Dear Jack

I dream of zombies

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:05:25 GMT

Despite the fact that I was too sick last week to enjoy any Halloween festivities, my brain more than made up for it by presenting me with zombie dreams two nights in a row!

Dream 1: My sister was on the team of a new zombie first person shooter game, with a fantastic new virtual reality environment. I got to check it out at one of the testing stages. First I just walked around the environment, marveling at how real it was. It was set in SF, so I was trying to see if I could get to work in the video game. There were no zombies or other players at this time, but I could manipulate things like commandeer a Muni bus. Then my sister asked if I wanted to try a little actual game play. I said sure. It started with a cut scene, but it felt so realistic. You are in an elevator at the mall, and when you get out you see people walking around like normal. The colors are all soothing and warm. Then this breeze blows through and suddenly the colors go all dark and vivid and there's a zombie all up in your face! I got freaked and pressed the mental "esc" key, which is what lets you exit the VR. But it also made me exit the dream. And while I'm glad I woke up before the zombie got me, I kind of wanted to continue watching the game as a non-player.

Dream 2: Trying to evade zombies as you do. Somehow I'm in a hotel, holed up with the random people who are now my buddies, brought close by the threat of zombies. Someone knocks on the hotel door. Is it a zombie or the guy who went to get ice?! The door is opened, ice guy and his golden retriever slip through, but then a zombie is right on their heels! And then Beyonce and Jay-Z sing a Christmas carol and vanquish the zombies with music!

Schrodinger's Rapist on Shapley Prose

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:52:52 GMT

This post on Shapely Prose is both awesome and deeply depressing. If you have the time, the 1000+ (yes, seriously!) comment thread is well worth reading, although it does get rage-inducing at times. Good news, comments are now locked so you aren't chasing the tail end.

While I found it interesting to think about my constant awareness of potential threats in terms of Schrodinger's Rapist, where the article really came in personally helpful was in understanding that when I am in a privileged situation, I am a Schrodinger's Asshole. And this made me come to terms with the knee jerk defensive feeling I get when people talk about checking your privilege. My first response of "I'm not like that!" is totally the same as the guys on that thread who don't get that approaching women who don't want to be approached is gross and potentially really scary. And the best way to not be like that is to not be like that. But people who have been subjected to abuse (verbal, physical, emotional, etc) by people who share similar privileges to me don't know that I'm not an asshole, and they do not have to assuage my hurt feelings by allowing me to prove I am not an asshole. I will just continue to not be an asshole, and if I ever become relevant to their lives my continued non-asshole behavior will be be better proof of me not being an asshole than me getting up in their face about what an awesome and not prejudiced person I am.

Daring Bakers: Vol-au-Vents

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:08:09 GMT

My very first Daring challenge: The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

I did a Boston Cream Pie version, with cardamom pastry cream. I based both the pastry cream and chocolate glaze on the Fannie Farmer recipes.

Puff pastry turned out to be much easier, as a concept, than I had anticipated. It is a little time intensive in that you need to plan a head and leave plenty of time for chilling. But it only takes about 10 minutes to set up the dough, and each turn takes less than that. So you can do other things while the dough chills, like get the filling ready. Don't be afraid of the puff pastry!

That being said, this was a pretty painful experience for me, physically. If you have pain condition like arthritis or fibromyalgia, I suggest having a strong armed kitchen helper do the rolling out. My hands got red and swollen after each turn, and my arms are still shaky and sore the next day. Apparently a little vinegar in the mix when you first blend the dough will make it easier to roll out, but I really doubt it will help enough to make it feasible for me to do it on my own.

Cilanto Mint Chutney-style Pesto

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:39:41 GMT

This recipe came about because I love the mint chutney that comes with poppadoms or samosas at Indian restaurants and I ordered a bunch of cilantro on a whim from my CSA and then didn't know what to do with it. I've eaten this as a spread on bread, mixed into tabulleh salad, as a pesto sauce on hot pasta, and as the base for a cold pasta salad. The image above is the cold pasta salad with grape tomatoes and fresh corn.

