Not Another Omnivore

Thai Coconut Corn Soup

2009-10-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

I want this.

Enjoy!

Beautiful Wine Cellar for My Home So Far in the Future We May Never Meet...

2009-10-20T17:37:00.001-07:00

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

2009-10-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

I had this beer over two months ago, and the pictures are actually from then, but never got around to blogging about it. This week I started recording a hard copy of my beer tastings and I realized I didn't remember what I thought about Bear Republic's Red Rocket Ale. Somewhat saddened, I made a mental not to re-try it as soon as possible. Lucky for me, a guacamole craving led me to Sunset Cantina and their ridiculously awesome beer selection.

I stuck with my new, if not always followed, approach of drinking two of the beers in a row to really form an opinion. I really like Red Rocket. It's very bitter and hoppy, as evidenced by its 65+ IBU, but enjoyable all the same. The color is super dark and has a quite pretty opaque/red thing going on. The bitterness means tt's not for everyone, but Beer Advocate agrees with me that it's an overall good beer and sometimes you can't hope for much more than that.

Enjoy!

Good Day: Free Rides, Free Food and No Forks Allowed

2009-10-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

If you had asked me last Friday if I was excited about this Friday, I would have said no. And glared at you. Definition of foul mood. But, much to my surprise, yesterday turned out wonderful.

First I woke up and was feeling sick. And it was raining. And I was thinking about calling in but realized I wanted to be at the internship and so off into the rain I went. I started the 10 minute walk to the subway because there was no bus in sight and within a few seconds I got offered a ride from the security guard. Nice as can be, I had an unawkward conversation with a total stranger and forgot how crappy my stomach felt.

I got to work and sometime around 11:30 a.m. I started thinking soup was the way to go. So I got in line to pay. And the sweet parking guy in front of me added my soup and pita to his tray and thus to his total. I asked him if I looked like I make $0 a year (I do by the way). He said every now and then you just have to do nice things.

Love. Kidding. Kind of. Love is broad.

Work progressed. I don't know if I'm starting to scream charity case or if my coworkers just love me, but I had a afternoon full of caring events which was topped off by this:

Coworker A just kept telling me there isn't a good English word for them and I should just call them "waffle" as that's what all her son's friends call them. Coworker Z told me the name, and I recited it back to her, and I have no idea what she or I said. I'll figure it out. For now, know that they're delicious.

My day was capped off by a trip to a restaurant I've been itching to go to for over a year now. I refound it last weekend while I was walking and asked my current manager/preceptor if it was any good and got his approval before suggesting it to the roommate who was all in. Addis Red Sea, here we come....

Injera. It's good. Different, but good.

E and I both got Yesmsir Alcha which is lentils with tumeric, onions, green peppers, garlic and ginger root. I was excited and completely at ease with this choice because I have a slight obsession with lentils. E was exploring them for the first time but was pleased with her selection.

Let's be honest, everyone was pleased with their selection. I'm getting the Tikle Gomen, cabbage cooked with vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and green peppers, next time though. They sent out some cabbage with our injera and I almost fell face first into it with love. I wish I was exaggerating, but then again my long legs made for somewhat precarious seating so falling could very easily have turned into my reality.

Eating is similar to what I did in Kenya with ugali, and I love eating with my hands so I was perfectly fine/excited about this. Although I must say ugali is much easier to eat with than injera and the whole time I was eating I was sort of wishing this was pojo and chapati. Stay in the moment Kaylee.

Enjoy!

Magic Hat Brewery

2009-10-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, okay like two months, I went to visit Vermonter in her home state. While she is surrounded by green somewhere near the Waterbury/Stowe area, we did a day trip into Burlington. The Magic Hat Brewery was the first stop of said day trip and here is a brief photo montage that should have been up the day after my return to Boston:

Vermonter making the industrial bathroom a little more easy on the eyes...

Lit floor...I'm sold....

Sign by future friend should I ever meet them...

Wise soothing face....

How was the overall tour? Fun. And free. They don't really cut you off when it comes to the samples, the short video they show is amusing and the guide informative. It's a loud tour as you are right by the bottling line, but sacrifices must be made.

What did I learn? I learned that the Autumn seasonal also known as Roxy Rolles is awesome.

Cafe Porto Bello

2009-10-14T17:21:00.001-07:00

When Momma P came into town a couple weeks ago I convinced her to go for a hike her first night. I didn't plan to hike as far as we did, but I did plan on finding dinner along the way. We stuck to the latter resolution even though it required a few more steps than expected. Eventually we agreed on Cafe Porto Bello in South Boston. Their website doesn't do them justice, but a few more site hits probably won't hurt them so I'll link you there anyways. We both ordered the butternut squash soup...talking to Momma P in person is really the only way to understand how well the dish came together (nutmeg necessary) and with that in mind I'll just leave it at it was good. Real good.

The restaurant is teeny and if they're full you're forced to wait outside. This may prove undesirable at times. However, teeny also means cozy and I would be willing to wager that within those walls more than one couple has first exchanged "I love you(s)".

As a word of advice, they know they're good. Or at least they act like it. Which is fine, but don't laugh at the waitress as she does her spiel with a completely straight face regardless if it's appropriate to be doing so or not. She gets defensive real quick. And she looks scrappy.

You'll tip for the food regardless.

Enjoy!

Fondue Night with People I Enjoy

2009-10-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

Momma P came in town last weekend and was up for not much yet everything all at once. This is how things like fondue parties and me frying pickles while drinking vodka smoothies come into being.

I don't think pretzel sticks or green apple were necessary...

Do you see those fried pickles? Dan McGuinness has my favorite beer batter fried pickles, but mine were just fine and eased my craving. We ended up using egg beaters, let's not even talk about my veganism, but everything worked out in the end.

Vodka Smoothie

-4 ounces yogurt (vanilla, peach, blueberry...)
-4-6 ounces vodka
-Cup water
-1 Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange packet
-Enough ice so that the blender is fairly full and the liquid can't make it float anymore

Blend the heck out of it all

Enjoy!

Wish You Were Here: Sunflowers

2009-10-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

As long as my wedding involves me picking out my own dress and sunflowers I could care less about everything else.

Correction: I'll be drinking good beer. I care about that.

Enjoy!

Pasta Bar in Retail and The Green Dragon Tavern

2009-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Today I was in charge of manning the pasta bar we've been doing the pricing for all week at my internship...

And afterwards I headed to The Green Dragon Tavern with two of my fellow interns, J and the roommate....

Cute decor despite J's face....

lovely evening with the ladies as always.

Enjoy!

Stolen Beer

2009-10-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

I miss blogging. I'm just tired. All the time. And therefore haven't made time for blogging. Maybe I can change that.

In any event, last night I went out for a few beers etc. Not the highlight, but a highlight, of the night would be chugging our cig smoking companions beers while they were out doing said activity. Oh, and the pic I took of our victory.

Enjoy!

How to Pour Beer

2009-08-31T17:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you The Kitchn.

Enjoy!

Cart Video

2009-08-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

I did, I just spent 10 minutes watching this:

Grocery Cart Video

Oh my.

Enjoy!

Eagle Harbor Inn

2009-08-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ah, August. How I'm still catching up with you. That said, here is a photo montage to Eagle Harbor Inn, another one of my all time Michigan favorites. Correct that, one of my all time favorites. Period.

Great salad dressing for my sister....

Mine was a tad too much like marinara, but I didn't let it get me down...

Sister's portabella burger. Very good, in need of sauce...

My Aunt trying to pawn her calories off on us...

Finally, my pizza. Sans cheese. AMAZING crust. This is really the whole reason you come here. Disregard the rest of my family and their poor decisions.

We were eyed up and down on the way out. And we laughed about it. But laughing aside we are good looking, and it's no secret I take every opportunity I can to inflate the already large heads of my female relatives, so...looking good ladies.

Enjoy!

Ambassador Round Two and Keweenaw Brewing Company

2009-08-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here I am, frantically catching up on weeks of eating. July 30-August 4th I was back in the Keweenaw with my family. What does that mean? An Ambassador run. I've extolled the Ambassador's virtues before, and this trip was no exception. Exhibit A: The awesome vegan pizza I was able to procure...

Exhibit B: they now serve the fine Keweenaw Breweing Company on tap...

Getting to taste the KBC, and see the cute cans:

made my meal and helped make the trip.

My opinions: the Keweenaw is fantastic, the Ambassador delicious, and beer one of life's treats.

Enjoy!

My Birthday Cake

2009-08-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have no free time. This is exacerbated by tiredness. Anyways, my birthday was last Thursday and eventually I'll get around to posting the food that it led to plus all the other food and beer I'm behind on. Until then here is the actual cake I ended up with. To be fair, the bakery made me lovely cupcakes on my birthday but yesterday at tutorial I got this cake as well.

It is hands down the most delicious cake I've had in a long time.

Enjoy!

Boont Amber Ale

2009-08-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Due to all the personal stuff going on in my life, I am way behind in posting. That said, I tried the Boont Amber Ale on Friday and fell in love....so much in fact it warranted an immediate post to spread the joy.

Enjoy!

Apple Pie as Alcohol and Chemo Fog

2009-08-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

This picture is small and weird looking, but we drank all of ours and a picture of an empty bottle isn't much help...what I'm getting at is that the family tried Apple Pie the other night and it is the most quick, fantastic way to find yourself falling to the ground. Assuming that is your goal and everything.

I also read this article on chemo today that I thought was pretty interesting and worth sharing.

Enjoy!

Jordan and Gatorade

2009-08-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Last night I was thinking about the purpose of saline drips and thought about how Gatorade actually hydrates better than water and then I remembered this....

Enjoy! and for more go here.

Maui Tacos

2009-07-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

I've had a long day and I tried Maui Tacos guacamole at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and it was terrible. As a heads up. I'm having trouble pinpointing why, and in trying to discern some sort of explanation I ate the whole thing. Sometimes we don't live by logic.

Enjoy!

Vega Smoothie Infusion Review

2009-07-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I was contacted by Sequel Naturals and offered free samples of their Vega Smoothie Infusion product. Intrigued, I took them up on their offer.

Here is what I was told prior to receiving my samples:

"Vega Smoothie Infusion is made exclusively from natural plant-based whole foods. Alkaline-forming and easy to digest, it provides premium nutrition in a convenient, affordable format. Smoothie Infusion includes protein, fiber, omega 3 EFAs and green foods. Available in two sizes: 15-serving resealable pouch or handy 12-serving box of 30 gram single serving pouches. "

Upon arrival I immediately inspected the contents of the package. Besides receiving a sweet bag that has been perfect for the farmer's market:

I also received some brochures to flip through. I'm not sold on all the information (alkalinizing foods etc) and I'm also not a fan of the lack of an actual RD in the pamphlet, but I obviously like plant based diets so still game I turn to inspecting the actual ingredients and ingredient label:

Ingredients: Yellow pea protein, organic hemp protein, organic sprouted flax seeds, organic brown rice protein, organic green food blend (spirulina, organic wheat grass, organic alfalfa grass, organic barley grass, organic spinach, organic sprouted broccoli, organic kale, organic kelp, organic dulse), inulin (from chicory root), natural flavors, xanthan gum.

No trans fats, no cholesterol, sodium in line, and 6g of fiber all sit well with me. Additionally, the 14g of protein are vegan friendly so that's a plus for some. I get to mixing.

I decide to try the standard recipe:

1 banana
1/4c blueberries
1 c water
1/2c orange juice
1/2c ice
1 serving Vega

With the reduced sugar orange juice I used I ended up with a 300 calorie, quite voluminous, drink on my hands. The picture below isn't quite all of it:

The taste verdict? My roommate and I both tried it and the results were fairly positive. The texture was a little off to me, but I think tinkering with the recipe could rectify that. My roommate doesn't like bananas, but conceded that a different fruit combination could easily work.

Overall? It's vegan, doesn't contain corn, dairy, gluten, soy, or wheat which can cause problems with various populations, and has the potential to be delicious while delivering quite a dose of plant based nutritional goodies. My problem? I'm broke so adding this to my diet isn't practical for me. I'm healthy enough I don't really need supplements like Vega as it is very realistic for me to achieve most of my nutrition through food, which is the best bet. But Vega definitely has it's market and if you're looking for a completely plant based product that will offer you some omega fatty acids, protein, and fiber while keeping things like sodium in check, then Vega may possibly be for you.

Enjoy!

Upset over Harry Potter's Alcoholic Tendencies

2009-07-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Pint of Liquid Courage

I try really hard to listen to other people's opinions, despite all the mocking I do amongst those I am closest to. I try mainly because I want other people to do the same for me. And as I get older I feel like I'm supposed to be more mature and professional and all of those things and maybe even see differently on issues than I used to. My immediate reaction to reading the above article was an eye roll. But due to the aforementioned growing up conundrum I find myself sitting here thinking on it and trying to think about how I would feel if I had kids...and I'm still rolling my eyes.

Maybe I like the creativity and imagination that is the Harry Potter literary Goliath too much to pick at things like how often the characters drink. The movie, and more importantly the books, aren't about drinking. We could argue all day about what they really are about, the most important points, but we should certainly be able to agree very quickly they aren't about alcohol and it's a shame that's forgotten.

Enjoy!

