Elizabeth Bennet speaks her mind ...

,,, maybe that's why 21st century readers like her best.

I've finally figured it out -  though it's highly (highly!) likely that some Austen scholar has posited this concept before. Is there any other Austen heroine who tells someone off, says what we are thinking?
But Elizabeth Bennet tells Darcy what to do w/his lame proposal. She calls him ungentlemanly, rude, severe, unkind - really all the things he was. How perfect. She may have been misled, but she says what we are all thinking - how can you propose to me and insult me at the same time?  You are a jerk. What other Austen character does that? Um, nobody.
S&S: Elinor Dashwood never tells Lucy Steele to go bugger off though she rightfully should. We would after all, wouldn't we?
PER: Anne Elliot never tells Lady Russell thanks for ruining my life and leading me away from the man I did, and still do, love. BWT, he's now throwing himself away on Louisa Musgrove (weak).
MP: Fanny Price, um mouse, doesn't tell Edmund he's making a huge mistake. Or at the least tell Henry Crawford to bugger the frig off because you've got his number.
Emma: Tell Augusta Elton she's crass, base, tacky, and quite frankly really sad for marrying Mr. E.  
NA: Catherine - you have more potential than you realize.. You know Isabella Thorpe is wrong and even hint to her that she is, plus you tell her brother almost to stuff it. You're young, but have the opportunity to make progress (w/ the help of Tilney).
No one but Lizzie actually does it - damn skippy - that's why we like her.

Documenting Dinner

I read an interesting blog post recently about a chef's irritation with people photographing meals, chef, staff, etc. And I think I'm of the same mind (to a large degree).
I have to admit, I've not yet seen this happen in the gulf coast - no surprising, really. But just the idea that people would take pictures of food. Really? I read blog, so I see it, but ... strange. At least to me. Maybe if it was just so perfect, or artistic or if you're a restaurant critic (we have none of those here - sigh) and I could understand, but a cheeseburger - I mean, really?
I'm also astonished that someone would take photos of someone else w/out asking. What about other customers? The idea of recording the wait staff as he explains the special (My face is all screwed up in a question mark kind of way while I type this as I find it so - just  - wrong). You've really got to be kidding me. I guess I'm just naieve -or from a backwater where weird restaurant behavior isn't a habit. I feel bad for anyone who gets stuck in this awkward situation  - esp. a dinner companion. This article illuminates why some people feel the need to photograph food. But this quote is interesting ..."“In the unconscious mind, food equals love because food is our deepest and earliest connection with our caretaker,” said Kathryn Zerbe, a psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders and food fixations at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland." Creepy.
Do people really care so much about what they eat or is it all self publication. See, I went to French Laundry and here's the proof. Wonder what the French Laundry thinks of this? What a way to have a special experience ruined.
I do take photos of things I make at home. I'm experimenting after all. I'm not bugging anyone except the MotH and the Boy (possibly) and I feel justified since I did the work and the whole idea of this blog thing is an easy way to keep images and ideas together. Still I will not be photographing my cheeseburger at the Oar House.

I have a new toy!

I have a new toy! I have a new toy!. So. very. cool. Nikon Coolpix 570. MotH did the research and found me a perfect digital camera. Now I can take pictures and off load them myself. Oh, and um, it's the size of a friggin pack of cards (hope I don't lose it - haven't lost the iPod yet so my track record is pretty good)*. Still need to learn about what it does (a lot) and read the instructions (not likely) but very pleased to have my own digital camera.


*Now have probably jinxed myself into losing both of them. groan.

Top Chef: Masters - It's my party ... (and I'll cry if I forgot my food)

I do not watch Top Chef - I've tried and it's just too gay - blech. But Top Chef: Masters is more interesting, or so I thought. The only chef I have recognized is the guy from aqua vit and apparently he's a dill weed - Marcus Samulsen. 
So tonight is largely about soul food - whatever that means.  
David Burke - um, yes, also a dill weed - will not buy any of his books.
Monica Pope - either needs more sleep or smokes too much, but makes a decent s'wich. Besides anyone that says high falooten (spell it - good luck w/that) can't be all bad. 
Carmen Gonzalez - how small is she?? Really does she have a little step stool in the kitchen?
Thierry Rautureau (or something like that) - cute hat - very freeench.
Egg on toothpick = Kelly Choi's head - really creepy. 

Monica wins the quick fire something. Feta and Farmer's Cheese (what is that exactly?) w/ dates on raisin and nut bread w/herb salad - works for me but she still needs more sleep or something for dark under-eye circles. 
Dill weeds (David and Marcus) thought they should win - here's my tiny violin just for you.
Birthday party for who? Who the frig is this guy? Mekhi Phifer - never heard of him. But I tend to limit my stupid TV watching to this show. 