The recipe
3-4 cups of cilantro
1/2-1 cup fresh mint, depending on how minty you want it
1/2 cup lemon juice
2-3 chilis (seeded if you don't like spicy things)
2-3 cloves garlic (I've also used garlic salt or just omitted)
1/2 T cumin
salt and pepper to taste
About 1/2 coconut cream or milk

Dump everything but the coconut cream in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the coconut cream until you have the texture you want. My favorite way to serve it is over hot pasta like radiotori with shredded parmesan.

Amazon Fail

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:17:15 GMT

By now I'm sure you've all heard about Amazon's latest efforts at fail, the "glitch" that stripped any material deemed "adult" of its sales ranks. Funny thing is that the glitch is mostly stripping books with LGBT content whether or not the content is "adult" in nature while Ron Jeremy's biography is still searchable from the front page.

The ladies at Smart BItches, Trashy Books have a google bomb campaign going to make sure that while tons of books are no longer searchable at Amazon, Amazon's stupidity is searchable by all. Check out the new edition to the lexicon: Amazon Rank.

Homemade Soda Update

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:20:55 GMT

So my two experimental sodas weren't as bubbly as previous versions, but I had to put them in the fridge and halt fermentation because the bottles were ready to burst. But as I discovered today, you can sit them out for a second fermentation after you have strained the bits out to up the bubbles. Or if you want the bits to continue flavoring the soda, just open it up to let out the built up gas and then seal and continue the fermentation. Just keep an eye on the bottles and relieve the pressure when they get taut. So yay for that.

On cupcakes and homemade soda

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:47:27 GMT

I made cupcakes this weekend for movie night, and they turned out delicious. They are basically this recipe, but I used almond meal instead of going to the tedious lengths of blanching and grinding them myself. Then I frosted them with whipped cream flavored with some orange blossom water.

I also decanted my recent soda experiments. Molasses ginger beer on the left, grapefruit on the right. I like them both, although they both have fewer bubbled than previous experiments. Liz tried the ginger beer and also liked it, though she had it with a healthy serving of whiskey so that might have biased her a bit.

And just for kicks, BEETS!

Homemade Soda

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:38:02 GMT

About a month or two ago I found a recipe on the internets for making ginger beer at home and my interest was immediately piqued. I ended up using another recipe, or mis-remembering this one, since the way I make it is:

1/2 cup to 1 cup of finely grated ginger. It's important for it to be finely ground so the gas can escape through the vegetable matter when you first open the bottle. If the ginger is too coarsly grated the gas gets trapped and you have a gingersplosion all over your kitchen.
1 cup sugar. I use raw cane sugar. I've also made a batch that was 1/2 honey 1/2 brown sugar that tasted very nice.
juice of 1 lemon or 1/2 T from concentrate
1/4 teaspoon active yeast
1 liter soda bottle, rinsed
Funnel
Strainer or cheese cloth

Fill a small pot with about a cup of water. Simmer the sugar and ginger until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to completely cool. If the mixture is hot or warm, it speeds up the fermentation process. A slow fermentation makes for a better flavor. Using the funnel, pour the sugar-ginger mixture into the soda bottle. Add the yeast and lemon juice. Fill the bottle to the neck with cold water. Let the fermentation begin!

It takes about 24-48 hours to ferment, depending on how cold your house is. My mom but her batch in the garage, which is very cold, and it took a lot longer, almost 4 days. Just be sure you check the bottle before you go to sleep and before you leave the house for the day. When the bottle is completely taut, put it in the fridge. It's ready to drink as soon as it's chilled, but I like to let it mature in the fridge for a few days. When you're ready to drink it, open it very slowly in your sink. I like to open it enough to let the gas start escaping (but not liquid!) and then ignore it for a few minutes. Once open, decant through a strainer or cheese cloth into another clean soda bottle. It doesn't go flat in the fridge the way carbonated beverages do, and you can adjust the level of sugar to be sweeter if you like. You can also add other flavors like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cayenne, pepper, etc. Just add them to the sugar-ginger stew step.

I'm thinking about making a version with lemon grass, and currently I have a batch fermenting that has molassas added to the sugar. I've also got a completely experimental batch of fresh mint and lime juice. I want to see if I can make a mojito base. I'm not sure how it will turn out, but I'll keep you posted. I'll also post pictures when the latest batches are ready.

