from a friend. Additionally, and only because I was feeling feisty, I roasted parsnips, beets, carrot and orange cauliflower for another side dish. Perhaps for lunches the next few days. Finally, I made pumpkin poundcake.

That's right! I'm back. I'm cooking. I'm planning. I'm watching what arrives in produce everyday and what's on sale in the meat case. I've warned RL that he'll eat well all winter. I'm not suggesting I'm perfect in the kitchen. I can still be bossy and internally stress whether a dish is exactly what I want. My mistakes no longer soil my soul or sink my self-worth. There just burned bits in the pan. Moreover, I've fallen in love with being here. I think finding my place and getting settled has helped immensely. I can't wait to try new recipes, experiment with flavors and host a few supper club dinners. Where did I put that kitchen twine? I need to truss a few chickens.

Oregon Staycation #3

I went camping with RL about a month ago. We explored more of Oregon on yet another 'staycation'. We went to Waldo Lake (one of the largest and clearest lakes in the US) where we went mtn biking and made camping dinners. My favorite! We returned to Bend for the cruiser ride then up and over spectacular McKenzie Pass past lava flows, volcanic peaks and into the wet, old growth forests of the western side of the Cascade Range. We traveled to the coast to see RL's college housemate, Perry. We continued south on Highway 101, exploring spouts, watching sea lions, frolicking at coastal dunes and eventually winding our way to Umpqua Hot Springs.

I love Colorado, but Oregon is seeping into my blood. We hiked along the coast. A coast! Having spent my life in land-locked states, I can't imagine moving away from the ocean. We waxed philosophical one night under a blue blanket of stars with the waves lapping near us, while we stood a safe distance away discussing the never-ending surf. If anything makes me feel insignificant, reducing my stresses to but a pebble on the beach, it's the concept of the tide, the ocean, never stopping. Despite wars, famines, eons and epochs, the ocean and the moon's tidal pull never ceases. I could sit, and often do on these trips, just sitting near the ocean.

We mountain biked among enormous ponderosa pines. While biking, we stopped and found lobster mushrooms and chanterelles (Thanks Perry!). Each dinner I prepared had the addition of freshly foraged mushrooms. As usual, my camping cooler had a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano (oh, how I love that cheese!), bacon and a few fresh veggies. Sure enough, we were able to make a delicious pasta dinner with the addition of mushrooms and added them to our egg scramble the following morning. Perry gave us salmon he'd smoked enriching our breakfast into an avocado, salmon and cream cheese feast on the beach.

My favorite discovery were the coastal dunes. Absolutely, stunningly beautiful.

A note from facebook about Craig.

R.I.P. Craig Michael Yellich, 1/13/90 - 8/10/09

My cousin, Craig, died last Sunday. He took his own life with a shotgun. Why would I write about this on facebook- land of the never-ending good time and 'look how happy we are' photo albums? Because sometimes we aren't happy. Sometimes, those around us aren't happy. We don't talk about the hard stuff. We avoid pain because we don't know what to do with it. I have to talk about it. I have to discuss what happened. We don't always take others unhappiness seriously. We're unwilling to relinquish our narcissistic crown to acknowledge that others need our love and support. Craig was one of those young men who deserved more love and attention than he received.

His life had never been easy. I remember my parents discussing bringing a toddler into their house when they almost had all the kids out of the house--Andrea in college locally, me in high school, my brother in junior high. Craig needed a stable home. My parents, bless them, offered to take him in. What a joy to have a toddler, a toddler (!), in our house. Craig ran around in diapers, we photographed him doing everything. I loved having him as part of our family. Mom and Dad hoped his early years with our family would provide stability for years to come. His mom moved to Denver, moved in with us for a spell and eventually moved out-taking Craig with her.

While I was in college, Craig and I made a play date. To this day, it's my most memorable day with him. I took him to the firehouse where my ex was working. He climbed on fire engines. He explored hose beds, sirens and breathing apparatus. Afterward, we took him to the pumpkin patch. Picking out the biggest pumpkin a four-year-old could, he tried carrying it. He couldn't do it. We hiked in the foothills of Boulder. Craig showed me that hiking isn't glorious simply for the big mountains and scenery. He loved the flowers and bugs, the rocks and lichen; all the small things in his line of sight. He was curious about everything. We carved pumpkins that day. For years he asked when we could have a day like that one. I've often wondered the same thing.

