Practicing the art of patience

Raising a puppy is tough. Rosko is now 9 weeks old and a serious handful. He's partially housetrained but still has some accidents. Thank god Tyler invested in a spot cleaner; that little green machine has been a lifesaver.

We took him to get his second series of shots on Sunday, which included distemper, hep and parvo. Usually boxers aren't prone to getting reactions to these vaccines, but apparently ours likes to be a little different.

The vet at PetSmart had warned us if the dog had any facial swelling, diarrhea and/or vomiting, to bring him back in. About an hour after we got home, we noticed Rosko looked like he had just gotten collagen injected into his lips. We rushed back to the vet and by the time we got there he looked like a hippo! Poor thing. He had to get an antihistamine shot and now has to take childrens Benadryl three times a day for the next couple of days. He doesn't like the medicine, but one good thing about it is calms his arse down (if he doesn't throw it up).

After his next round of shots, we'll start him in obedience training. I've already got him obeying 'sit' and Tyler has taught him to heel on the lease. Dogs are such an investment in both time and money and wreak havoc on the house but honestly, no matter what he's done, if he looks at me with that sweet face of his, I melt. I'm such a softie.

A new addition

Introducing Rosko Coltrane Jenkerson!

Early Christmas

Tyler's coming back from Utah today and is bringing my gift with him. Any guesses?

Getting collard

I love vegetables but as of last night, I have developed a hatred for collard greens. Ew! Who likes this nasty stuff?

Flexing my mussels

Tyler is out of town in Utah for the better part of this week and I decided to practice some new recipes. I recently whizzed through Julie & Julia, a book about a NY woman who decides to cook the entire Mastering the Art of French Cooking I, by Julia Childs. It essentially documents her ups & downs in her marriage and personal life and is overall really entertaining. Plus, they are making a movie which I think is going to be released early next year. So inspired by Julie Powell, the author, I decided to dip my toe into french cooking and make Moules à la Marinière, aka Steamed Mussels with White Wine, Shallots, and Parsley. I added leeks (left over my Thanksgiving CSA delivery) and Meyer lemons.

The concept was based in good intentions but failed flatly in the execution. It was my first time cooking mussels at home and I think the quality from Safeway is lacking. Some of them didn't open and the meat of the ones that did just didn't look right. The sauce had too much lemon and I overdid it with the leeks. All in all, I think I will leave mussels well enough alone and realize that its better to order them at a restaurant from here on out. When we do go out to eat, I've been trying to order things that I can't make on my own. Otherwise, why not just cook in my own kitchen?

On a positive note, I cooked my first beets. They were also included in the CSA box and were delicious. I roasted them for about an hour, peeled them after they were cooled and then let them rest in the fridge for a day. I cut them up, added some herbed goat cheese, chopped some shallots and dressed it all with a red wine vinegarette. So good. The only downside (which I realized this morning) is you end up peeing purple. I hope that's not too graphic for my many readers, but it was a little unnerving. FYI, I guess.

A place to lay our heads

After searching high and low, viewing at least 98798686 apartments, we finally found a great place! We'll have 1100 sq feet, a loft, washer/dryer, two bedrooms and bathrooms and a fireplace! I'm so excited!

Although we love our current place, we've had a number of issues with it (leaky roof, tap dancing neighbors, laundry sniffers) so it is time to move on. The only problem is that we will not be able to go home to Utah for Thanksgiving. (sorry Mom). If anyone has room for two transplants at their table on November 27th, please let us know!

Like a chicken with its head cut off

Things have extremely busy for us, so I apologize for the lack of updates. We have had something happening every single weekend in October. Here's a rundown.