Food Podcast: Stuff You Missed in History Class

2009-07-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

So I've discussed before how I'm getting into the beer podcast thing because I love beer and I have a commute. Well, today I was browsing through Stuff You Missed in History Class. This is my go to podcast when all my other regular ones have been listened to. It's generally interesting, and short, and there are tons of them.

Today I stumbled across one from June 1st, entitled "The Marco Polo Pasta Myth" and I recommend it to any foodie with iTunes. It's free, under ten minutes, and quite interesting.

Enjoy!

Salads, Candy, Nintendo and Cheesecake

2009-07-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Looking at the title for this post, I found myself wondering if there was a better four combo? Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll and the 1960s? The Beatles? Chocolate, cheese, fruit, and bread? I don't know, it's all subjective and a stretch, but when it gets down to it I appreciate all four things in that title to varying degrees all erring on the side of awesome.

That said...

This salad article has been everywhere, but I'm going to put it here as well since it was sent by a friend and I'm more likely to keep track of it if it's on my own blog. So yes, 101 Simple Salads for the Season. Awesome. No clicking through slide shows, all just right there. Although I do wish there was a box to type in a word, i.e. avocado, and have all those salads pop up. Can't ask for everything. Guess that's what all the other specific recipe websites out there are for.

Skittles are now vegetarian. I have been waiting for that for a long time.

A Nintendo mushroom out of a radish? I'm such a sucker for ridiculously stupid things like that. Other case in point, my Grandmother's olive penguins. Too cute.

Image courtesy Bobby Stokes via Serious Eats

I haven't been just wowed by a picture in awhile, and then I saw the above cheesecake.

Enjoy!

Fennel Tastes Like Licorice

2009-07-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Periodically you have those moments where you learn something and you think "man, this is good to know!" Today I had one of those.

I am in my kitchen rotation and we taste things. Today this was significant for two reasons:

1. I realized I'm going to have to be vegetarian not vegan while in the kitchen and
2. The aforementioned learning which is that fennel tastes like licorice

Yup, that's it. That's the big learning. Fennel tastes like licorice. We tried this soup with it and once this was all brought to my attention that was all I could think about and marvel over. I should have connected all these dots back at the beginning of the year when I was having my absinthe phase...

Relatedly:

Suite 101
Wikipedia
NPR

Enjoy!

Jillian's Boston

2009-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

The roommate and I went to Jillian's last night. It was just fine, all the usual trappings of a fun place of that sort.

However, they have adapted the ways of Mellow Mushroom, and others, and sprinkle paprika all over their hummus. This to me produces something akin to bloody hummus and I'm not a fan. If there is any other reason to do this beyond presentation I'd like to know.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Salsa

2009-07-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

My morning starts with oatmeal, peanut butter, and blueberries all mixed into the same bowl. However, I could see my day ending with this. Blueberries are so good for you, why not?

Enjoy!

Serious Eats: What is Superman Ice Cream?

2009-07-13T19:00:00.001-07:00

Top three things that are gross but I haven't yet given a Thumbs Down Baby to because they haven't unassumingly slipped into my life/mouth (anchovies, smoked flavoring, etc) and knocked me down flat:

1. Superman Ice cream
2. Artificial banana anything
3. Mint Oreos

This list is open to being amended.

That said, Serious Eats recently spent the time to figure out what one of these gross food products is really all about, and I found it rather interesting. Although it also made me itch a little bit as my MI heritage started making me uncomfortable in my own skin.

Enjoy!

Cambridge Commons, Sunset Cantina, and Cranberry Cafe

2009-07-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

I have a lot to do tonight, including sleep, so the recap of the weekend will be very much a recap indeed.

Friday night the new nutrition interns and myself ventured to Cambridge Commons with the goal of getting fried pickles because I've been craving them. Upon arrival we did some beer sampling: Magic Hat Odd Notion and Rogue Somer Organic Honey Ale for me. The Magic Hat honestly wasn't my favorite, but I still love the brewery. The Rogue Somer Organic Honey Ale was decidedly not vegan, but we all know alcohol is where my morals and my interests don't align, and by far one of the more interesting beers I've tried lately spare for the CBC Benevolence. I'm still stuck on that.

Anywho...

It was interesting because we got fried pickles spears instead of pickle chips AND because this is what everyone expected which I am still baffled by. How do they compare? Both are delicious but the chip wins. Why?

1. Fried pickle spears make for a less than desirable crispy factor. I'm that girl that lets the stir fry sit on the bottom of the pan to get the burnt stuff. Awesome. Also, when you bite in because of the amount of pickle you're biting through you get a big blast of coolness. Nice contrast, but not what I want. Therefore, I'm still going for the pickle chip because...

2. It gets crispier on the outside and when you bite in it seems like more juice is retained. It's not as refreshing per se, but I like the crispy outside and awesome warm pickly mess inside.

Hopefully that makes sense.

But, like I said, they were still good. And by not being a chip they have extended our hunt to at least one more location.

My sampler. Because I've become a sucker for them. Who knew what Christmas break would do to me. From right to left: Uinta Angler's Pale Ale, Blue Hills Wamputuk Wheat, Pennichuck Schwarzbier, and Long Trail Double Bag. I honestly enjoyed them all, despite making our server concerned at my intense drinking face. Game on. However, I wasn't falling head over heels for any and the Pennichuck had an even more coffee effect than expected. Verdict still falls at the sampler being a success.

We then split this Middle East Platter. I really enjoyed it and splitting it when no one is really hungry is a great option, but if you were in the mood for dinner this would be a steal as an entree.

At some point I also tried a Berkshire Lost Sailor IPA at our server's recommendation. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy most IPAs. That's one thing I can say about Cambridge Commons, on this day at least, is that their beer list was stocked with the ol' Indian Pale Ale..so if that's your thing...

Oh, and our server was absolutely lovely-which while I don't feel like elaborating on too much, let's just say the weekend was full of the Mass-hole, I miss Southern hospitality, and I should have got that server's name so I could try to become a regular.

My weekly trip to Sunset Cantina. I'm going to get that shirt, maybe two. I had, as you can see, Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde. Two things of note here:

1. When you bring it to your mouth it smells like pop and is confusing but I still really liked it.

2. I had two beers and made them both Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blondes...I think I'm going to start doing that more...trying at least a new beer a night, but maybe making it my drink of the night not just the moment so I can form a really strong opinion on it.

We also tried the Sam Adams Long Shot notable for

1. Encouraging home brewers everywhere and

2. That awesome picture right above this text

This morning I ate at Cranberry Cafe in South Boston. Lovely joint, very popular, great food, but a little pricey for some hummus and roasted peppers on a wrap so maybe not a frequent thing. Like I said, I'm getting at least one beer shirt...

Enjoy!

Wachusett Summer

2009-07-10T04:27:00.000-07:00

Bleh. My first Summer failure. So is life. I heard the words "Miller" and "Lite" used as adjectives. Never a good sign.

Sigh.

Magic Hat Wacko

2009-07-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

My Magic Hat Wacko. Didn't let me down. Magic Hat never has.

The color and the bottle are fantastic.

Summer's treating me well: Sam Adams, Brooklyn Brewery, Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat...

July 4th Weekend

2009-07-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

My Dad and an old family friend came up to Boston this weekend. I loved having them and doing all the tourist things that we could squeeze in. Of course one of the first orders of business was to introduce them to the Sunset franchise: my weekly hang out where I'm drinking my way towards shirts and food for those of you who haven't been following my move.

Look at how we started the night! Two New England Tours for the boys, I've already done that one, and a West Coast Tour for myself. A Weinenstephaner was also ordered at the egging on of the table. You know, for a banana bread beer as I like to call them, it wasn't as bad as I expected.

As for the New England Tours, not much as far as surprises go. It's official, everyone dislikes Allagash White and everyone loves Sam Adams. Obvious outcome. Also noteworthy is that Magic Hat did well, I love Magic Hat so I was glad everyone else got on board. My Dad was also into the Brooklyn Summer, Brooklyn Brewery being another one of my favorite breweries (wind power!). The Ipswich Blueberry fell to the wayside, another outcome that I expected. It looks beautiful with the blueberries tumbling through the beer, but the taste...you either love it or you don't, and once I realized the boys were right with me as far as taste preferences I knew the Ipswich was going to be a flop.

I had a great time with my sampler. I started off with the Arrogant Bastard which is a triple. I found it palatable to a certain extent, but rather hoppy. Up next was Anchor Steam. My Dad was all about this red, as for myself I didn't think it had much flavor. Then there was the Racer 5. This one took me by surprise. The color is so light you're almost fooled, but a sip later and BAM! it's got a little bite to it. I dug it though. Then there was the Moylan's Hopsickle, most notable for smelling like peaches.

You know how I am about this Tortilla Basket with the guacamole. Verdict? Everyone was just as blown away as I am. Every time I get it. Never let down. Love it. The boys also got this coconut chicken tender appetizer, they were all drooling and prattling on and on about it.

Out came the main courses...

This was the first time I had gotten an actual entree and I was not let down in the slightest. I got the vegetable and bean taco and some steamed broccoli to try to spare the ol' belt notches. So, so good. And more guacamole.

Here is all the other food. All dead on in the awesome department. The main thing we learned was fry seasoning is necessary. Also, keep me away from the fries once they are seasoned.

At some point I decided I would actually opt for a fruit beer and tried Sam Adams Blackberry Wit. You know what? Not bad...

...although I thought the color should have been better.

Like the Smutty Nose. I mean look at that shade! Unfortunately I don't remember what I thought of the actual beer. So is life.

Anyways, July 4th found us at the Cheers bar downing some Sam Adams Brick Red, only available in Boston, and being merry...

...with weather like this for fireworks we had no other option.

Enjoy!

Beer Podcasts

2009-07-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

So there's this sports writer. With a podcast. That apparently lots of people listen to. Thinking about this sports writer brought to mind a conversation I was listening in on recently while at a bar in Nashville. The bartender was all about beer, no surprise there, and discussing with a patron beer podcasts. He didn't seem thrilled about them, but with this new 70-80 minute round trip commute I've acquired upon my move north, I'm about ready to try anything. It's not a bad commute, I just don't want to waste the time and without service I can't read my cell phone.

Options:

1. Stand-I'm not a fan of this because simply standing screams "not a real Bostonian!" or so I think

2. iPod-I'm kind of a fan of this, but my music collection is lagging

3. Read a book/magazine-Really a fan of this until I finished my book, easy reading only folks and the other two books I'm in the middle of don't fit that description

4. Study-no

5. Other-This is where I put podcast and I think it's going to be good, really good

I'm always interested in health and food and then usually one other pursuit. Examples of other pursuits include:

1. Mastering medium or whatever on Guitar Hero-my bench mark for social acceptability. I don't care I defined this benchmark prior to playing the game, and I don't care that I excluded everyone else's thoughts on the topic.

2. Mastering the lingo of politics-maybe I don't keep up with every Senator to walk through the door (I'm sure there's a common door somewhere they all walk through) but Obama frenzy drew me in enough that I can now hold me own in political conversations.

3. Nuclear Engineering-I know why fusion is laughable...or not

4. Current-sports

I'm not inept at sports, but there's vast, vast plains of space for improvement. And so reading about sports occupies a large part of my day. But I need my food/health compliment to that time spent reading and neither the internship nor guacamole fills that need, so beer podcasts it is.

I'll be interested if anyone knows anything about beer podcasts that I do not...I'm currently watching two guys talk about $19 bottle of beer called Avery Memphistopheles. Over 400kcal/bottle. The pause and faces after the tasting are priceless. I think I'm watching Beer Safari Chapter 1 or CBR Video Episode 7 if anyone's interested. I'm going to start throwing out the term "tan head" until I learn further.

Here's some information on hops I've had in my inbox for awhile...

Things I'm Thinking...

2009-07-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

I got some food to get off my chest:

Amazing. If you like to keep it classy, but still want to rep your S'mores love, maybe the S'mores Cheesecake will help you out.

Lame. But I applaud Serious Eats for bringing this video to my attention. You know who I want to hire? The guy who just picks it up and goes for it. That's the only guy I could really take seriously.

The question has been posed whether or not melted cheese should top a bowl of guacamole. I've been on a guacamole hunt for 2.5 months now. That's right. And I've learned alot.

1. Puree is out, needs chunk
2. Actual guacamole needs a little color, even different color shade of green from jalapenos count
3. Colored chips are a plus. I don't care if they have a tendency to not be as tasty, they are a plus.
4. Interesting presentation is a plus: guacamole in chip bowl? You get to eat a big guacamole soaked chip at the end? Yes please.

And I have two contenders: Swanky's in Franklin, TN and the Sunset restaurants here in Boston, MA. These are subject to change based on:

1. New findings
2. Recommendations
3. Cheese toppings? and other seemingly ludacris ideas

To be continued....(how 'bout that picture? I call it "Apprehension of Cheese". It's creation was soley for my benefit.)

I learned what Muesli is today. I'm making some. When things like this happen (plum -> prune...who knew?) I feel like I've been failed by the system.

On an un-food related note, who loves "You Aint A Killer" by Big Punisher (full name for effect)? I do, that's who. I found it on some imeem play list tribute to MJ titled: Top 10 hip-hop songs that sample MJ. It has wildly inappropriate lyrics to type here, but that chorus comes on and...this may make the "I listen and dance to this while I cook" list. Jut bop along.

Enjoy!