Jump forward a few years. Craig and his mother moved to Hilton Head to be near my aunt (another of his mom's siblings). There, Craig spiraled. Down. He was arrested. He spent time in jail. He hooked up with some nefarious characters-as best my aunt has told the story. Somehow, he procured a gun. How? Why? The why doesn't matter at this point.

Craig decided the only way to fix his life was to take it. How I wish he had chosen another path. I wish he had known how many people loved him, if only he'd allowed himself to be loved. How I wish I were able to hold that little boy in the foothills of Colorado and tell him he was loved. I would say rough patches are a part of life and to get through them, while it stinks, will make you stronger and feel more alive.

I hadn't spoken to Craig in years. I wish I could talk to Craig one more time and let him hear, and feel in his heart, how much he will be missed.

Camping for my birthday at a remote yet accessible lake in Oregon I feasted on simple food. The simplest, really. For all the meals, all the dollars, euro, franc and soles and whatever other currency spent on said meals, I know, I KNOW now it's not necessarily about where you eat, or what you eat- but with whom you eat. Dinner of minestrone-one of those prepacked camping dinners I'd added Italian sausage, zucchini and carrots to never tasted as delicious as it did sitting there with my man under a beautiful clear sky with enough clouds on the western horizon to create Bob Ross quality colors. Mt. Bachelor loomed to the east, the water, placid. And with a beer in one hand and a warm bowl of minestrone in the other, I felt love and happiness as I've never felt it. I felt as though my meal revealed how simple, content, and calm my life has become. Life isn't about the single events that surpass all others. It's the accumulation of little moments, little grains of sand that eventually become giant dunes of memories. They can be memories of happiness and love or full of jealousy, hatred and anger.I want to look back and see a mountain of possibility-hope and love, warm meals and hugs, cold beers with vibrant sunsets. At Sparks Lake, I sat. Ate. I enjoyed that moment.

Firecracker Cupcakes

Here in Bend, Oregon, Fourth of July is the apex of summer party season. While much has happened in this (hamlet? small town? oasis?) since the 4th, nothing I've seen or done rivals the excitement and energy of that day. I kept hearing "wait til summer", "summer in Bend is wonderful", "oh, the 4th is off the hook"... and so on. And was it all of those things? It was.

First, Laura and I went to breakfast at a friend's house where everyone showed up in patriotic attire. While riding through town there was a 5k, a parade, a pet parade, streets closed off, live music and just about anything you'd want to do happening or planned for that day-food booths, live music, people watching.

I tried selling Firecracker Cupcakes downtown at the parade but was shooed away for lack of a permit. I did sell about 7-8 cupcakes before the city ran me off. I tried arguing that with 16% unemployment the city might want to encourage entrepreneurs but they didn't want to hear it from me. Oh well. I had phase two in my sights.

Most of our excitement surrounded the Freedom Ride. The Freedom Ride operates a lot like Fight Club. The first rule is not to talk about the Freedom Ride. Suffice to say, a predetermined location is picked for the start and secretly (or not so secretly) passed around town and facebook. Around 2:30 in the afternoon about 1000 or so people (is that right?) congregated at Pioneer Park. Finally, after much wandering, talking and people watching-everyone gathered on the street for an ENORMOUS cruiser ride around downtown Bend. We stopped traffic, we clogged the main thoroughfares in both directions! I loved it! Rob had his boombox so we had music-there were costumes, tall bikes, tandems, etc. What a party! After the ride, back to the park where we drank some more and jumped off the bridge into the Deschutes River. On a nearly 100 degree day, it felt incredible!!

Welcome to phase two. I brought my cupcakes, a big sign and my Sara Charm Offensive. Laura helped too! Most people assumed the cupcakes had drugs in them. I had to say as seriously as possible to a mother that my cakes were clean and she could call me if anything happened to her daughter. Sheesh. It was like Shakedown Street at a Dead show!

Two dozen cupcakes later, I had a few smashed from the bike ride, 43 dollars in my pocket and more confidence in selling my creations. Oh! And the firecracker cupcakes? Red, white and blue vanilla cake garnished with red and blue Pop Rocks!