Elimination Challenge:
Marcus - (dill weed 1) BBQ chicken, mac n cheese, collards - cliche - yes, we do eat other things in the south - unoriginal
Carmen - Yucca (yuck) and bacon mash w/ oyster and hot sausage stew w/corn. Maybe, just not my cup of tea
David (dill weed 2) Sweet potato custard w/ crab, hush puppies and pickled H2Omelon rind - huh?
Monica - shrimp n grits"mac n cheese" style (what does that mean) w/ okra and tomato jam - makes sense to me (Get more sleep).
Thierry - Moroccan pork shoulder, farro, roasted cauliflower and Brussel sprouts slaw - Farro? Really? blech. Cute hat and all but  - I'm just not getting it. But I'm not freeench.

Carmen forgets her food - please please please tell me someone refrigerated it over night. gross.
David (dill weed 2) quote "I have a charity I want to make money for and that charity is not named Carmen."
Marcus (dill weed 1) "I want to win and that's the most important thing." Um, yes, obviously. 
How many times can we see a Lexus logo? Dear lord, does this show really need to be a hour? Honestly.
Why isn't it surprising that Mr. Rogers James Oseland liked Brussel sprouts as a child? eeeewwww!
Two move on - Carmen and dill weed 1 (Marcus). Carmen looks shocked and she won money for the ASCPA  - how cool is that? Got to love the animals.

Cook the Book: Round One

Okay, I've seen the cook the book idea many times, most especially with Bread Baker's Apprentice and Tuesday with Dorie, but I've decided to try it with Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it (needs shorter title - shall now to be abbreviated to JPC). I'll pick one (or two) things from each chapter and give it a try.
Here's the list - at least for now:


Chapter = Selection
Munch it = Breadsticks
Bottle it = ?
Brine it = Stuffed Olives (for MotH)
Noodle it = Pasta Dough/Ravoioli
Hook it = oops, not so much
Hunt it = sausage patties (I think)
Milk it = Butter - this might be first
Jam it = Apple butter
Sugar it = Toaster Tarts
Freeze it = ?
Unwrap it = Toffee
Drink it = Limencello


I've not looked at any of the recipes in details, so I could be heading for disaster. I haven't picked anything from Bottle it because there is more than one recipe I want to try. Freeze it... none sounds good. Hook it...well there's the inevitable death thing that might be an issue.
When will this start  - not sure -- perhaps this month.

Can Jam April - Herbs - still no (real) decision

There were only three real contenders I found after reviewing my books. 1) Pickled Asparagus (p. 75 - Putting Up, Stephen Palmer Dowdney) to which I would need to add herbs - not a big challenge there. 2) Apple Jelly with Lemon and Sage (p. 22 - Preserves, Lindy Wildsmith). The only jelly I've ever made is hot pepper jelly and it's pretty forgiving -hope this is too. 3) Rosemary and Red Wine Jelly (p. 56 - Well Preserved, Mary Ann Dragan) seems interesting, but also a little strange.
And then I remembered that I had copied out a bunch of recipes from library books last year. Can o'worms. So then added 4) Herb Jelly with Variations, 5) Herb Wine Jelly, and 6) Herbed Asparagus (Ellie Topp, Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving) to the list of contenders.

So I stopped thinking about it and ordered a jelly bag, extra bags, kitchen twine in a cute stainless holder, and some very pretty Leifheit jars.

Cook's Country Magazine April/May 2010

Received Cook's Country recently - can't wait for show to come back on, but it's the damn pledge week -


Either way - things that looked good -- and a couple that didn't.
Creamy Asparagus Soup - p. 11
Cat Head Biscuits - p. 12
  Cat Head - you've got some splaining to do...
Foolproof (?) Chicken Cordon Bleu - p. 15
  That's a pretty big claim there Cook's Country
Recipe Cards:
Quick Cheesesteak Subs
Cheesy Toasted Ravioli with pesto
Rustic Potato Leek Soup


Steak de Burgo - p. 19
Tomato Mac n Cheese - NEVER eeewww icky Hollywood Chili - in April? maybe up north, but not here
Lemon Chess Pie - p. 26 - lemons are always a good thing

Notes made - let's get cooking.

Pasta Sauce

I don't have a recipe per se for pasta sauce - which I call spaghetti sauce, but I use for all kinds of things. This is something I make w/out using a recipe and change every time I make but only slightly. This is also sneaky - a way to get a few extra veggies in when no one is paying attention. This is weekend thing so I don't have to cook at least one night a week  and is easy to double and freezes like a very cold dream.