Haveli Indiant Restaurant and Wish You Were Here: School of Groove

2009-06-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm learning about Boston. This is important to me, much like learning Mombasa in Kenya was. I like to be competent in the cities I live. I've recently spent some time on Cambridge St. and have made my way to Inman Square noting many fabulous looking destinations along the way. I have no qualms about much of my learning being part of a culinary trail. None at all.

While out I passed the above establishment. I wanted everyone I knew to be there to clap and be happy at a sign that said School of Groove. I was so happy.

I ended up dining at Haveli, and Indian restaurant. I don't know if the food better or worse than Indian Pavilion per se, I love Indian food so much I think my judgment is skewed. However, Indian Pavilion has way better service, Haveli was lacking on that front. The catch here though, is that as much as I value service, at Indian restaurants I'm so into the food I could care less. I know that's not really consistent, but that's just how it is. At places where I'm just getting a salad or something, the mediocrity of the food combined with a terrible wait staff can make me regret every second leading up to my arrival at said food establishment. With Indian food, it just doesn't matter. Just make sure the chef's happy.

Look at it. Check the naan. Right up there with chapati.

Chicken paradise, red curry with chicken, veggies, and cashews. I'm told it was delicious.

Here is my Chana Masala, chickpeas cooked with potatoes, tomatoes, and exotic spices. The problem with Indian food is the intense desire to over eat. I was, however, able to abstain from said practice and had a delicious first breakfast as well. That's right, first breakfast-it was an extremely long, yet fulfilling, day. Second breakfast? I caved and purchased from Whole Foods, a chain I will regularly frequent once I win the lottery. However, I did love my second breakfast-a little tray with two mini pita, hummus, four stuffed grape leaves, and some other sort of veggie sauce concoction. Awesome.

Enjoy!

The Thirsty Ear, The Tam, and Sunset Cantina

2009-06-28T11:55:00.001-07:00

Just because I haven't blogged in a couple days, doesn't mean there hasn't been beer to be had and places to explore.

Early in the week I stopped and got a drink with some friends at The Thirsty Ear, one of MIT's bars. I had been craving a Sam Adams Summer Ale, and got my fix, then before I headed home I tried Merry Monks' Ale by the Weyerbacher Brewing Company on recommendation from the bartender. I haven't had too many high alcohol content beers yet (Delirium Tremens, CBC's Benevolence), but for me they seem to either be a hit or miss. I would consider Merry Monks' Ale a hit. I wouldn't drink it all the time, the taste isn't one I would just be in the mood for like Blue Moon or the Sam Adams Summer Ale as of late, but it was still worth the try. It has some lemon/honey/spice flavors going on, but I wasn't repulsed like I usually am with beers of that nature-the reason being they were fairly mild.

Friday night we ventured to The Tam. I liked The Tam. I don't know how often I would end up there, probably just after movies as happened to be the case this night, but I liked it none the less. I think one of the main selling points was the service. Everyone was just super nice which I always appreciate. I also like the green ceiling.

The only downside was the beer selection, nothing out of the ordinary or spectacular. I got a Sam Adams Summer Ale and an Amber Bock. The Summer Ale tasted a little off which was kind of a bummer, but the Amber Bock tasted okay. Amber Bock isn't my favorite by any means, but I hadn't had one in awhile so I felt justified in ordering one. Tolerable, but not anywhere near my top 10...or possibly top 50.

Roomie and I post Tam. Looking good.

Then last night before heading to a concert, we stopped at Sunset Cantina so I could work on my beer club card and get the guacamole that I had been craving for approximately 48 hours.

We started off with my company ordering an Endurance Pale Ale (sweet bottle) and me delving deeper into Brooklyn Brewery (wind power!) with the Brooklyn Lager. Both were outstanding, and both had quite the hops flavor to them. The Endurance more so than the Lager, but still...

Out came the food. I was completely happy and content after this meal. Luckily I had help with the chips so I didn't have to waste food. Companion was impressed with the look and initial flavor of the wings, but not amused by the dryness of them. We also decided, him from experience, me from listening to friends, that they always over hype the spiciness of the wing on the menu. So is life.

Then we ordered our second round, companion went with the Victory Golden Monkey. I suppose this makes my forth high alcohol beer...? Anyways, solid. Not as overwhelming as CBC Benevolence. However, it kind of tastes like alcoholic apple juice...not something I would order on a regular basis.

I have been wanting to try a Mayflower for awhile and so went with their Summer Rye. I don't think I've every had a rye beer before. The verdict? Fine. I'll try other Mayflower beers. However, it just didn't have much flavor. It was super neutral with the faintest hint of hops if that makes any sort of sense. At least it wasn't one of the banana/lemon abominations I have come to fear from the wheat/summer/hefeweizen categories.

Somewhere around this time our server (Tristan?) came over and talked to us. I think I'm in love with the Sunset restaurants and completely thrilled the roomie and I stumbled upon them our second night in town. I am working towards being rewarded for my beer drinking at places practically drowning in variety while serving awesome guacamole and the service always rocks. I fully appreciated the knowledge of my server at Sunset Grill and Tap, and Tristan at the Cantina was right up there. A little more friendly, a little less business. He was a very enjoyable, unexpected addition to the evening.

Enjoy!

Diet Coke Makes Me Homesick

2009-06-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Today I finally got a little homesick. You want to know what did it? I was drinking a Diet Coke at lunch, like always, when I happened to notice the back. Every year you can find Six Flags coupons on cans and such. Nothing exciting. But this coupon was for Six Flags New England, not Six Flags KY Kingdom, and a little part of me panicked.

So is life.

Read the Book: Best Food Writing 2007 Pg. 204-303

2009-06-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

And we're back for the third, and penultimate, installment of Read the Book: Best Food Writing 2007. For those of you who can't wait, An Omnivore's Dilemma is up next. Already widely read, maybe I won't have anything new to add to it, but never the less, documentation of my having read it will be found here.

The Soulful Crepes of Brittany from Saveur by Nancy Coons

I love this piece. I love it because you learn something. I love it because it makes you want to go to Paris/go back to Paris. France really, but I tend to go straight to Paris. Not to short change a country or anything. And it gives you recipes. Reading about food rarely actually makes me WANT the food. This does.

Shanghai High from Bon Appetit by Adam Sachs

Entertaining. I tend to like articles that follow foods instead of follow the author around a city, but there's a definite reverence for both.

Old School Madrid from Saveur by Anya Von Bremzen

Same as above. I like this one a little bit more, but that's just me taking city preferences.

Visiting the Old City from Climbing the Mango Trees by Madhur Jaffrey

Such a sweet article. You want to try the food. You want to experience the family. In my case, I want my children to write about me in such a way that readers wonder what she was really like in person. Just enough description to make me intriguing.

Waiting for a Cappuccino from Gastronomica by Carolyn Theriault

Awesome. I love personification. I love that the dignity of pepper is called into question. I love the history. This is the article you write while alone in thought and hope that everybody loves it as much as you do. Usually they don't. Sometimes you get lucky.

The Japanese Paradigm from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by John Kessler

Ho hum.

The Insidious Rise of Cosmo-Cuisine from Food & Wine by Salma Abdelnour

Interesting. Point well made. I hope regional food traditions survive.

Meat from www.leitesculinaria.com by James Sturz

This is by far one of the most interesting stories in the whole thing. Ironic it's about meat right? Maybe not. It touches on the sensuality that is one aspect of food. It touches on the actual delicacy that is meat (really?). It's just fantastic. Fantastic for neither the subject matter, or the actual content, but fantastic for the writing and the idea and more importantly the ability to execute it all.

What's at Stake at the Butcher Shop from Food & Wine by Pete Wells

Also fantastic. Really instills respect for a trade.

The Best Burger from The Wall Street Journal by Raymond Sokolov

Not my favorite. I enjoy experiencing my guacamole hunt, I'm about to find a new topic though heads up, and I enjoyed reading about the taco trucks earlier in the book, but this burger piece just didn't hold me. Omnivores may beg to differ.

Steak, Well Done from Gourmet by Colman Andrews

I appreciated this piece because the steak house isn't an entity I had previously considered. Sure Outback has awesome baked potatoes, Logan's great rolls, but that's about as much thought as I've put towards that. Until now. Great read.

A Memorable Fruit from Edible San Francisco by Shuna Fish Lydon

I want to forward this to all my family members. Strawberries are what made my childhood go round. Oh, and the seed on the outside? That's the real fruit.

A Sugar Binge from The Pitch by Charles Ferruzza

Food nostalgia. I'm a sucker for it.

The Centerpiece from Saveur by Rita Williams

Fantastic in the way good writing and character development, no matter how concise, make you want to be there. You feel like you've missed out on some very important experience by not knowing the character that is Uncle Ernest. In the same way I hope my children write about me so that people want to meet me, I hope that concise piece of literature they produce captures all my idiosyncrasies in such a favorable light.

A Grandchild of Italy Cracks the Spaghetti Code from The New York Times by Kim Severson

Nothing's ever as good as Mom made it. Even if Mom made it burned.

Enjoy!

Previous Posts:

Read the Book: Best Food Writing 2007 Pg. 1-102
Read the Book: Best Food Writing 2007 Pg. 103-204

Hanging Garden

2009-06-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy Flickr via the kitchn and apartment therapy

Awesome...

Enjoy!

The Four's, Boston Beer Works, Haymarket, and The Other Side Cafe

2009-06-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful foodie weekend, and for most people the weekend is still in full swing. However, I'll be doing homework for most of the rest of it so I'm glad I got in what I did.

Last night I went out with a couple people. Our goal? Find a sports bar so I could fix my beer itch and we could watch the Red Sox game. Atlanta creamed them by the way. Which I'm 100% okay with. I haven't switched from Braves to Red Sox yet, much as I'm sure I won't ever make the full conversion from Predators to Bruins. Some things are too ingrained.

Anyways, we ended up at The Four's, voted best Sports Bar in America by Sports Illustrated. I started off the night with a Sam Adams Summer Ale. This beer is awesome, as are most all Sam Adams to be honest.

My companions rounded out the Sam Adams trio by order the Sam Adams Light and Sam Adams Boston Lager. Two other fine choices.

As for our food? Companion one got the Larry Bird. My dad would be proud. Not because of the meal, the name. Anywho, it was a grilled chicken breast with lettuce and tomato and deemed a success. She basically got two meals in one as the pasta side was massive.

The rest of us opted for the Nachos El Grande. I'll get to the complete lack of vegan items and very scant selection of vegetarian items in a minute. I ordered mine without the sour cream and chili. Doing what I can.

Overall verdict on The Four's? Nice. Great place and good service. I would take my Dad here. Enough TVs to really watch the game. However, the beer selection was a little lacking, I had my Summer Ale and a Coors and then opted to wait until I could get to a place where I hadn't tried all the beers. Additionally, I was a little disappointed by the vegetarian/vegan selection. My only real option for dinner was to technically revert to vegetarian with the nachos. I did the best I could by passing the cheese off onto the other giant nacho plate and taking advantage of the massive amounts of guacamole and salsa. It would be nice if at least one of their sandwiches was vegetarian. My verdict on the guacamole? Not too shabby, not the best by any means, but not bad.

After dinner the roomie and I headed to Boston Beer Works. Do you see that beer? It's called the Cherry Bomb and it's even more red in person, I kid you not. Did I like it? I liked trying a cherry beer, but the beer itself is a lot to handle. One pint was definitely my max. An experience I don't regret, but one I wouldn't repeat.

While there we ran into some guy who had just come from a beer festival. This is significant for two reasons.

1. I got a Long Trail bumper sticker (yay Vermont!) and

2. I learned Brooklyn Brewery is wind powered! A fact I just verified on their website. Brooklyn Brewery was already working their way onto my list of breweries I love (Sam Adams and Magic Hat) but this seals the deal

Home and to bed.

Today the roomie and I got up headed for a farmer's market. We had one in mind but I did some googling before I went. Intrigued at the chaos that was rumored to be Haymarket, and the love/hate relationship many of the reviewers seem to have with it, we changed plans and headed there.

My verdict? Okay, this isn't the farmer's market where you're going to meet the actual farmers and it's going to be organic and calm and peaceful and soul searching. Not at all. If I was to hijack a produce truck and then set up a rickety table to stand behind while I peddled you my contraband, this would be the place I would do it. That said, I freaking loved it. Why? I love fruits and vegetables and I'm broke. Rundown:

$8.50 later...

-6 red delicious apple
-2 bags of baby carrots
-carton blackberries
-3 cartons of blueberries
-2 containers of strawberries

and the roomie was just as bad. You can't beat that. You just can't. It should have been $7.5o but I jumped the gun on the apples.

Then I went to check on my sick friend and deliver one of my containers of strawberries as an antioxidant boost. He needed to sort out some financial stuff and so while we did that we stopped at The Other Side Cafe.

Oh. My. Gosh. I loved this place. I'm all about the new places and new beers, but a few standbys are always necessary. I think this is going to be one of them. My Sun Spot replacement if you will. And since I have had maybe 3 out of the 50 beers they offer I don't think this is going to dampen that pursuit in any way shape or form.