Custom Cakes

While being unemployed this spring, my housemate was very helpful in getting me cake orders. Here are examples of birthday cakes for her co-workers. Vanilla Cake with Pomegranate Frosting (always a crowd pleaser) and Carrot with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Red Velvet Valentine's Cupcakes

We were invited to a Valentine's Eve party Friday night. I had never made Red Velvet Cupcakes. No, I take that back. One of my short-lived jobs here I made red velvet based on my boss' recipe. I thought they were awful: dry, crumbly cupcakes that had a lot of senseless directions about ingredient combination. Also, for a recipe we were going to use daily, it was too arduous for a quick batch of cakes. I tried convincing the owner to try other recipes that would result in more consistent cakes. She ignored me. I've since moved on and she's since been fired from the company bearing her name. Not based on my cupcake opinions, but it's representative of how she ran her business. Based on my limited experience with r.v. cupcakes, I assumed any recipe would be terrible.
I stand corrected. These cakes were easy to make, light, airy, SUPER moist and devoured at the party! I am hesitant to really sell my cakes. My housemate suggested I create business cards to bring with me to the party. I didn't make them. Why am I so afraid to sell myself and my skills?

After mailing a batch of cakes the feedback of my Ole cupcakes (chocolate chili) was "pure sex". I don't think I could receive a better compliment!

S'More Cupcakes

My housemate, Rachel, celebrated her trip to New Zealand last weekend with a small send-off party. She *loves* sweets so I knew I had leeway in experimenting with cupcakes when most people ask for just chocolate or vanilla. I have a cupcake book I received as a gift that I use for occasional recipe development. The S'Mores recipe came from that cookbook.

These cupcakes, once again, were out of this world! The cake base had cocoa powder, melted baking chocolate and still whole chocolate chips. They were moist, crumbly (but not TOO crumbly) and dense. R. and I experimented with putting graham crackers IN the cake mix, on the bottom, on top and mixed throughout. Unfortunately, once we got to the party, we forgot to assess our variations.

The frosting was a bit trickier having called for a bag of marshmallows while my pantry contained only a jar of mallow creme. By following the recipe, I ended up with a loose spread, not quite a pipable frosting. After adding a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, I had the consistency I wanted but had sacrificed the distinct marshmallow flavor. My next batch I'll go to the store for the mallows and save some for garnish.

For all my perseverating about appearance, garnish, etc. I could show up at a party with hockey pucks decorated with frosting and people would get excited. What is it about cupcakes that makes people so happy? Is it the individual portion? The fun decorations? Maybe it's that I am guaranteed to be smiling while holding a batch. A smile is the most delicious kind of garnish in my book.

Cupcake Flavors Available for Sale!

chefsaracooks@gmail.com

Made from Scratch cupcakes. Price varies from $2-4/each (depending on flavors).
Minimum orders of one dozen are preferred at this time.

Finished Cupcakes:


The Great Pumpkin: Pumpkin Pie Cake, Maple Meringue Frosting


Hawaii 5-0: Pineapple & Coconut cake, Cream Cheese, Walnut and Lemon Frosting


Anglo-Saxon: Almond Cake, Almond Frosting (see photo)


Chocolate Elvis: Banana Cake, Peanut Butter Frosting, Chocolate Ganache


Berry White: Vanilla Cake, Chantilly Frosting, Fresh Strawberries


Green with Envy: Mint Chocolate Chip Cake, Mint Chocolate Frosting and Chips


Beantown: Vanilla Cake, Pastry Cream, Whipped Cream, Ganache


Pucker up Buttercup: Vanilla Cake, Lemon Curd filling, Lemon Buttercream


Strawberry Shortcake: Vanilla Cake, Whipped Cream, Fresh Strawberries


Creamsicle: Vanilla Cake, Vanilla/Orange Buttercream


What's up Doc: Carrot Cake, Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream


Nutter Butter: Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Buttercream and Reese's


Pretty in Pink: Vanilla Cake with Pomegranate Buttercream


Lavender Bee: Lavender Cake, Lavender Flowers, Honey, Cream Cheese Frosting


Black Betty: Chocolate Fudge Cake, Chocolate Frosting, Chocolate Ganache


Chai Guy: Spiced Cake, Third Street Chai Buttercream


Rootbeer Float: Rootbeer Cake, Vanilla Buttercream


Olé: Chocolate Cake, Chili Chocolate Buttercream

What's in a name anyway?

I've been toying with a baking/cupcake business for almost three years. I was thwarted by my ex-employer.