My precioussss...

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:44:51 GMT

I got my new electric blanket yesterday! It is so warm and toasty, and it works so well! It doesn't take an hour to heat up or give out half-way through the night. Electric blanket, I love you.

Guilty Pleasure

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:20:59 GMT

So I have the Daily Kitten widget on my iGoogle page because having an adorably kitty greet me when I log on at work somehow makes the morning better. Anyway, today's kitten was begging for a LOLcating.

Fat Tuesday Dinner

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:59:19 GMT

I made dinner at Leia's house on Tuesday: Festival Squash Risotto, Salad with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette, and Roasted Garlic for bread.

Festival Squash Risotto [this will also work with Acorn or Delicata]

*The only time I really measure is when I bake. Otherwise I just eye things or season to taste. So adjust the amounts as you need to.*

Squash, de-seeded and cut into bite sized pieces. You can eat the skin of this squash
some oil and a dash of soy sauce to coast squash

Roast the squash in a 450 degree oven while you start the risotto. You can also roast garlic on the same pan. Check the squash every 15 minutes, stirring a little. If it cooks before the risotto is ready turn of the oven but leave the squash in to keep warm.

For the risotto:
About a cup of minced onions or shallots [I used shallots]
Some oil, about 2 T [I used grape seed]
About 2 cups arborrio rice, or six of my hands-full
Saffron, 10-15 threads
Broth, at least a box
juice and zest of 1 lemons
1 cup of white wine
Paprka
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Heat the oil in a pot or large saute pan, and at the same time put the broth in a small pot over a low flame to warm. Saute the onions until translucent, almost browning. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and the kernels become translucent. Ladle in about 3/4 cup broth and the saffron stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add another 3/4 c broth and stir, continuing in this way until the rice is al dente. Add the lemon zest and juice and wine, stir in. Keep ad broth as before until the rice is done, not super mushy but with no crunchy bits.
Season with paprika, salt (remember the cheese will add salt too), pepper. Gently stir in the squash, then fold in the Parmesan. Eat!

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

1/2 a shallot, well minced
salt
juice of 2 lemons
about 1 tsp dijon mustard, smooth not stone ground
pepper
about 1/2 cup olive oil (add half, then add more as needed)

In a bowl, mash the shallots into a paste with a few pinches of salt. Add the lemon juice and mustard. Add the oil and whisk with a fork to emulsify. Add pepper and salt to taste. It probably won't need more salt. Toss on a salad! Ours was an arugula blend from TJ's with some cherry tomatoes and snow peas.

Soup's On

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:48:25 GMT

I get a bag of fresh veggies every week from a community supported agriculture group (eatwiththeseasons.com, if you're interested) but even though it's the extra small bag, there's almost too much veg for me to eat on my own. One of my favorite ways to use up a bunch of veggies at a time is to make soup. These are the ones I made the two weeks, and they were both delicious and fast!

Kale and Potato Soup

About a cup of chopped onion. I used red.
About 6 cups liquid. I used a box of veggie broth plus the same amount of water.
About 2 cups cubed potatoes. I used Yukon.
A bunch of kale, chopped.

Saute the onion in some oil until they are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the liquid and potatoes. Let simmer until the potatoes are well done. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash the potatoes. Add the kale and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until the kale is cooked to your liking. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread.

Ruby Chard and Rice Soup

About a cup of onion. I used red.
About 6 cups of liquid. I used 50/50 broth and water.
2 handfuls of rice. About 3/4 cup. I used long white grain, but I think brown would be nice too.
A bunch of red chard, chopped with stems and leaves separated
I also had a few potatoes hiding in the cripser, so threw those in to use them up, but they're not necessary

Saute the onion in some oil until they are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the liquid and the rice. Let simmer for about 5 minutes and add the chard stems. Let simmer for another 5 minutes and add the leaves. Let simmer until the chard is cooked to your liking. Add salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried oregano to taste. I didn't have any cheese on hand, but some parmesan or manchego melted on top would be lovely. By the second day the rice soaks up most of the broth, and it becomes more like a porridge. You can add more liquid or just enjoy as is.