• We attended Adult Prom to celebrate the Team in Training girls reaching their fundraising goal. Congratulations! The party was really fun, albeit dramatic at the end, and some of the pictures are priceless. Yes, that is my friend Jacob dressed up as Molly Ringwald (he got extra points for that)

• The next weekend we went to a wine stomping party in Sonoma. We visited some old favorites, like Passalaqua and Armeda and discovered some new ones. On a whim we stopped into Donnatiella. The winery is fairly new and is on the property where Belvedere used to be. The grounds are gorgeous, the ponds full of koi fish, and the tasting room is beautiful. They are known for Chardonnay and Pinot and both were amazing. Then at Hop Kiln, we picked up our box and had the opportunity to stomp grapes. We didn't win the gift basket, but we did walk away with 12 bottles and a wine glass, thanks to Dick.

• Finally, last weekend we attended a wedding for our friends Michelle & John on Saturday and my first 49ers game on Sunday! The wedding was gorgeous, Michelle looked amazing and the firefighters were a treat. I caught the bouquet (also a first for me) and Tyler caught the garter. I'm thinking that was planned, but at least I'm not the only one throwing hints :) On Sunday, we tailgated with some good friends and although we lost the game, it was awesome and I think we even ended up on TV.

• And now, off to Tahoe! We have the opportunity to spend some time with some good friends at a great house. It will be really nice to get away and Friday cannot come fast enough. Good luck to the Team in Training girls who are running their marathon on Sunday. I wish we could be there, but we'll be thinking good thoughts for all of you!

One box I can check off my list

This was my weekend. Video to be posted soon!

The Omnivore’s Hundred

This is a fun little exercise going through the blog world. Listed below is 100 things every omnivore needs to or should have tried in their life. The list includes strange food, fine food, everyday food and some downright gross food. Although I haven't tried it all, I'm working on it. If you don't recognize everything in the list, Wikipedia has the answers.

Here's what you should do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ (original posting) linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (breakfast of choice)
4. Steak tartare (yum!)
5. Crocodile (this I would definitely try)
6. Black pudding (I'm leaving this as a maybe)
7. Cheese fondue (on my list)
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (I've had the best Pho in San Francisco. It was awesome!)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle (does truffle oil count?)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (I've got a bunch waiting to be eaten at home!)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (not really a fan)
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters (delish!)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (this would be a culinary adventure)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (thanks to all the divers out there!)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (didn't like the foi gras, probably won't like this, but its worth a try)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho (how have I not had this!)
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (trying to get reservations to the French Laundry so I can cross this off of my list)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate (this is a maybe)
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab (is the season over?)
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox (loves it!)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

How many have you tried? I'm at 60!

Vegetables- not just for poor people

This is a little late in coming, but over the Fourth of July weekend, Tyler, myself and a couple of friends headed to the Marin County Fair. This fair was supposed to be the greenest county fair around. We did the typical rounds; checked out the pig races

Hobnobbed with Storm Troopers

Took freaky pictures of clowns

And joined a CSA. Welcome home , indeed. I'm a freak for vegetables and have wanted to join a CSA for awhile. CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture is a way to get local, organic and in season fruits and vegetables. This big draw with this one is they deliver right to your door. We pay a really reasonable amount each month and end up with about 10 1/2 lbs of produce with each delivery. It's also been an awesome opportunity to try new things that I have never thought to pick up at the grocery store or farmers market.

This box included peaches, pattypan squash, heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, basil, chery tomatoes, and regular cucumbers. If you are interested in getting involved and are in the Bay Area, check out Farm Fresh to You (www.farmfreshtoyou.com)

North Shore, here we come!

Off to Tahoe! Hopefully we'll have a view as nice as last time. (Pictures courtesy of my hot boyfriend)

Batter up

After a crazy weekend, T and I decided to have a quiet night in last night. I had gone to the farmers market on Sunday morning and picked up a bag of squash blossoms.

I've been wanting to cook these babies for awhile, but since they are so perishable, I haven't been able to track them down until now. They were $3/bag at the market.