Here, in Bend, on the cusp of greatness (or so I feel) I am finally willing to take a risk with my $3 cupcakes and make people happy. I have a list of flavors, prices, gaining clients and am so happy to get things going. I am writing down menu ideas and coming up with additional recipes, ideas, things to consider. I have a moleskine (LOVE those books!) full of jaunty names, possible events, entrepreneurs I want to contact, anything associated with moving forward!

Where am I stuck? On a name. A meme. A signifier. A representamerr. I sat and did free association: Sassy Cakes, Hot Cakes, Buttercup (already taken in NYC), Star cakes (too close to cakestar in DC), Sweet by Sara, Sweet Star, Sugar Shack, Captain Cupcake (Hostess owns), Sweet Nothings, Cowgirl Cupcake, Wonder cakes, Cupcake Girl, Mile High Sugar Rush (when I lived in CO) Scream scratch Cakes (it's a childhood nickname).

This is where I ask you, my dear reader (I hope there is more than just one of you) to help me name my business. I'd like my business name to be: fun, flirty, playful, but not childish, related to baking but not necessarily specific to cupcakes as I want to make other things, too. I'd like the name to reflect me: dear God, is this where I describe myself like a personal ad? IF you know me, I think you will understand the complexity of getting a name to describe my charm, my culinary skills, my playfulness, my incredible beauty (kidding!) etc. The other thing to consider is the logo. I have a few logos already made by a friend that used The Cupcake Girl. What sorts of things am I drawn to? Stars. Birds. Birdhouses/nests. Lavender. Wood. Old gnarled wood. Wooden spoons. Tea Pots. Wildflowers. Aspen leaves. Funky words. Full Moons. Dragonflies. Pine trees. Bicycles. (I'd love to figure out a way to involve green/organic baking/delivery into my business model). Purple. Old worn books. Cherries. Sock monkeys. Old Cameras. Copper anything. Cowgirls. If any of those things could be in the business name and work, I'd consider it.

Please send in your ideas. I'd love feedback.

Has the meaning of change, umm.. changed?

Like anyone else who is alive today, I realize I am experiencing the possibility of a completely different life. I don't want to write another piece about Obama's presidency and the hope, possibilities and near idolatry of our newly elected "Man of Change". Let's face it, my blog is about my love of food, it's not about politics, per se, though politics are intertwined with food if the farm lobby, Con-Agra's influence and the price of organics are considered.

No, this post is about the change in MY life regarding food. I've spent the last thirteen years of my life learning about food: grades of foie gras, how to shuck oysters, what makes Celtic sea salt different than Himalayan Rock salt. And you know what? It's all bullshit!! I live in Oregon-one of the top five states for joblessness. And you know what? I am a statistic. More than a statistic like college educated, white, and female. I am unemployed and living in a town of 70,000 people where there aren't any jobs. I have looked and continue to look. Four incredible restaurants in Bend have closed since I moved here. I have been laid off, twice, in four months. And I find myself at a very distinct impasse in my life. As in: what the F* am I to do next? Work for ConAgra? Bottle Smuckers jelly? When no one can afford Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, don't we all go back to eating cheap Tostitos, Ramen, Butterball chicken and Oscar Meyer wieners? I am one of those statistics, too. I no longer have the LUXURY of shopping organic. I no longer have the option of going out to sushi weekly. Weekly! It all seems so wasteful now, thinking of all the money I spent superfluously, effortlessly, eating out in Boulder. I've only been able to enjoy Bend's food scene since moving here because of the generosity of a wonderful man in my life.

Where do I go from here? Shopping at Grocery Outlet is one option. I found Organic peanut butter (despite the recall!) for $2. I avoided the beef labeled "from USA, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand" on principle. But really, do I have the luxury or right to have those sort of principles now? For all my proselytizing how to eat, what to eat, I am no better than those people I shunned years ago for not understanding why my food choices were better than theirs. I am exactly where I was in college: too educated for my own good, too poor to use my education to choose wisely.