Companion got the CBC Benevolence while I sampled the Saint Botolph's Town. The menu is full of awesome vegetarian and vegan food but it wasn't really a meal time so we opted for the chips, salsa, and guacamole. Salsa wasn't really my style. It wasn't as...thick?...I'm not sure of the correct term there, as I generally would have liked it. Save for many salsa verdes. But it was good none the less. Guacamole was great, the color was a little off putting, but that's a variable thing anyways. Chips up to par.

So the beers. CBC Benevolence....oh my. This is not for the faint of heart. If you want to scare a first time drinker, pass them one of these. It's almost like starting a novice wine drinker off with a port. Not the best idea. It was an awesome drink to try though. I'm glad I didn't have to down the whole thing, but man what a beer. You take a sip and the alcohol just hits you in the face. Then you get this taste/smell that you can't quite pinpoint, but don't think I haven't spent my afternoon trying. If you're making bread dough in a bag, and you let it ferment, and then you open it to release the CO2 and push it out right in your face....or if you're eating a bread infused with brandy and raisins...something like that. Quite an experience.

So what about Saint Botolph's Town? Awesome. It reminds me of Yazoo's Dos Perros, you just feel like you are drinking a complete beer. I think I'm going to try some of the other Saint Botolph's next time I go.

Little snap shot of the awesome bathroom for you.

Enjoy!

Sunset Grill and Tap

2009-06-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

On Sunday night the roomie and I headed to Sunset Cantina...on accident. We intended to go to Sunset Grill and Tap, but sometimes life takes you out of the way. Tuesday, however, I got back on track. Determined to venture out before the internship officially dictates every minute of every day, I found myself at Sunset Grill and Tap.

The first thing I want to say is that our service was absolutely amazing. I cannot over emphasize how much I love a good server. My butt had barely hit the seat before he was at the table, cheerful, and explaining the beer menu...which I much appreciated. It turns out that the menu is there to serve you if you know how to use it, complete with ratings and suggestions. That said, we got down to ordering our first beer:

I had the Troegs HopBack Amber Ale and my dining companion had the Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout. Verdict? Both were freaking fantastic. Hands down. I should have planned ahead and got a regular Guinness for side by side comparisons, but I wasn't on top of my game. Obviously. Check out the Guinness website for all the details.

Beer ordered, we turned to food. There are several things to note here.

1. I think it is weird that the Sunset franchise marks it's vegetarian items, but by vegetarian they mean pesco vegetarians. Fish is marked as vegetarian.

2. At Sunset Grill and tap the menu has many more choices, and many of them are awesome vegetarian, true vegetarian, dishes.

3. I got the tortilla basket at Sunset Cantina and was blown away by the guacamole and the quantity and price. Such an awesome deal. Well, at Sunset Grill and Tap it is a dollar cheaper, and instead of guacamole, bean and corn salsa, regular salsa, and sour cream you get guacamole, bean and corn salsa, and two other flavors of traditional salsa. The pluses are obvious. A dollar cheaper and sub sour cream for mango salsa!! No one needs half a cup of sour cream for dipping. Absurd.

After much deliberation, we ordered:

I went with the hummus. It was fantastic. You can see how I also had eggplant, red peppers, artichoke hearts, and traditional pita as well as chips. Everything rocked. Artichoke hearts and pine nuts are my new obsessions right below guacamole. Also, presentation was fabulous. They put paprika on top just like Mellow Mushroom does, but here they were successful. Mellow Mushroom drowned their hummus in paprika creating an almost bloody effect. Just look how good this meal looks.

Dining companion settled for fish and chips with the option of making either or both Cajun. He opted for the Cajun fish and regular fries. I got his word that the fish rocked. I tried some of the fries though. Nothing to write home about. Not really good at all. Maybe if they were Cajun. So far the Sunsets are blowing me away, but Seaport still rocks the fries.

To top off dinner we each got a second and final beer. I went with the Brooklyn Summer which was fantastic. A couple weeks ago I was at a bar in Nashville and had the Brooklyn Brown Ale, I never mentioned it here because I couldn't remember the name and the minute I saw the Brooklyn Summer on this menu it came flooding back. Both Brooklyns were quality beer in my opinion. My companion had the Sierra Nevada Summerfest. Also a solid choice. Four for four. Can't really hope for more than that.

Sunset Grill and Tap has a different beer club than Sunset Cantina. So now I have two beer club cards. I got four stamps on Tuesday which I was excited about, and I am also excited at spreading the membership to as many of my friends as possible.

Enjoy!

Eating Disorders and Body Image Series: Part XII

2009-06-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of my internship. It was a lot, and overwhelming, and...a lot. So it goes when you move to a new city on Saturday, start on Monday, and am questioning some of the things you thought didn't need to be questioned. Luckily, one of those things is not becoming an R.D., I hold resolute to that, and so the year begins.

Money has never been my goal, instead I have tried to direct my life towards really finding things that I love to do. On that note, today instead of posting a Body Image and Eating Disorders Series post like I should, I thought I would instead post this little picture as a reminder of something I thought I knew very well but realize I sometimes forget:

Image courtesy

I mean hey, mental health is a big part of the battle in Body Image and Eating Disorders anyways so this is heading up the right ally.

Enjoy!

Sunset Cantina

2009-06-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the first full day in Boston, and I set out to make the most of it. Our internship starts tomorrow and any and everything to keep my mind off of it for a bit was most welcome.

First foodie stop? The grocery store. Shaw's to be exact. I loved it. I haven't been grocery shopping for myself in forever. Staying at my Dad's for this past interim month of my life has given my cart pushing skills a rest, but no more. Since I knew I would be carrying home everything I purchased, I kept the goods to the minimum of stir-fry ingredients, Silk Live! yogurt to get my stomach back on track post antibiotics, and a few other here and there's such as hummus. I felt a little more whole again.

Next adventure? Walking. Which is foodie related only in that all the walking I do allows me to eat the food and consume the beer that accompany my life as well.

Speaking of beer. I've always wanted to be in a beer club of some sort. Drinking my way towards a prize. Knoxville didn't have anything that interested me, and Nashville has the Flying Saucer but I'm not in Nashville enough to really make that work, so my goal was to find something here. Success. The roommate and I headed out to practice making our way to the hospital we'll be at for the next year. Somewhere along the way I decided now was the time to google beer clubs in Boston and make it happen. A couple wrong stops later we ended up at Sunset Cantina, not the Sunset Grill and Tap we had set out to find, but owned by the same people and the beer club transfers between the two places.

They don't have a swipe card that keeps track of all the different beers you drink like Flying Saucer does, but you can still work your way towards shirts, dinners, and your name on various restaurant staples such as stools and tables. I'm in. Even if all I ever get is a shirt. In order to maximize my beer clubbing, I think I'm going to start my way at the top of the beer list and just move on down. It will all be documented here.

Actually that's how I'm going to do it starting next time, this time I talked the roomie into each doing our own sampler. Mine? The New England sampler which had the Allagash White (eh), the Cisco Whale's Tale (also eh but better), the Harpoon IPA (I'm not a huge IPA fan but I like Harpoon's), and the BBC Coffee (good for a porter, I'm not a porter fan either, the roommate who loves coffee loved this). The roommate did the Fruit Loop. There was a watermelon beer, the first I'd ever tried, and I really kind of liked it. Then Magic Hat #9 which rocked as usual. A pomegranate beer which was different but acceptable, and the Ipswich Blueberry. I've never been a fan of blueberry beers, but they served her beer with real blueberries in it which was enjoyable.

So this beer club thing is awesome and as soon as I get a shirt I will feel one more step complete. Then onto dog sledding, but that's for another time. However, you want to know what really made Sunset Cantina rock? The Tortilla Basket. It is a STEAL for your money and totally delicious. The guacamole, remember that guacamole hunt ?, absolutely will rock your face off it's so creamy and good. Same for the black bean corn salsa. And colored chips. I love colored chips. You get so much food for $5.50 it's easily justifiable for those weeks when fun just isn't in the budget.

Enjoy!

Swanky's Taco Shop and Seaport

2009-06-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day living at home for at least a year, as today I moved to Boston to begin what I'm sure will be a food/nutrition filled adventure. For my last supper, so to speak, I went to the highly recommended Swanky's Taco Shop with my Mom and one of my sisters. Why was Swanky's Taco Shop so highly recommended? I've been on a hunt for the perfect guacamole, and everyone had been touting the green stuff at Swanky's as top notch. So off we went.

Here are my beautiful dining companions:

The view when I looked left:

The lights when I looked straight ahead:

And out came the guacamole:

It was freaking fantastic. I don't know if it takes the crown, I really need to go get all the guacamole's and line them up, but it's sure up there. So much so in fact that we ended up ordering a second bowl and my sister and I both requested it on our salads....

That's the other thing I loved about Swanky's, aside from the guacamole, is the mode of ordering. You choose something like a salad, burrito, etc. then choose your meat or vegetarian, then choose all your fixings. My sister and I got salads....

Mine:

Hers....

I highly recommend the salad. The amount of food and produce you get for your money is unbelievable. Easily two meals. And so customizable...

My Mom opted instead for fish tacos I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, and was floored by her plate presentation....

Conclusion? Swanky's rocks if you get the chance.

So what did I do for culinary exploration on my first day as an official resident of Boston? The new roommate, her lovely family, and I found ourselves at Seaport Bar and Grill after some driving. Verdict? Good food for the money, especially good fries, but lacking in ambiance. I need to go back and visit the bar side to do a full evaluation. It's not very vegetarian, especially not vegan, friendly though. I wouldn't find myself back at the restaurant half unless I had a friend in town who 1. loves seafood 2. wants the option of sitting on the roof and looking at a sliver of water and 3. is not rolling in the dough at the current time.

In the meantime, anyone in the Boston area, or who wants to make their way to the Boston area, should come visit me. If you have an annoying habit such as a teacup dog, please refrain from accepting such offer, but all others...bring it on.

Enjoy! and it's good to have a laptop again...

Amy's Soup Review

2009-05-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

Image

I haven't had many of the Amy's soups, so today after a long day I tried this one. Verdict? Good, not great. Too much celery, despite what I am sure are several tried and true official taste testers saying otherwise.

Enjoy!

Friday

2009-05-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

This past week has been both busy and not busy. It would be much better if things evened out more. As it is, anything new to report involving food mainly involves alcohol. As far as new goes, it all happened mainly on Friday so I'll dedicate this to a recap of that....

We started off the day getting family portraits:

While the pictures developed we headed to Chili's for some lite food and drinks...

I had a Chili's Strawberry Daiquiri which I hadn't had in awhile. Good? Yes of course, but I couldn't even tell I drank it which makes the calories completely not worth it if you're there to do serious drinking. I was dismayed at the consistency, but it ended up not mattering that much. I think I was really just dismayed that our waitress was slow and poor at multi tasking.

After the Chili's afternoon, I headed downtown with a couple friends to Urban Flats for dinner...

The food was awesome and I decided to branch out and try the Sea Dog Apricot Wheat Beer. I really liked it, but could probably only stomach one and if you don't like apricots the smell will make you similarly not like this beer.

After dinner we headed to the Flying Saucer here in Nashville. Keeping with the branching out I tried a Paulaner although I cannot remember which one. It wasn't bad but I didn't go back for a second pint. I then tried a Franziskaner beer. It was absolutely disgusting. I was trying to find a wheat beer besides Blue Moon so I went for this and it was a total flop. It kind of tasted like banana bread with this horrible after taste. I spent the better part of 2o minutes trying to convince everyone around me to drink it so I wouldn't feel like I had wasted my money. This was a fruitless pursuit. Waste I did.

After that I went with Blue Moon for the rest of the night. Three new beers a night seems to be the cut off.

Enjoy!

Weekend Home

2009-05-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

Parent's are proud.

Sweet gift from Dad. Just because.

Despite previous failures, this Indian Amy's meal rocked. Not a bad weekend.

Enjoy!

Eating Disorders and Body Image Series: Part XI

2009-05-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh: She's Anorexic, and You're a Bad Mother

A good follow up for last installment.

Enjoy!

Wish You Were Here: Park Path

2009-05-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

Touche park path. Touche.

Home and Eating

2009-05-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

I think it will be best to just hit highlights in this post, there's enough pictures to make it lengthy enough...

So I've been home approximately four days and things are going well enough. My Mom is trying to move and I will miss our neighborhood once she does. That said, anyone need a house in Nashville? Family friendly neighborhood and beautiful?

Check the street post rainfall. Not bad huh?

This could be your bus stop. Picturesque no?

Enough plugs. First night back my sisters and I went to Mazatlan at my begging. My guacamole obsession is just that: an obsession. Mazatlan is fast and good, that's all I wanted.

Check out my sister's goofy face...

and not so goofy. Beautiful isn't she? She is, I don't need you to tell me. If you're under 30, make six figures, don't beat women, and don't have a criminal record, let me know if you're interested. Scratch that, criminal records are okay, just let me know why. I've come to understand those are touch and go on actual severity.

She's wild though. The faint of heart need not apply.

See, everyone loves Mazatlan.

Guacamole lacks the required chunky level to get a 10, but it's good none the less.

Saturday we celebrated my graduation with a trip to Mafiaoza's and 12 South Taproom. Oh man, I highly recommend both. I'm leaving Nashville and all of a sudden I feel like I have some many unexplored locations. So is life I suppose.