Stuffed Squash Blossom Recipe

Stuffing

3 oz. goat cheese

3 oz. cream cheese

1 Tbs fresh herbs, chopped ( I used basil from our CSA)

salt & pepper to taste

Batter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

celery salt

black pepper

8-10 squash blossoms

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs milk

vegetable oil for frying

grated parm to garnish

Gently swish the blossoms in cool water to clean. Remove any bugs and the stamen.

Combine the cheeses, herbs & salt and pepper until blended. Fill the blossoms with about 2 tsps of the filling. Its best if you let this get to room temp to handle easier. Refrigerate while preparing batter.

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil to about 375 degrees. I added about 2 inches of oil on med-high.

Combine the flour, corn meal, celery salt and pepper in a shallow container. In a seperate bowl, mix the egg and milk.

Carefully dip the blossom into the egg then cover with the flour mixture. Add to skillet. Cook only a few at a time so as not to crowd the skillet. Remove when browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste.

I ate these standing up at the counter with a slice of sourdough bread. T also cooked up some fried green tomatoes that I got at the Farmers Market. They were perfectly cooked and went really well with some Spanish white T picked up CostPlus.

Emotional Wreckage

Following my beautiful sister's lead, we have decided to start a blog. It will mostly be a tool to keep everyone up to date on our lives, as well as an opportunity to share how awesome (or not) things are going. I think an account of our weekend would be a good way to start things off.We attended a wedding of my good friend Jackie on Friday. There was a little bit of a time crunch, due the ceremony starting at 6:30, but we got there with plenty of time to spare. She looked gorgeous in a champagne-colored dress and I, of course, got a little teary. This friend has been waiting to get married all of her life, so I was so happy that she found someone so perfect for her.

The next day we headed to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Three hour drive, half of that in traffic, and we finally arrive in the belly of the beast. It was so hot we spent most of the day just looking for shade and the rain tents. Although Yahoo Weather on my iPhone told me it was only 76 degrees, when we got out of the car at two, T's in-car thermometer said 104. Unbearable.

After two sweaty hours, we are headed to see John Mayer! I surprised T with awesome seats for his birthday through an online reseller. They are a reputable site, but I was still a little worried that something would go wrong since they weren't coming directly from the venue (all the seats were sold out, which is I didn't go that route). We got to the Shoreline right on time, with T springing for VIP parking, and head towards the gate. Our tickets are being scanned, we are almost through, and are told that we need to get our tickets reprinted. Apparently, Ticketmaster was alerted that the tickets were never recieved and were waiting at will-call. After getting this info from Customer Service, we learn that will-call doesn't have any tickets under my name. Argh!! This takes about 30 minutes. I pick up the phone to the "reputable reseller" as we now realize the original ticket seller has sent us invalid tickets and in fact had or was picking up his tickets at will-call. Sneaky bastard.

After being hold with the "reputable reseller", we are told that they cannot provide us with any seated tickets through their site because they are no longer available, due to the concert being on the same day. Argh x 2! The only option we have is to get lawn seats because everything else is sold out. At this point, I'm in tears. This was supposed an awesome show for T with great seats and now we have to sit on the lawn. So again, we head to customer service. She sees the tears in my eyes after we explain the situation and takes pity on me. Tickets in a comparable section just became available! Score! We purchase the tickets ("reputable reseller" to reimburse us later) and head to the gate.

I am so excited. The last 45 mins have been annoying and frustrating, but we get to see John Mayer, finally! As our tickets are scanned and we head through the gate, we are informed that they are for the wrong day! Our understanding friend at Customer Service sold us tickets to TOBY KEITH!

So, first we are seeing John Mayer, then we arent, then we are sitting and on the lawn and now we get to see Toby Keith! Another trip to Customer Service, tickets are refunded and the heavens opened upon us. They had floor section seats available, 9 rows from the stage! These are the tickets usually reserved for friends and family of the band. In fact, we were sitting next to a couple from Seattle that knew the drummer. Despite being put through the emotional wringer, it was a great show and I am so lucky that I got to share it with T! "Gravity!"