A personal vent. I promise it will not happen too often.

So I know it is not really my style, but I just need to talk things out. As very few people actually read this rickety ol' blog I feel like it is a safe place. So what the hell why not. I'm no Meg McBlogger but this girl has a 10 bag weight on her back that needs to be unloaded.

Life is not easy. Ooohhh, how very philosophical of me, but tis true. Lately I have been in the valley of self doubt and self loathing and I need to do/say something or I may explode. I know my problems are not great. I am a lucky person who has a roof over my head and enough money to feed myself and live my life in a fairly nice way. So while my issues may be insignificant they are my problems all the same and I'm just in a funk.

There are a few reasons for this: 1. a horrible job that I loathe going to on a daily basis, 2. over being in DC where I just feel so out of place lately, 3. lost in a sea of doubts of whether I should try to go to grad school or try for a different job, 4. sometimes being a single girl just plain sucks. Such seemly insignificant issues that just engulf me.

My friend was the tapping bee from Blind Melon and she was telling me how in the video the little girl is mocked or ignored and then she finds that field full of other bees like her and is happy. Remember? She went on to say that she just feels like she has not found her bees, and I knew exactly what she meant. I have some great people here but something is ultimately lacking. I have started to doubt in the human condition as of late. I have been let down by promises of friendship, love, and building a life that I just feel so, well, sad.

I know that things will get better. I hope sooner rather than later, but it will happen. If it doesn't then I am planning to blame it on a combination of seasonal depression and lady troubles.

How did I survive without you?

Oh Immersion Blender, how did I ever make soup without you? Why did I think that blending in batches in a blender was a solid way to go. How silly I was. Now that you are with me I am a one pot soup maker. Because of you I blended that pot of soup in 2 minutes flat. Let us never part again.

Sincerely,

Veronica

P.S. My sweet potato soup is delicious. ;)

Etouffe Brute?

I have been back from New Orleans for 2 days and I'm still stuffed! Oh holy rice Batman! As in rice in the jambalaya, etouffe, gumbo, and red beans and, d'oh, rice. And then you have the oysters, char grilled please!, beignets, pralines, and more liquor then Dionysus would know what to do with. So yeah, I am still stuffed.

It was an amazing long weekend full of good friends, partyin', food, and a wedding as well. (we cannot forget that). Can I just say that the wedding was amazing. The bride looked beautiful, the groom looked ecstatic, the scenery was gorgeous, I teared up a bit, and we danced the night away celebrating. And really, isn't what it is all bout? Well you know for me the food was a huge draw as well, but first and foremost it was about being with two special people as they promised their lives to each other.

But while I was there I was able to hit up some of the tourist hot spots:

1. Beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde

Which was sugary deliciousness and you must do it at least once when visiting New Orleans.

2. Checked out one the many beautiful cemeteries and gave my regards to Voodoo Queen Marie Leveau

Technically Marie Leveau is no longer in her crypt. They worried about overzealous followers stealing her remains so they moved her to a different location.

3. Went to a real voodoo spiritual center

The priestess of the center was, how do I say this.......a little strange. I'm just not very in tune to the voodoo spiritual beliefs so it really didn't make much sense to me.

4. Char grilled oysters at Acme Oyster House.

Oh my bivalve, these were so amazing. Cheesy, buttery, smoky, and yummy. I also had my first etouffe experience here, but it just does not look so pretty on camera.

5. Took a streetcar to the Garden District.

Such beautiful houses in this part of town. The wedding actually happened in a beautiful old mansion in this area as well.

The Garden District is also home to Nacho Mama, which I found just hilarious. If I wasn't so darn full I would have tried this joint so I could just yell out Nacho Mama as many time as I wanted and no one would judge me. Actually they would have judged me, they just would not have said anything, which is close enough.

There is still so much that I would like to check out/eat in New Orleans, but my first time there was an amazing experience. Hope you enjoy the pics and have a great week!

Is Cupcake Wars in My Future?