We get it from our Mom. Also beautiful. Aging well which makes me happy since I'm all for aging with grace. My Mother may or may not also be single if you're interested. I don't check in with her often, but if your application is up to par I'll pass it on. Same requirements as the sister, except must be above 30 not under. Preferably over 40 just so I don't feel uncomfortable.

Salads to start...

This was for me so I could get the hummus. Have to order at least three little sides...worth it.

My salad. I was sadly underwhelmed despite the amazingness of the rest of the meal. I think it was just my taste buds. Next time I would ask for half the tomato, double the artichoke hearts. I would also leave the hearts on the salad instead of eating them all first. Their lack may have been why I was underwhelmed. Also maybe because I took off the Feta due to veganism. So is life.

Right next to Mafiaoza's is one of my new favorite places in Nashville: 12 South Taproom.

My Aunt is picking her nose. This would have been such a good picture otherwise. My middle name is in honor of this lady. Where does that put me?

Public warning: stay clear of this UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen. It is an insult to taste buds everywhere. My sister was able to finish it. God bless her.

After our five hour eat/drink fest I went for a walk, made friends with some stroller pushers, and practiced my wildlife photography.

And finally this photo is from this morning, and I wish you had been there to stand on the bridge with me. I don't think it's coincidence a lot of my Wish You Were Here photos so far involve nature. Such a personal, solitary thing the environment can be, but as much as I'm running away from people when I'm in it, I often wish they were there for the experience.

Enjoy!

Bistro by the Tracks

2009-05-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day in Knoxville. I think I am sad...no, I am sad, but I guess it's about time. It is the five year mark after all.

I couldn't sleep as late as desired so I woke up and went for a walk doing random errands along the way. Eventually, I meandered through campus with the intention of snapping some pictures. I didn't actually do that save for one photo as I walked away from the Torchbearer...

However, it's not all sad. For my last weekend in town M^2, my sister, her boyfriend, and I headed out to fancy dinner. Yeah, that's what we were calling it: fancy dinner. Our chosen location? Bistro by the Tracks on Kingston...

Dinner started off a little iffy as we had reservations for 8 and got seated sometime around 9, all the while being assured by the hostess there was nothing she could do and that this was not normal. We weren't really bothered by the delay, things happen, but we could have done without the third or fourth defense by the hostess. The photo above is right when you walk in, bathrooms are to the right....

...and here is a shot to the left of the restaurant. You can see the beginning of the wine cabinet...

...and here's the rest of it.

Eventually we were seated....

and ready to dine.

By the Tracks has an extensive wine list, with some very high end bottles for those who are interested. We're in college, we stuck to the lighter end of the list. Here is the $30 bottle of King Estate Pinot Gris that M^2 and I split....

Here is the $18 bottle of Beringer White Zin that my sister and her boyfriend split...

...both were delicious.
After the wine, the bread arrived. Two baskets later everyone agreed it was grand.

For our wait the restaurant offered us a free appetizer. I guess here is where I'll get into the vegan issue of the meal. I went in hoping to eat vegan, but well aware this may or may not be possible. Back when I became vegan I said I may only ever by 90%. I do my best, but I want to become really good at wine tasting, the cheese aspect as well, and then certain situations like this arise. In day to day life if I cannot eat at a restaurant because there is nothing to make vegan, I will just wait and get something later. There's no point in being vegan if you give in all the time. However, I didn't agree to a fancy dinner, just the four of us, and a lot of money spent, to sit at the table and not eat. So unfortunately, for this meal I was unable to be vegan, but of course maintained vegetarian. I'll never not be a vegetarian.

Anyways, the point of that was to say that for the free appetizer I just didn't partake. The others really wanted the BLT Stack and I wasn't about to make them get a cheese plate just so I could eat it when that would make the night even more un-vegan. So I have no idea how this appetizer actually tasted, but I can tell you that everyone enjoyed the experience of trying it.

Next up were our salads. The excitement of the salad was picking out the dressings. M^2 had been eyeing the Lime Chipotle Vinaigrette all night, my sister wanted to try the Southern Ranch, and I was all about the Champagne Poppy Seed....

We were not disappointed. All three dressings were amazing. They also have special cheese grit croutons which I passed on but which M^2 and my sister both declared interesting. My sister eventually tired of them, but I think M^2 enjoyed them well enough.

On to the main course. My sister's boyfriend got the Big Bistro Cheeseburger with Gorgonzola, something he had never had and enjoyed. He wasn't a fan of the cheese sprinkled fries, but everyone else was.
M^2 got the Peppercorn Pork Chop....he eventually threw dining decency out the window and attacked it like a dog so I think that's a compliment to the chef.

And finally the meal I can comment on best, the Butternut Squash Ravioli.

When I saw the Gorgonzola and walnuts on top I was at first excited because I thought at least if the cheese isn't stuffed in then I can pick around it and try for vegan-ish. HOWEVER, without the cheese this dish just falls flat. So bland and practically inedible. Add that Gorgonzola though, and the whole dish just comes together and is absolutely amazing. The Gorgonzola is absolutely key. So is life.

So our bills came, not Taco Bell that's for sure, but worth it none the less.

Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

My sister and I dined at one of the many Mexican restuarants Knoxville has to offer, El Mezcal.

Enjoy!

Wish You Were Here: Sassy Ann's

2009-05-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

I did not go to Sassy Ann's last night, fun as it is, but M^2 did and sent me this photo that is absolutely to die for....

here is a time when I wish I was there as well...

Enjoy!

Eating Disorders and Body Image Series: Part X

2009-05-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Today we have a fabulous guest post as part of our Eating Disorders and Body Image Series. I'm going to post it under anonymous, but if you read carefully I'm sure you can figure out who the author is...

Eating Disorders – The Family’s Point of view

Any discussion of eating disorders would be incomplete without mention of what family members go thru. Without laying any guilt trip, shame or blame on the person battling the disorder, the story needs to be told that the family suffers deeply as well.

First, I’m always of the mind that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Brush & floss to avoid cavities, etc. But this goes deeper. Reap what you sow? It is crucial to recognize the importance of ‘family time’. Society’s thoughts that a child should have every type of lesson available needs to be addressed. The busy, hectic, over-scheduled life doesn’t allow for ‘sit-down’ family- style eating that was once so important to the development of healthy mind & body. “Soul Food” -- sitting down to discuss the day’s events, staying connected, and nourishing not only your mind and body, but nourishment of your soul aren’t possible when you rush from school, to soccer, to dance, to music lessons, eating ‘snacks’ in the car, and catching food on the run. “Food is Love”….as Emeril says.

Ignorance. At first, it is our failure to recognize our family member may need help. Quick ‘intervention’ can mean the difference between ‘disordered eating’ which can more easily be turned around, and a full-blown eating disorder, before the grip on the mind is so firm, and thought patterns entrenched. Family doctors aren’t trained to fully deal with this, and recognize the signs. A specialist is required, but at this time…who knows? I personally took my child to the doctor a full year and a half before her hospitalization..only to be told ‘not to worry..it’s just a phase’. A year of valuable time lost to the ‘disease’ and its grip on the mind, instead of ‘recovery’. A full year lost to the re-training of the brain from ‘disordered eating’ back to healthy habits, instead of sliding into the grip of an eating disorder. We suffer greatly from our own ignorance of eating disorders. The lack of education for family members of this ever growing problem…how do we know?

Panic. Watching the slow deterioration of your loved one. Do you continue to listen to everyone’s ‘advice’, ignoring your own intuition that something now is dreadfully wrong. Confused by mixed signals…deciding what to do next….wondering where do you go for help? Arguing with the afflicted because you are so frustrated and confused, feeling inadequate. Wondering if there are sufficient resources available in your area? Luckily for us, at that time, there were. Sadly, for a girl I went to high school with, there wasn’t, and eventually she reached the ‘inevitable conclusion’ when no help exists.

Guilt. The feeling that somehow you’re responsible. Asking WHY? Wondering how all this happened. Searching for answers, someone to blame… The sadness knowing your loved one currently finds no beauty and hope in themselves. That sweet baby with the adorable face you once held and played with. Did you love them enough, so they knew? Were there nights filled with angst & dark pain where they suffered alone? Were you too self-absorbed in your own world to notice? Did you teach them the correct life lessons? Or did you contribute with constant discussions about how other people look and dress. Listening to people tell their anorexic or obese jokes, which you knew at the time weren’t really funny, but which you now find completely lacking in humor. Asking yourself time and again “Where did I go wrong?”

Embarrassment. What will everyone say? Well, they’ve already said plenty, behind your back. Personally, once my ‘stuff’ was out in the open, nothing bothered me, except for the home nurse, who asked …”How did she get so MALNOURISHED?” What an awful word that hit me like a Mack truck. Asking me as though I intentionally allowed that to happen?

As a neighbor and I discuss during our walks, lucky for us our ‘shit’ is out in the open. Everyone has ‘shit’. Some just keep it covered, pretend it doesn’t exist, or live in ignorant bliss. But for us, everyone now knows, and there’s nothing to hide. Which leads to the next emotions……

Relief… Help has finally arrived, and if you’re lucky enough…recovery. It is still an emotional time, and such a learning curve. Along the way it is painful watching someone lying in a hospital bed with feeding tubes. Seeing the panic spread across their face as they know the weight is going back on. Learning to accept nourishment again. The ‘agony’ of taking ½ hour to eat a container of yogurt & dry cereal. Thousands of dollars spent in the grocery store, on food experiments. What tastes good today, may not taste good tomorrow. Endless reading of nutritional content. Watching food journals being filled in, calories counted, and ‘safe’ food being carried everywhere. Being vigilant. Watching, but trying not to watch. Are they eating enough? Have they eaten? What are the signs of a relapse? I’m not going thru this again! I’m watching now… Do we have the right counselor, doctor, food in the house at that time? It is exhausting and tiring, but you never give up. There’s still relief as you learn how to provide the right support.

Acceptance. Finally, giving in to what is. There reaches a point where the ‘control’, and that is such a silly word, is not yours and never was, but theirs, and truly their choice to decide to ‘heal’ or not and how. Their path is their own. At some point you have to step away, and continue to allow them their path, even if it means becoming vegan and washing their hair with vinegar & baking soda. Thoughts that are so foreign to you, but understandable to them. This entire ‘process’ is about control. Stepping back and letting them know they do ‘control’ their own lives. They do get to choose and decide. I get angry when others try to step in and take that away. But that is another lesson we all need to learn at some point. When do we tell others ‘Thanks for your opinion/help, but I get to choose what is right for me.’

Finally, Forgiveness. Especially for yourself. The family and the afflicted. The ‘advice’ here is no different than to anyone suffering any form of ‘addiction’ or having a bad day. Find positive coping mechanisms. Nourish your soul don’t numb your pain. Be your own best friend. Love yourself first. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you you’re worthwhile. You know you are. Smile and recognize each new day, new start, new beginning. Give thanks for what is. Have an ‘attitude of gratitude’. There’s always a lesson to be learned. Do so joyously and gratefully, thanking your ‘teachers’ along the way, instead of internalizing hate, anger & pain, or letting things ‘eat you up’ inside. Be forgiving of yourself, then others. Cut yourself some slack. We’re all doing the best we can. You do get to choose your own life; your actions, words, thoughts & feelings. Let loose the reins of control and allow the creative process to flow. Create yourself into a beautiful piece of artwork. Don’t try to control life so much as ALLOW it to just be, unfold and happen. Sometimes the best gifts are the ones we don’t ask for or see coming.

Life is good.

Wish You Were Here: Flowers and Jason's Deli

2009-04-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up and went for a walk on my way to study/work. I finally concluded today that for the last three weeks I have in fact been sick with the flu, and if I wasn't still recovering (i.e. coughing), it would have been a perfect morning. Warm enough for shorts and a tank top, but I could have had a jacket on. Or I could have worn jeans and a tank top. Or any combo there of. Just perfect. And while I was walking I passed a row of flowers and really wished someone was there to get excited with me:

but since no one was there to share them with, I am sharing them with you, my readers. Truth be told though, I love this photo, and the other three I took, so much that I probably would have shared it anyway.

Then, after a long morning of anticipation, The Fat Dietitian and I headed to Jason's Deli...

we love their salad bar. It is stocked with tons of goodies. The Fat Dietitian's salad is up top, mine on the bottom. I also loaded up on tons of apples and hummus which I still can't believe they have on the salad bar, but because they do they are my new favorite place to veggie gorge.

Oh, and the service rocks as well.

I meant Jason's Deli just as a plug for them, but those salads were so good...you should have been there for them too.

Enjoy!

Land Degradation and Exploitation in Africa

2009-04-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

I miss reading everyone's blogs. I need a new laptop....sigh....hopefully within the next month and then I can get back on the bandwagon....

I am going to try to actually start doing write ups of the speakers I go to. They are often informative, and this reviewing thing…books, articles, etc...is something I want on my blog…of course along side of but not replacing all the fun pictures, etc.

Last Monday April 20, 2009, I attended “Land Degradation and Exploitation in Africa” from 7p.m-9p.m. The event was hosted by S.P.E.A.K. which is Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville. They are the place to be for environmentalists on the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s campus.

It's a bit hard for me to attempt a write up of this as it was a very informal round about sort of talk, but some good points were made so I'll share my notes with you....

The first speaker was Forbes Walker presenting on the joint work between himself and his colleague Neal Eash. Forbes is an Environmental Soil Specialist who has spent approximately ten years working in Africa, and Neal is a Soil Scientist with a similar resume.