Napa & Savoy Cabbage Salad with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

This last spring, I was single and sad yet resilient. I continued going on dates with men who couldn't "keep up". If you've read my older posts you would have read my combination dating and restaurant reviews. I stopped, for no other reason than a bad date only highlights terrible food, a good restaurant shouldn't be wasted on a bad date... and I was growing tired of being 'unlucky in love."
In response to my dating and eating debacles... I returned to eating for one, again. One Saturday night, feeling inspired to cook what I wanted, I stumbled on the following recipe in Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Since the day I picked up her cookbook, I have adored it. I have treasured it. I keep returning to her versions of crusts, quiches, sauces, dressings, salads, soups, etc. All of her dishes are fresh, vibrant, delicious and easy to follow with tips and clues. She is a brilliant chef and cookbook author. Here is the recipe for Napa and Savoy Cabbage Salad with Peanut-Ginger Dressing (p.153 in my edition). While shopping for dinner, I perused the aisles of my local liquor store (Boulder Wine Merchant), with the help of employee and friend, Jeff, I bought a wonderful Reisling to go with my dinner: sparkling, a bit sweet to go with the peppery cashews and paired nicely with the Peanut-Ginger dressing. I hope you enjoy this dish hot or cold. The full recipe made a large dish for one person. I think this would be perfect for date food or to fill a lunch box for a few days mid-summer.

1 small Napa Cabbage, about 3/4 pound
2 medium carrots, julienned,
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 bunch scallions, including a few inches of the greens
1/2 Savoy Cabbage, about 1/2 pound, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1 tablespoon finely sliced basil leaves- Thai or Anise basil are preferred if you can find them.
------
Quarter the Napa cabbage, including the base, and thinly slice it crosswise. Parboil the carrots for one minute, then refresh under cold water. Slice the cucumber and scallions into long, thin pieces and toss with the Napa and Savoy Cabbage and the herbs. Heat the dressing in a small skillet until the aromas are released, then immediately pour it over the greens while tossing with a pair of tongs. Add the nuts, toss again, and serve.

Peanut Dressing w/ Thai Basil
1/4 cup roasted peanut oil
2 1/2 tablespoons rice/apple vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2-1 serrano chile, diced
2 scallions, including an inch of greens, thinly sliced
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped basil (see note above about Thai basil)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
pinch of salt
--------
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Taste- the soy sauce sould provide enough salt, if not, add a bit more.

Roasted Cashews with Garam Masala
2 cups raw cashew nuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
-----
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Toss the nuts with the oil and roast on a sheet pan until lightly browned over, 15-20 minutes. Remove and toss with the garam masala, sugar and salt.

Whiskey Cupcakes w/ Egg Nog Frosting

I did it. I made the egg nog frosting and while I discussed making Rum cupcakes, I had a bottle of Maker's Mark sitting on the counter. I took my basic recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes- always a flawless hit- and adjusted the recipe. From my experimenting I've discovered one fact: one basic recipe that I know well can be endlessly tweaked. My basic recipe has been manipulated with chai, melted chocolate, chocolate chips, countless spices but always the base recipe to start. Chef Andy, you are a brilliant instructor! He would say we were only limited by our imagination and ingredients if we knew the basics. He meant beurre blanc and such but the statement is equally applicable to cupcakes.

My favorite vanilla recipe is a basic 1-2-3-4 cake that every woman 40 years ago knew how to make.
Vanilla Cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened.
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whip butter until very smooth in texture
2. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth in texture
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating very well between each addition
4. In separate bowl, mix the 2 flours together
5. In separate bowl, mix Milk and Vanilla
6. Add flour mixture and milk mixture 1 cup at a time to butter mixture, beating very well between each addition.
7. Spoon into lined cupcake pan (approx. 1/4 c batter per cupcake)
8. Bake for 20-22 minutes in pre-heated oven (350 degrees F)

*You can also make 3 – 9” rounds with the batter. Grease and flour each pan.

For my whiskey cupcakes, I substituted 3/4 cup of whiskey and 1/4 cup heavy cream for the milk. I didn't want the whiskey to be too watery, but I also wanted to add richness to the batter.

Egg Nog Frosting

See Frosting Recipe from my previous post.

INGREDIENTS
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup egg nog
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter on medium speed until fluffy and light in color.
2. Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until it is well incorporated.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until frosting is very airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Use immediately to frost cookies or cupcakes, or store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

I wasn't very satisfied with the frosting. I thought the butter didn't get fully incorporated with the egg nog, so there was a grainy texture to the frosting. To hide the imperfections, I dusted the top with powdered sugar and grated more nutmeg on top.