Of course I neglected to take pictures, but I'm going to try to be more vigilant about that in the future.

What a day to wake up early

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:34:32 GMT

There are many things already wrong with today for me: such as mice in my apartment including my bedroom and that it feels like I've become allergic to my legs. But at least it's become a little bit safer for me to carry a uterus in this country.

Meat lice

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:52:16 GMT

For the last week or so my legs have been itching, and yesterday it was particularly bad. I joked that it felt like I had meat lice, but I was honestly a little worried. This was reaching unnatural levels of itchy. Luckily, the internet was there to help. One piece of advice was to use hair conditioner instead of shave gel, and another was to rub your lotion on only in a downward direction.I tried both, and the itching was definitely reduced. This morning I did the lotion thing again, and my legs are about 90% better. Of course they kind of itch now that I'm writing about them, but not the crazy maddening itch of yesterday. Yay internet, you win again.

This is also a good way to use up the conditions I bought with the hope my hair would like them, only to have my hair throw a fit.

We're all rainbows

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:13:59 GMT

Yoinked from jou .

Your rainbow is strongly shaded blue, indigo, and white.

What is says about you: You are a tranquil person. You appreciate cities, technology, and other great things people have created. Friends count on you for being honest and insightful. People depend on you to make them feel secure.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:59:15 GMT

I think a spider laid it's eggs in my arm.

Okay, so it's just a nasty bug bite. But damn, that thing is swollen.

DO NOT WANT: Owater

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:55:41 GMT

So I've taken my latest brush with illness to quit the Diet Coke again. Well, it's more like the thought of drinking soda kind of turns my stomach right now, and I'm going to pretend it's my awesome will power. Anyway, I'm finally feeling human again and like I can drink something other than water and hot water, so I bought some lemon lime owater for lunch.

Ew! I guess its the added electrolytes that make it feel sparky in my mouth, and maybe that would be cool if I hadn't had to drink 2 quarts of barium smoothie that had the same effect. No one wants a beverage that reminds them of a barium smoothie. Also, there is a very unpleasant mildewy/moldy aftertaste. Do yourself a favor and do not try this product.

If you want me to work...

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:30:48 GMT

...don't give me champagne and cake at 3 on Friday. Just saying!

My secret powers are cuddles

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:21:02 GMT

So once again I am unable to resist doing a quiz during work hours, on an incredibly busy Monday. Emergency work orders? Bah! Let's check my seduction style.

The lies they tell

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:04 GMT

Those horrible, deceitful ads on TV in favor of Prop 8 seem to be working. Because if you completely lie about what the proposition actually is, if you hide behind fear and hate, you can cover up the fact that it denies two people in love the right to marry. The wording of the proposition is pretty simple, and I hope that when people are reminded that they are voting to eliminate the rights of their fellow Californians, they will do the right thing. But we all know that lies and fear tactics work. Check out No on Prop 8 for the latest news, check out Feministe for actions you can take, and if you are a Californian, make sure to vote no on this travesty.

Couscous on LJ

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:45:09 GMT

So the couscous collective blog is now available on LJ! Our name is couscouspress (couscouscollective is too long for a user name, apparently).

On second thought...

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:50:03 GMT

You know what isn't the best movie to watch when you're a vegetarian recovering from the stomach flu? Ravenous. It's funny, in a very dark way. But ew.

For the lovers

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:58:41 GMT

Christian Bale/Kermit the Frog connection revealed.

A Picture's worth a thousand words

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:20:07 GMT

Take a picture of yourself right now
Don’t change your clothes, don't fix your hair
Just take the picture
Post the picture with no editing
Post these instructions with your picture

why does my body hate me?

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:36:32 GMT

I have the worse cold sore I ever remember suffering. It doesn't look like much, but the entire right side of my face is on fire. It burns. I've had tender cold sores before, but this feels like acid on my face. I can't open my mouth all the way, and the lymph node on that side of my neck is so sore I have to tilt my head the opposite direction to swallow.

Complaining done. I just feeling icky and sorry for myself.