Background term:

Erosion: the carrying away or displacement of solids (sediment, soil, rock and other particles) usually by the agents of currents such as, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms (in the case of bioerosion)

Some background information:

Lesotho has severe erosion problems. With unprotected ground and rainfall, erosion occurs. The unprotected ground comes from having poor vegetative cover due to sheep, goats, and plows. For every millimeter of erosion, 13 tons of soil per hector are lost. Why is this a problem? This is unsustainable, and for anyone interested in more global work, we all know sustainable is one of the most important things to strive for…as difficult and frustrating as it is at times.

Besides the unsustainable aspects of erosion, what is it that makes erosion so bad? In short, erosion is bad for water quality, land, and the environment.

So here are some things we discussed.

It is no surprise that where there is good soil there are high populations. This was one of the first things we looked at. Maps of water erosion vulnerability, maps of risk of human induced water erosion, and then a population map. Essentially looking at how many of the causes of erosion can be traced back to man.

We discussed how “traditional” African agriculture revolves around subsistence agriculture. Most farmers are women aiming for food security, farming with hand tools, and using few external inputs. They just want to feed their families.

The fields are traditionally managed with a “slash and burn” system, something that worked well enough until the human population got too high. Additionally, more modern Westernized technology can, and has, lead to problems in Africa: tractors are a big factor in accelerating land degradation.

So how to reverse this trend? Conservative agriculture. It is essential to work towards permanent soil cover and diversified crop rotations. Increasing organic matter helps carbon sequestering which is good for the environment.

In the 1960s, No Till Research and Education started at the University of Tennessee and major efforts were made in the 1980s and 90s. Keeping a cover on the fields to protect and build organic matter has been successfully implemented here in Tennessee, so what about in Africa, specifically Lesotho?

In Lesotho they have tried the pothole method. Plant seeds in holes so most of soil is not disturbed. This no till approach means less energy and labor, higher yields as farmers don’t have to wait for a tractor, reduction in soil erosion losses, improvement in soil organic matter, and improvement in soil structure.

No till is a growing movement that has really taken off in North America, and South America seems right behind. Lesotho is receptive, but time will tell.

The second speaker was Dr. Sall. Originally a forest ranger in Mauritania, Dr. Sall earned his B.S. in Forest Management here at the University of Tennessee and has continued on since.

He started by introducing us to Mauritania, a West African nation about the size of Texas with approximately 60% of their land being an ever growing Sahara. Rainfall is limited to July-September, and this is sometimes not enough. The soil is not adequate. What are they to do?

Millet and sorghum are Mauritania’s crops of choice, and forestry can help stabilize their problem of soil erosion as well as help block against the wind. This is called agriforestry: clearing the land but keeping some trees in place. The trees are also necessary for underground water.

I found several things interesting during Dr. Sall’s talk. First, he described to us a process of planting Millet in a hole with watermelon and black eyed peas. The watermelon and black eyed peas make sure nutrients are not taken away.

Additionally, we talked about the acacias. Acacias give Arabic gum, gum arabic, which is important for medicine, as well as fruit for the animals and firewood. Mauritania used to be the third or forth producer but because of grazing and lack protection this has ceased to be the case.

Dr. Sall also wanted to emphasize the point that it is important to know the community you are working with. It is important to keep the beliefs and cultures of those you work with in mind. In Mauritania land ownership is important and land is owned by families, not individuals. You cannot make one choice if everyone else does not agree. Additionally, livestock is part of status. Livestock also help led to erosion. Preventing soil erosion by techniques alone won’t solve the problem, you have to work with people and their cultures. A very sound point indeed.

Overall, very interesting. It made me miss Kenya very much. As pretty much any mention of Africa tends to do.

Enjoy!

Vegan Blueberry Sorbet

2009-04-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

On last week's grocery trip, my craving for an ice cream like product finally got the best of me and so I scoured the shelves....

with approximately six ingredients, all of which I knew to be vegan, this Blueberry Sorbet by Natural Choice landed in my cart....

coming in at approximately the $5 mark, this container full of deliciousness won me over immediately.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Photo

2009-04-25T20:41:00.001-07:00

Not as good as the pub crawl, but we're pretty dang adorable.

Enjoy!

Boulevard

2009-04-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I tried a Boulevard beer at Cool Beans here in Knoxville. I had never seen it before and so I felt like I had to give it a go. According to Wikipedia, Boulevard has only been in Tennessee since late 2007/early 2008 so maybe that explains why I've never seen it before. It turns out I'm not 100% positive which Boulevard this is, at Cool Beans they told me it was a Pale Ale but this may or may not be true. Anyways, the beer was very reminiscent of Loose Cannon...so, so hoppy it was hard to drink the whole thing.

I'm still glad I've been actively branching out in my beer trying. I should have done this the minute I turned 21, but Blue Moon and I had a very exclusive relationship for awhile.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Pub Crawl

2009-04-24T05:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night the nutrition girls decided to demonstrate all the things we have learned over the past four/five years by pub crawling. Oh, and one of our few male classmates D joined us after some prodding...

Someone may eventually be upset that photo is on here, but I can always blur faces and things later. Our glory is all over facebook anyhow....

Here is J, who is coming up north with me. We did not plan our northern migration, but I am glad it is happening....

Here are Kimberly and M. Notable for being my sidekicks throughout the night. However, most notable are the drinks I drank/sampled that haven't appeared on my alcohol sampling tab yet. The rundown:

J and I drank Magic Hat #9. So now I guess I've had Magic Hat Circus Boy and #9. Both quite, quite enjoyable. I'm definitely a Magic Hat fan.

Image

I've had Newcastle before, but not in quite sometime. It is absolutely fantastic and I don't know why I don't drink it more often.

Image

They were handing out free Miller Genuines at one of the bars we went to, which is the only reason I ended up drinking it. I bought Miller Genuine once before because of the extremely low calorie content but was unable to drink it because of the extremely low taste quality. However, free beer...hard to resist.

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I also sampled Ashley's mojito at Sapphire because I had never really had one. I tried them at The Fat Dietitian's once but was distracted by the beer. Anyways, while a sip was enjoyable, I don't' think I could get through a whole one. Sooo minty. I also specifically mention Sapphire on here because I have been there twice now and I will probably not be returning before I leave Knoxville so it's now or never. If you are 30 years of age, consider yourself hip, and know how cast judgment with one glance, Sapphire is the place for you. If you do not meet all three of these criteria, step left into Downtown Grill & Brewery.

I'm sure there are other gems I'm leaving off here, but I really wanted to document the Magic Hat and Newcastle more than anything else.

Enjoy!

Wish You Were Here: Passive Aggressive

2009-04-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

I saw this sign in the bathroom today and I just died. I totally understand where the hanger of this sign is coming from. Totally. However, all I could think was, "Hmmm.....passive aggressive much? HAHAHAHA!"

Completely mature I know, but isn't this a University? So many things wrong.

Enjoy!

21, 18, and a Prom

2009-04-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

That's right. This week in my household the boyfriend came in town, one sister turned 18 and had a prom, and one sister turned 21. Quite the list of events. This meant lots of time for foodie activities. Prepare to salivate.

After the hookah Thursday, and a night of dancing at Sassy Ann's which I failed to properly document but which included many margaritas and $2.00 PBRs, we took Friday easy. I attended some classes and then we headed to the best sushi joint in Knoxville: Nama.

Here is D posing with the wasabi hummus. I love this picture.

Spent the rest of the day doing a little of this and a little of that...lots of errands...and then the boyfriend, Z, M^2, and I headed out for a little dinner at Mellow Mushroom.

The view from our bench....

My view.....

Z declined to eat, but here is a photo of the boyfriend and M^2's pizza. It was quite amazing looking and smelling. They devoured the entire thing. I opted for the hummus which was notable because they appeared to have drowned it in paprika...which I do not understand because it does not make it look very appetizing.

Anyways, dinner went well. They boys split a $10 Stella pitcher which was notable only because they brought Sweetwater instead, and I stuck to water. Nothing like staying hydrated.

We went home and formulated a game plan. The end result? A pub crawl. This was my third pub crawl in a month and I have another one Wed should I choose to participate. I guess that's what happens when everyone in your life turns 21/graduates. We started the night with a stroll through the pedestrian bridge which took us from the campus side of things to the downtown side of things:

And we made our first stop Preservation Pub. I've mentioned a lot of these places before, but this time I was able to snap pictures.....

Here you can see how P Pub is lined high above with pictures and drinking quotes. I love sitting there reading them.

All the way to the bars I was debating if I should try Delirium. Delirium has about twice the alcohol of other beers. Yes, this was the sole reason I wanted to try it. I'd heard other people talk about it....

So I did. You know what? It was really, really enjoyable. I passed it around and everyone agreed. This furthers my conviction that P Pub rocks for the beer selection...not so rocks for the smokey, loud tunnel thing. To each his own. If you're in the mood, be there.

After Preservation Pub we headed to Knoxville Cigar Company. Bar on one side, cigar store on the other....

Also not your typical college crowd....

I tried Boddingtons even though I'm fairly certain it's not vegan. Verdict? Errr....

We made a pit stop at Urban Bar but I didn't get pics....however, Urban Bar is always good times and my sister declared it her favorite stop of the night. As far as pictures go, The Backroom proved another story. You walk in and the bar is to your right and another room with a pool table and old video game machines is to the left. Above you can see the entrance to the pool table room.....

The pool table was to my left. Here is the scene to my right. See how D is sitting? He tends to be a thinker....

Here's the view across from me. B, Holland, and Holland's hubby. Holland is munching on some grub which we'll get to after....

The Flying Dog Pale Ale I tried and loved...

Knoxville has a resident late night hot dog vendor. My sister, Holland, Holland's hubby, and E all felt the need to indulge. My sister declared it the best hot dog ever. So there you have it....

And for those of you unaware, The Backroom can be found my walking straight towards Patrick Sullivan's front door, but then quickly veering left ten feet and taking the side door.

The next night was my little sister's prom. Check her out! We call this her perfume commercial look. Her words? "Who should I wear?" I love her.

While she was at prom the rest of us headed to Cozymel's! Our family loves Cozymel's....

My sister decided to try this sampler.....

From left to right Clasico, Blue Peach, Primo, Raspberry, and Mango. Our verdict? Mango and Primo the best with a 9, Clasico a 7, Blue Peach a 5, and Raspberry a 4. The ones we were most excited about we were disappointed by, but Mango....oh mango....

I love colored chips. I think I've said that before.....

My food? The veggie fajitas with lettuce wrap. No sour cream eating, but guacamole....mmmm....

Momma P's food....fish....she loved it. I love the full lime of garnish.

And my beautiful family as we leave the restaurant.

Good weekend. Hope your weekend was as well.

Enjoy!

Dietetic Internship

2009-04-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

In good news....

THE FAT DIETITIAN AND I BOTH GOT INTERNSHIPS!!!

which means we are on our way. Mine is in the Boston area, and The Fat Dietitian's is at a very good school. I'm almost as happy as when we passed ServSafe.

Just kidding. I'm way more happy than when we passed ServSafe.

The Office: Cheese Puffs

2009-04-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have so much foodiness to catch up on, but first I want to make sure everyone has seen this:

The first 45 seconds are key.

Enjoy!

Mirage Hookah Bar

2009-04-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned the hookah bar that we frequent on here before, but I've never really blogged about it. Mainly because I was trying to be secretive, but now that we're sharing identities...

Mirage hookah bar is great for a number of reasons:

1. VERY affordable
2. Belly dancers
3. Good selection of hookah flavors and drinks
4. Delicious hummus, baba ghanoush, and stuffed grape leaves among other things...

Anyways, my sister turned 21 this week, so to the hookah bar we went! It was awesome as usual.

Got myself a Blue Moon. Didn't feel much like branching out. I know what I like.....Okay, real reason? The waitress knew my order and I was so impressed I went with it. I'm that girl. Great.

Here's my sister. Beautiful, eh? Also, super classy. Check the drink.

I have this friend M. Whenever we go to the hookah bar together, all the people there know and love M and we end up the center of attention. This inevitably leads to hookah honeying where we all have to pose while hookahing. A little bit odd, but always entertaining. I mad my sister hookah honey...

She was a novice. Can't judge too hard...

This is a good view of our hookah....

And the bar behind the hookah. You walk in and up a ramp. You are immediately by the bar. In front and left is table seating, to the right and behind is floor seating....

Here we are diving into our food...

Endless pita. Sign. Us. Up.

Here's a pan to the left. The table seating, and also the prime dancing area. Dancing occurs in the floor seating as well, but a bit more cramped.

Overall Mirage is awesome. But be prepared. During the week they aren't very busy, but Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to three they get hopping. It's a good time, but you have to be ready for the people and music.

Enjoy!

Wish You Were Here: Waitress

2009-04-14T05:51:00.001-07:00

So more important than water, today starts my new hobby of Wish You Were Here.

One time, The Fat Dietitian and I were driving and we saw this girl. With boots. The boots were probably 10 different colors and she was one of those people you kind of want to tip toe up to and awkwardly wave hoping, just hoping, she will accept your invitation at friendship.

I wanted to take a picture of her boots and share them with everyone I knew. Then I got to thinking I should do that.