These cupcakes are actually a bit bittersweet for me. My co-worker Eric, who has been a tremendous friend to me since we met over 2 years ago, is moving away. He was offered a bigger and better job down in FL, and I am so happy for him but also so sad to be losing someone who has been one of my "rocks". Those kind of people are hard to come by, especially in DC, but I know that Gchat will keep us together.

Before he leaves, I promised him one last baked good. I should say that he may have hinted in a very obvious way and I went along with it. But what to bake? Something that I could easily bring to work and share with the "Lunch Bunch" was going to be ideal, so cupcakes immediately came to mind. When I came across this recipe for Chocolate Cardamom Cupcakes I was immediately intrigued. One of our local gelato shops makes cardamom gelato, which is my fav, and I just knew that I had to try to make these cupcakes.

The cardamom flavor is very subtle, but the scent as you bring these towards your mouth is amazing. Unless you don't like cardamom then you would think they smell pretty rank. I would love to try this recipe in a vanilla cupcake, as I think the chocolate is very powerful and is definitely the main character. I wanted a stronger punch of cardamom and I think with a basic vanilla cupcake I would get that. But despite that this was an awesome recipe for a beginner cupcake maker.
I just hope that my co-workers think the same thing!

A Secret Brunch.....

I have been reading all about these secret dinner clubs that have been popping up in DC and have been wanting to try one out for quite awhile. I'm not sure how it exactly happened, where I stumbled upon it, or read about but I somehow found out about Artisa Kitchen, which has been put together by Chef Bryon Brown whose aim is to "change the dining landscape of DC".

I convinced a friend to sign up for an upcoming 15 course brunch, as brunch is my most favorite meal, and it seemed like a good way to start my first secret dining club experience.

Blood Mary a la molecular gastronomy

Pumpkin pancake

Caramelized onion, sausage, and aged balsamic

Smoked salmon on a cracker made from pasta

Corn pancake with crispy beets and pomegranate seeds

Poached egg with a very fancy tomato sauce

Calf's Liver with grits

Tomato consomme

Mussels on toast

Grapefruit with burnt sugar

Potato cake with eggplant puree

Roasted yucca

A little dry ice magic

Mojito sorbet

Cheese plate with poached apricot

Nutella Crepe



And for the most part this secret brunch was a great experience. There were some misses for me: the tomato consomme was a bit watery and the crepe was average at best. But there were also some amazing dishes: the salmon "bruschetta", a perfectly poached egg, and the most amazing cheese dish. But I think what really made this experience worth while was the ambiance and people. It was wonderful to have a local art gallery all to ourselves and to meet so many people that share the same interests in food that I do. I definitely would love to try another meal some time soon to get another look at Chef Brown's style and to meet some more foodies that are as passionate about DC and the local food scene.

It's a Nectarine Crisp and Hot Tub Time Machine kind of day

There is an excess of fruit on my counter and every time I enter the kitchen they keep giving me the evil eye as they darken and begin to show their age. I guiltily turn away and pretend not to notice, but in my heart I know it may be too late. So what do I do? Damn myself for eternity or turn to Google for help? I pick the latter.

Another great Tasty Kitchen find! And I loved that I did not have to buy anything for this. I actually did not have enough of some of the ingredients, only 6 tbsp of butter instead of 8 and ½ cup of brown sugar, which is not quite the recommended amount. But I was still be able to make it work and I feel like I am really coming into my own in this whole baking business. High five for me!

So here is to a lazy Saturday and a wonderful Labor Day weekend. I will now be furthering my relationship with my crisp.

P.S. I cannot figure out how to remove those darn underlines in the first paragraphs! My apologies.

Infatuation

Friends I have become infatuated, and I am not embarrassed to admit it. I know that I focus on food on this blog but I am seriously enamored with music at the moment. Since hearing this band's video one morning I knew I had to hear more. And I have realized I am not the only one.

Band Name: Mumford & Sons

Style: Folk

Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E

OMG!!! You need to watch and I hope that you enjoy as much as I do. I am seriously infatuated. I am making a trip to Boston in November just to see them live and I am more excited than a kid on Christmas day. Please enjoy because they are amazing. I mean what is a better combination than scruffy English boys singing about "feelings"? ;)