Onions - how ever much you want - for a double recipe - I use at least 1 1/2 large onions, but maybe more or less and type doesn't matter too much (yellow, white, red, whatever)
Carrots - grated on a box grater - sneaky vegetable - usually about 4 ish but could be more or less depending on size and how many are in the fridge

Saute onions - I start them first w/olive oil and get them going while grating carrots. Add carrots (all extras peels from onions, carrots and mushrooms, etc. go to compost bin). Saute until they start to soften. In the mean time (what does that mean really?)...slice mushrooms - sneaky vegetable #2 and add to mixture - let cook until the mushrooms dry out a bit (takes a little while, suck it up and deal). Now the fun starts.
Add:
handful of dried oregano, handful of dried basil, garlic (how ever much you like) and cook until fragrant - you'll know. And then ... the wine. Add red wine - now -- right when the pot starts to dry out, turn up the temp a bit and then hit it w/some much needed alcohol. I use red wine - typically Merlot since that's what I like and let is simmer until almost gone - Those handy dandy little single serving bottles work well in this application. I suppose you could do without, but why the hell would you? 
Then and only then do you add the tomatoes. And again - whatever you have - I've used whole, diced, crushed - 2 large cans.. doesn't really matter they all break down in the end. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and let it go until you're happy with it - I tend to simmer for an hour or so - turn off for an hour or two and then bring back to simmer and then store - might not matter - probably just a habit, but I don't question it.

This is a vegetarian sauce- probably because I started making it when I was a vegetarian. I have since gotten over than phase, but it did not do me any harm - I always had bread and cheese and that's all that really matters after all. You really don't even need pasta with this - just some in a bowl with grated parmesan on top and good bread for dipping - dinner. 

Baked Chicken w/ Parmesan / Garlic Crust

This is one of my favorite meals. It's easy, quick-ish and tastes outstanding. I've learned though to make it even quicker. This is one of those recipes that calls for things I use quite often so I look at my recipes for the week and find all the common denominators for them. So this weekend (Sunday) I minced a lot of garlic, grated a bunch of Parmesan and spun up some bread crumbs in the food pross monster. It's amazing to me how a little advanced prep saves so much time later in the week. I love to cook for my family - it's fun (most of the time) not a chore, but when you come home from work - already tired and not really up to doing much more it's great to have something mostly ready to go. I'm ready to make it again right now. 


Here's the recipe: Baked Chicken with Parmesan and Garlic Crust
If you can't access it - it's worth signing up - I'm not kidding. Just do it.


Comments from the Counter:

It only takes two slices of bread to make the breadcrumbs - don't use the cardboard they sell at the store - ugh.
I don't use the basil, but I do modify the mayo by adding either lemon juice or lemon juice and zest (depending on how ambitious I am)
Either thin cut chicken breasts or pound out regular ones to make them thin-ish.
Coat the 9 x 13" pan w/cooking spray to make sure nothing sticks.
Always check the temperature - 160 degrees minimum.
Very good leftover too.

Willoughby's Return

My thoughts: I enjoyed this book. I'm a skeptic in general of fan fiction - this is probably only the 3rd or 4th fan fic I've read, but I think this could be the best type. True to the character but developing new ideas and new story lines. Sense and Sensibility is a good story, not my favorite book by Miss Austen, but an interesting story about two opposite sisters, but there are parts that can be rather tedious [Elinor - tell Lucy Steele that she's a conniving hateful creature and you have her game all figured out]. Willoughby's Return makes good use of Marianne - she's still a little emotional (read: jealous), impetuous, easily swayed by what she feels - she's Marianne. But Elinor - she's such a buzz kill. In S&S I like Elinor and to give credit she's a very minor character in WR, but famously dull and judgemental - glad she's just a minor character.
Margaret becomes a real character in this story, and is, perhaps, a blend of both of the best parts of Elinor and Marianne - spirited, but knowing, not so trusting as to be blind, but easily (perhaps too easily) falling in love. It's interesting to see Colonel Brandon (wish Jane had given him a first name) be something a little more three dimensional, but still absent. And Brandon's other family, that's an interesting project, isn't it? Not a good situation. I can totally understand Marianne - why she feels that way - I'm a jealous type too and and could NEVER share my husband with anyone ever. Jealousy is not a good quality, but what can you do? It's not rational, but then again, it wouldn't be, now would it?
All that said, the ending was nice but maybe a little to 21st century. Would Eliza talk to Brandon in such a personal way? Would Brandon apologize to Marianne for neglecting her? I'm thinking not so much. Margaret's story works better for me - it's believable though a bit transparent - but nice nonetheless - lovely lovely story.
What does one think about John Willoughby? Yes, he really loved Marianne. But not enough. Do you feel bad for him? Maybe like Elinor does when he explains why he married someone other than Marianne ... but to me he's an even bigger tool because he married a woman he didn't love - just for the money... weak.