So here is With You Were Here. Where I share with you things that I wish you were with me to discuss.

Here is the first installment. Our waitress at Blackstone. As soon as she started taking our order, I wanted every girl I knew to be right there so we could discuss and debate her make-up, weather or not we could ever pull it off, and how we were secretly jealous she could.

I found her fabulous.

Thanks to my Aunt for having the courage to ask her if she would let us take her picture, a picture I hope this waitress finds somehow because I think it's absolutely gorgeous.

Enjoy!

Tear Down Tuesday: Water

2009-04-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

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I woke up today and all I could think about was the fact that I needed to get my hands on some water asap. Why? Knoxville's air quality and allergens are about as good/minimal as....I don't know where I'm going with that. All I know is that sometimes I can feel my lungs slowly collapsing. Hydration nearly to the point of water intoxication is about the only solution for such a feeling.

So what is water? H2O. That's about the most simple that's ever been.

What are reasons water is important?

-Immune system

-Digestive system

-Sweat

-Cell function

-etc.

Being that throughout our lifespan we are anywhere from roughly 50-80% water, I think that's about all that needs to be said. We cannot work without water.

Enjoy!

Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

If you happened to be a member of our household, or affiliated with us in any way, chances are you had an exciting weekend. If nothing else, you probably had a couple good meals. I figured I'd do an abbreviated catch up. As a warning, there's lots of cat photos involved....

Things started out calmly enough Thursday night. I entertained myself with some lite reading on the connection of breast cancer and red meat, while Snicklefritz tormented the research articles I had already read until she crashed.

Friday morning we got on the road when we wanted to. My sister, her boyfriend, and our children...a.k.a. the cats. It was a tricky trip from the get go as Momma P bombarded us with the tornado updates as they made their was across Tennessee. Eventually we had no choice but to pull over in Cookeville.

We decided to seek asylum outside the J.C. Penny. Just my sister, her boyfriend, me, and the cats....

Eventually an exceptionally kind J.C.Penny associate came out and told us in no uncertain terms that us and our children were to get inside....

And that is how our three hour drive turned into a five hour drive and how the cats got their first and only view of the amazingness that is mall department stores...

Upon arrival home I was greeted with none other than a spoon rest! My younger sister is amazing. She also has the most fabulous Spring Break trips. You know what I did for Spring Break in high school? Read. My junior year I literally read a book a day and listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That was it. The life I lead....

Saturday came and I deduced that I had been up too long. So I napped, and as I woke up and turned my head I was greeted by this....

I cannot get over my love for her and her orange leg....

Then it was off to lunch with the family. Blackstone in Nashville rocks. I've said it before and I'll say it again.

You want to know what makes me feel loved? The fact that my family and friends all routinely help me by perfecting both their food showmanship and hand modeling skills. Wait until you see the pics of my Uncle I have yet to post. For now, take a look at my Aunt's strategically eaten burger....

Check out those colors. This was the veggie burger. Something she was a fan of, but noted that the salsa on the side is quite necessary.

This is the pizza my sister and Momma P split. I didn't hear any complaints.

This is my portabella burger. It was great. I didn't eat the fries, instead doling them out to my 17 years old and growing sister, but the avocado on the portabella was a fabulous touch....

And yes, we always get the dip.

Saturday night we planned on doing birthday cake since my sisters turn 21 and 18 this week:

Happy Birthday you two!!!!

However, when we went to cut the cake we realized ants had taken over. I almost died laughing, but to spare Momma P who I thought was about to cry I tried to hold it in. This would happen only to us. The ants were on some kind of sugar high/coma. Some rearing up on two legs, others drowning in a sea of frosting. Quite the spectacle.

And Sunday night I recovered from a long weekend, Snicklefritz in tow.

Enjoy!

Beardsley Community Farm

2009-04-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today I ventured to Beardsley Community Farm, a delightful place for numerous reasons. I've heard about Beardsley countless times through S.P.E.A.K. (Student Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville-quite an awesome group) but had never made it out there myself. Well today I did. I wish I could say I went on my own free will, but free will and school work are starting to sound a lot a like at this point and it was in fact a class that got me out there.

Quick Snapshot

The friends: KD and JH

Please don't take my first picture as justice to what the farm is, instead check out their blog. I didn't really:

1. One to ruin my phone taking photos with dirty gloves
2. Look like a creeper

We arrived at Beardsley around 1 p.m. and were greeted by Ben, a delightful person for many reasons including a knack at baby name selection and the good sense to laugh at my often ill timed jokes. KD and I were immediately set to work cleaning fences, a job we enjoyed until close to the two hour mark when both of our attention spans started to drift. Luckily Ben jumped in and discussed the history and future of Beardsley, subjects positively correlated with his excitement: the more he talks about them, the more excited he gets. It was an awesome, positive environment with dedicated volunteers, and I really have nothing negative to share with you, instead I just want you check out their blog and love it. I don't think that's asking too much.

Here's a little blub I found:

"CAC Beardsley Farm is located on the former Beardsley Junior High School grounds. In 1996, work began to convert the abandoned school grounds to a community garden. The city of Knoxville provided funds to build a community greenhouse and the Community Action Committee (CAC) received a grant from the USDA to complete the conversion. In fall 1998, work began on the vacant lot. Beardsley Farm has been cultivated since that date with the support of CAC, AmeriCorps, and volunteers.

Our mission is to grow and promote healthy food for city neighborhoods through gardening, nutritional and environmental education and service." -Local Harvest

Pretty sweet indeed.

Enjoy!

Tear Down Tuesday: Vitamin B12

2009-04-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

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Alas, my day in the library checking blogs will be tomorrow. I'm actually very excited. I didn't realize how much I enjoy checking what everyone had to say. Of course I don't DISLIKE it at all, because then I wouldn't do it, but I didn't realize just how much I really enjoy it. I got on my computer about an hour ago hoping the screen would work and nope, it doesn't. Luckily, my sister has granted me access to her computer for about an hour. Just enough time to try to get some necessary homework done and blog. It's cold today. Actually snowed. I don't want to venture to the library....

So today is Tuesday, which means time to investigate something food related. Last week I had a lot of fun posting about the pasty, but what to do for this week? Well in true nerd fashion, I thought I would spend my free time....actually I don't have free time, I just feel defeated by technology and the cold...writing about vitamin B12. I figure since I prattle on about how, as a vegan, I need a supplement, I may as well explain it some.

A lot of this stuff comes from my nutrition textbook from my Vitamins and Minerals class: Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism by Sareen S. Gropper, Jack L. Smith, and James L. Groff. Funny how I didn't actually use this book in either of the two classes it was intended for. I learned a lot, A TON, in both though. I think that speaks well for my teachers.

First off, B12 is also known as cobalamin. The term vitamin B12 is actually a generic term for a group of compounds called corrinoids.

The only dietary source of vitamin B12 for humans is animal products (ah!). The animals have derived their cobalamins from microorganisms. Cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin are often the forms commercially available in vitamin preparations.

Deficiency of vitamin B12 results in megaloblastic macrocytic anemia. Some signs and symptoms of deficiency include skin pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, insomnia, tingling and numbness in extremities, abnormal gait, loss of concentration, memory loss, disorientation, swelling of myelinated fibers, and possibly dementia.I'm worried about B12 because of neurological problems, and since 75-90% of those deficient develop neurological problems, I guess that's a rational fear.

Besides anemia, B12 concentrations are also inversely related to homocysteine. That means more B12, less homocysteine or less B12, more homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine levels are correlated with coronary heart disease.

My book discusses how you can have very large stores of B12. They conclude that "a strict vegetarian diet can produce a deficiency of the vitamin fairly quickly in an infant or a young child with minimal stores of the vitamin. In contrast to children, adults consuming animal-based diets who switch to strict vegetarian diets without consuming vitamin-fortified foods may not develop clinical symptoms of a deficiency for decades due to fairly large stores of the vitamin." Well, I've been a vegetarian for 12 years, almost 13, so that started in childhood, and now the only food I eat with B12 is my soy milk. This is why I choose to take a vitamin every now and then. That, and the fact that my Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating reports that "vegans and near vegans who do not supplement with B12 have consistently shown elevated homocysteine levels."

Anywho, hope you learned something! I'll try to think of ways to incorporate more B12 into the week. I look forward to reading everyone's blogs tomorrow....

For more Tear Down Tuesdays, check the tab at the top of the page! Suggestions welcome...

Food Round-Up

2009-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

I didn't do Menu Plan Monday this week for the first time in a really long time. Why? Two reasons:

1. I'm going home to Momma P later in the week and have no idea what I'm eating

2. Until I do that, my computer is on the fritz and any extended computer time has to be done at the library. This throws off my dinner schedule and I have no idea what I'll be eating.

In the meantime, I look forward to tomorrow or Wed when I find time to sit in the library and really check up on everyone's blogging! Until then, there's been some random finds I thought I'd share:

From Geekologie we have both the Huffable Chocolate and the Rainbow Cake, which apparently is what the boyfriend wants for his birthday next year. It's pretty awesome. Noted.

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From Lifehacker we are introduced to something almost as beautiful as the rainbow cake:

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And from Dispatches from the Island, something as silly as Huffable Chocolate: Batter Blaster, or pancake in a can...

Hmmm....

Enjoy! and hope everyone is well....

Read the Book: Best Food Writing 2007 Pg. 103-204

2009-04-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! and welcome to my second installment. This one will be a bit more concise I think. Also a bit more insightful and personal.

Spoon-Fed, from Gourmet by John Grossmann

This article is AMAZING! What a fun and creative idea: follow around an awesome chef as he tests all the days food, get it analyzed, ogle at it. I wish I had thought of this.

The Harveys Circus, from The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White and James Steen

An excellent piece of literature reminding all of us with even a pinky in the food service industry that we had best stop crying over spilt milk and get to wiping it up.

The Best Chef in the World, from En Route by Alan Richman

I want to go back to France. Travel. That is all I want right now. Oh, and a budget that permits me to buy any and every food ingredient I want.

Oh, and maybe to go back to Kenya. Mombasa, I miss you.

Building the Perfect Pizza, from Los Angeles Magazine by Laurie Winter

-I made a note to find Ed Levine's Pizza: A Slice of Heaven
-Also, Bill Buford's Heat
-I am told great pizza must be made in coal or wood fired ovens. My heart sinks at the word coal.
-I am told pizza must be cooked at high temperatures for short periods of time.
-I am told the best tomato sauce is made from uncooked canned tomatoes from Italy.
-And I am told my crust had better have the "hole structure"

Sharing in the Feast With Johnny Apple, from The New York Times by Adam Nagourney

This is how you want people to write about you when you are gone.

-You also want responses that are witty and awesome. When fielded a question about pancakes, Johnny responds:

1. American pancakes are overrated, as you say. You might try the ....
2. Don't forget...
3. From South Asia...

This is the framework for brilliance.

My Miami, from Gourmet by Anothony Bourdain

-I have developed a crush on Mr. Bourdain sometime during this piece. Nothing to jeopardize my amazingly fulfilling relationship with the boyfriend, but a crush none-the-less. Hey, I move over for Tina Fey. When Holly Hughes says "the man can craft a sentence," she's right.

Then There Were None, from City Pages by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl

-You want to live somewhere you love with people who feel the same way
-"The producers with the highest ethics, the most sustainable practices, and the highest quality take the biggest hit when leading restaurants die."
-"To think that a stand-alone restaurant was imply an architectural term; now I see it's an economic model."

Precision Cuisine: The Art of Feeding 800 a Night in Style, from The New York Times by Melissa Clark

-This is simultaneously what dreams and nightmares are made of
-Buddakan
-B.R. Guest group
-Asian cuisine is conducive to giant restaurants

The Greatest Restaurant on Earth, from www.egullet.org by Ivy Knight

Please check out St. Francis Table. It is an amazing concept and a highlight of the book.

Are You Lonesome Tonight?, from The Broward-Palm Beach New Times by Gail Shepherd

I've long known there was something so write about eating alone. Sometimes with a book. Someone else has justified this in words.

Mood Food, from Minnesota Monthly by Tim Gihring

Lovely read.

Wedded Bliss, from Westword by Jason Sheehan

-See above.
-Also induces mouth watering.

Post-It Love, from The Times-Picayune by Brett Anderson

This one gets you thinking and wondering, what did happen to the Camellia Grill?

Pulls at your foodie heart strings and makes you wonder...

Don't Call It A Hot Dog, from The Boston Globe by Joe Yonan

-I had absolutely no idea people from Rhode Island felt so passionate about wieners, of the food variety. New York System has a whole new meaning.

-Apparently musician David Byrne, of the Talking Heads, has a resume that includes working with the weiners.

In Search of the Transcendent Taqueria, from The San Francisco Chronicle by Bill Addison

-I was unaware burritos were the soul food of San Francisco.

Las Fabulosas, from Houston Weekly by Robb Walsh

I kind of wish I owned a taco truck.

Enjoy!

Knoxville Pub Crawl

2009-04-04T19:02:00.001-07:00

My computer is on the fritz!!!! Ah! My Dad does not believe me that computers can wear out, so mine has been pushed to the limit. It has been used, and I mean really used, for 5 years. My screen light is going. At least I already had plans to get a new one for graduation...

Yesterday my dear friend Z and I decided we would attempt our own pub crawl. Reasoning? Well we're graduating soon and don't have much time left to get away with taking whole Friday nights off like that. So off we went.

In Boston we were trying new places and new beers. Well, here it was more about the beer. I am doing a lot better about branching out in beers. Eventually I need to figure out the vegan status of beers....anywho...

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Our first stop was actually new for me, The Roaming Gnome. Verdict? Eh, but we sat on the porch and that was nice. I got Fat Tire on tap, something I had never done. I really, really liked it! Good price too. Of note: a well poured beer does not come 5/6 full. Follow Europe's example, I hope the beer is trickling down your fingers from overflow when you hand it to me. Remember how I went to The People's Republik in Boston? They need to come down here and do some professional beer pour training.

Then we headed to the Barcade (formally The Fort Sanders Yacht Club). The Barcade is such a cool thing, beer and old video games. Unfortunately, someone needs to tell the owners to GET A CHANGE MACHINE. There is no reason the bar tender should be the change machine. Maybe they have a good reason not to have a change machine. It's such a cool place I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anywho....we tried a Northern Lights beer. I think there are several and I'm not sure which we had, but the verdict? So good for about four ounces and then the bitterness is just sooo overwhelming. If you want people to know you've been drinking, smell it on you from a mile away, and if you want to keep on tasting beer when you're not actually tasting beer....this Northern Lights in the beer for you.

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Then off to Preservation Pub. I know a lot of people who love Preservation Pub. Me? It's okay. Its a long tunnel of smoke and sound and I just feel like I'm always in the way no matter where I stand and I can never hear my companions. On the upside, they have a more unique beer selection than a lot of places. We got Tusker because Z had never had it. Tusker is good, not amazing, but a solid good. I love it though because it reminds me of Kenya. I've found Tusker one other place in Knoxville and I'm always excited.

Finally we stopped at the Downtown Grill & Brewery. I love the brewery for a variety of reasons. Great salsa, great baked potatoes, great soft pretzels....and I like their beer. I always get the Blonde. DTGB beer has a very chemically taste to me. I don't know if anyone else knows what I'm talking about, but I like their beer none the less. Also, for me, upstairs at DTGB is the way to go. Nothing beats some classy foosball and pool playing with friends.

Enjoy!

Airplane Snacks

2009-04-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoons are always kind of drag for me. As far as Friday as a whole goes? I'm soooo glad it's here. Friday afternoons? I'm always just dragging. Unmotivated, yet bored.

One think I forgot to mention in my becoming vegan posts was the flight. I think I mentioned how I brought pitas, a LARA bar, and dried pineapple on my flight. This was good for two reason:

1. Cost
2. I can't eat much on the flights as far as snacks now that I'm vegan

And on that note, to break up the slow Friday afternoon, I'll share with you a video I just viewed. Why is it relevant? Airplane snacks are mentioned...

World's Coolest Flight Attendant Goes To...

Enjoy!

Cancer Information

2009-04-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago my dear friend M^2 gave me this guide he picked up at work, he is a CNA at one of our local hospitals:

It is entitled Eating Hints: For Cancer Patients Before, During, and After Treatment...

I love when people give me things to blog about. To me, the greatest aspects of blogging are learning and meeting people who share similar, or not so similar, interests. I was pretty excited when M^2 gave me this book. Interactive blogging usually makes me pretty excited.

I've been wanting to share some of the information with you for awhile, but was trying to wait until we covered cancer in my Clinical Nutrition class. I wanted to have some real instruction on cancer and nutrition before I went and talked about it.

First of all, why is talking about cancer important at all? Well, every 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women will develop cancer during their lifetime. It's important to know how to prevent cancer, detect cancer, and if all else fails, it's important to know how to make the best possible run at treating cancer! Having proper nutrition before, during, and after cancer is key.

Nutrition during cancer is a very interesting subject, or I think so, and maybe you'll be interested to learn a little more. I have never had cancer and therefore cannot speak from first hand experience but I'll do my best. For me, it wasn't very hard to learn about nutrition during cancer because I have a very extensive nutrition background. However, I cannot imagine what it must be like for so many people who really don't think about nutrition, one day get diagnosed with cancer, and are then suddenly plunged into our crazy world. But it happens every day. One day I'll ask someone.

On the inside of the guide it says it is produced by the National Cancer Institute. That's a good sign.

To start with, cancer treatment often involves side effects that can be very detrimental to overall nutritional status. They include but are not limited to: loss of appetite, changes in weight, sore mouth or throat, dry mouth, dental and gum problems, changes in sense of taste and smell, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, constipation, and fatigue. Just imagine having a cold and not being able to smell food. Doesn't it always taste disgusting? My ex boyfriend knew a guy who had had a mishap with a firework which involved losing his sense of smell. Everything tasted like cardboard to him and he weighed in at the oh...skeletal range. I cannot even imagine trying to eat without smell. Well imagine you had no smell plus some of these other symptoms. You can see where nutrition can be an issue for many.

The guide says not everyone experience side effects during treatment and most side effects go away when treatment ends. Whew! It also says many side effects can be controlled with new drugs. I really don't know much about this but I'd be interested to learn.

The guide also discusses how to eat during treatment. The most obvious thing to me is when you can eat, especially if having troubles, eat meals and snacks with sufficient protein and calories. Protein is a huge issue whenever the body is under stress. On a more interesting note, the guide also talks about how many people are hungrier in the morning and mention if this is the case really take advantage of this time of day. That's a great suggestion. The guide also gives specific suggestions on what to do for each side effect. In class we have discussed dry mouth numerous times and I find some of these tips very interesting so I thought I'd share the two most non obvious:

1. Suck on hard candy or popsicles or chew gum
2. If severe, there is artificial saliva! I love stuff like that....not actually artificial saliva, but just the medical advances and things people come up with...

A section that I found interesting was the section on weight gain. Often, the concern with cancer is weight loss. However, the guide mentions that for a variety of reasons people sometimes gain weight. This is especially true for those suffering from breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer. Hmmm...I wished we had discussed that more in class, but we cover so much I guess we have to stick with what is more prevalent...

My favorite thing about the guide was the recipes. Scattered throughout are special recipes tailored for individual concerns. For example, there is a lactose free pudding for those who have found themselves lactose deficient. Very helpful indeed.

I guess what it comes down to is everyone's experience with cancer is different. Different side effects, different things that work, etc. It's up to the patient and a team of skilled professionals, such as Registered Dietitians, to come up with a plan that works the best.

Hopefully this little blurb has brought to light the importance of understanding nutrition and health, or the role of nutrition and disease, and if you or someone you know needs more information I hope I have shown you it is out there. Best case scenario? Talk to an RD. The American Dietetic Association website can help point you in the right direction. But at the very least guides like this exist!

Before I wrap this post up, I thought I would share something we talked about in class: The American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations for reducing cancer risk

1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight

2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day

3. Avoid sugary drinks and limit consumption of energy dense foods, particularly those processed foods that are high in added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat

4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes

5. Limit consumption of red meats and avoid processed meats

6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day

7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt

8. Don't use supplements to protect against cancer

9. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods

10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention

And don't smoke or chew tobacco!

Hope you learned something! and congratulations M^2 on his new status of PhD candidate!!

Yeast-Powered Fuel Cell Feeds on Human Blood

2009-04-02T12:46:00.001-07:00

Yeast-powered fuel

cell feeds on human blood

First of all, don't get too squeemish. It's not human blood...it's the glucose in blood. Second of all, I think this is an absolutely amazing idea! Of course the scientists say there's till a lot of work to be done, but still....this could really be fantastic for people who rely on certain medical devices that require both implantation and battery changes...a rough combo...

Enjoy!

Eating Disorders and Body Image Series: Part IX

2009-04-01T19:02:00.001-07:00

Burp and Slurp addressed an interesting question on her blog:

“Recovery is a looooooong road with potholes here and there… i.e. relapses. When ED’s voice is annoyingly strong…what keeps you going? When you fall down, how do you pick yourself up instead of sliding backwards?”

I had an entirely different topic in mind to post about, but Burp and Slurp put out the call for collaboration and I can't resist.

While I highly suggest you check out Sophia's answer, to summarize it she addresses the importance of acknowledging each step in a positive direction. Why? Those steps produce hope, and without hope their cannot be recovery. Sophia also mentions finding comfort and encouragement in God.

I find Sophia's answer awesome, for lack of a better word. From reading her posts and from emailing with her I will vouch for her amazing spirit and humor and I think she has used her ED to gain insight into who she is and the world around her. If I have stretched too far Sophia, simply say so :)

After I read her call for collaboration, I thought to myself...what does keep me going and slipping backward? What keeps me from relapsing? I've mentioned and alluded to before how I take certain protective measure to ensure I do not relapse, but why do I even bother to take these measures?

There are two things you should know about me:

1. I have a temper. I can be a bit...how shall we say hot headed? Over the years I've improved leaps and bounds in this department. I know how to avoid situations, I know how to take a break and come back, and yes, I know how to hold my temper.

2. I am competitive and I hate it. That sounds weird, but I do. I don't thrive on outside competition. I thrive on the internal pressures I choose to place on myself. My ambitions turn out great, my chores not so much. I always do whatever is necessary, but if I'm not passionate about it, I dread it. I don't think my body appreciates being flooded with chemicals and emotions brought on by pressure from other people. My rebellious/independent streak. Who knows.

Anyway, within these two traits, anger and competitiveness, lies my answer. I don't have any other explanation. Please don't take anything I say offensively or personally, this is my own situation...but when I have troubles with my eating I get pissed and mad and end up thinking, "Dammit, you're better than that!" I think that mind set is what keeps me from slipping. When I'm letting something else control me, as eating disorders do, it prevents me from really being all that I can be, not to sound corny, and I get annoyed. I think back to what I've accomplished and what I could be accomplishing if my life were free and not being ruled by someone else. I have things to do, and personally dealing with this disease is not one of them. Listening and learning and trying to help other people who suffer...that is something I want to do. Relapse, let it control me, be confined, live a life of anger and resentment at being stiffled? That is not something I want to do.

I am also tired of hurting my family. I can't help it and they understand that. I don't feel bad about what has happened. I know I couldn't have helped it. But right now I would consider myself "recovered" and as long as I am able to fight it, I use the reminder that I hurt other people besides myself to encourage me with my healthful practices.

I think these things are what keeps me from slipping.

And so I second Sophia's call:

"And also, if you don’t mind, please mention this topic in your blog so that we can get more participants in this discussion."

:)

Dunkin' Donuts Pulls Franchise From Muslim Who Refuses To Sell Pork

2009-04-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Dunkin' Donuts Pulls Franchise From Muslim Who Refuses To Sell Pork

Please let me know what you think about this. I'd be really interested to hear. I'm not sure how I feel, am I missing an obvious answer?

Oh, and do not think I forgot about the Eating Disorders and Body Image Series, the post will be up tomorrow when I have more time. This is no less than the 4th time I am kicking myself for doing a 1st, 15th series instead of a 2nd, 16th.

And thanks for all the great Tear Down Tuesday comments!!!!

Enjoy!

Tear Down Tuesday: Pastie/Pasty

2009-03-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone who emailed me pictures of your spoon rests for last weeks Tear Down Tuesday! I love blog interactiveness. Comes alive ya know?

So who here is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? Random question, but hands are raised more often than numbers would suggest. For Spring Break this year while I was sleeping (as in ZZZZs not as in promiscuity) and eating my way around Boston, my sister and her boyfriend made a little 20 hour road trip to visit our amazing family in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That's where those fine photos were taken. My Granny's table. Love her. And Grandfather.

If you remember way back when I had just started blogging we made a similar trip and I mentioned one of my favorite restaurants: The Ambassador. Well, this time I bring to you one of my family's favorite foods: the pasty. Also spelled pastie.

If you wanted to, you could say that I have an irrational obsession for the pasty considering I do not consume them. Even in my younger years when I was technically still a meat eater, I ate the crust and left the middle to sit. Do not use me as your guide. Pasties are amazingly delicious to anyone who considers themselves a good ol' omnivore, and I love them because of their history. I've actually gone ahead and included a small paper I wrote on them two years back, a paper complete with recipe and history:
Cornish Pasties Multicultural Recipe Project

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Cooking & Menus cornish pasties

But in case your computer does not host Scribd, I will paste the written history portion of the paper here:

Both of the sides of my family are from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In fact, despite continual economic deterioration, most my family still call the Upper Peninsula home. It is a place of natural beauty and small town peacefulness. You can drive 15 minutes and swim in Lake Superior, or drive 5 minutes and eat at a mom and pop diner. It’s a tranquil retreat from modern society.

The copper mines were at one time a huge source of revenue for the economy, and they are how my family ended up so far north. In the middle of the 19^th century, the Cornish people immigrated to America, specifically Michigan, to work in the mines. Some of these people are my ancestors. This is what makes the pastie so relevant to my family. In the days of old, the pastie was the ideal food for miners. The pastie is portable, filling, and can stay warm for hours. In fact, the diminutive size not only makes the pastie portable, but it allows for efficient heating. While in the mines, the men could place the pasties on their shovels and hold them over their head-lamp candles.

The actual structure of the pastie contributes to it being the ideal mining food. Pasties have a thick crust and are traditionally eaten held upright in the hand from the top down. The crust and eating method allowed several benefits for the miners. First of all, by holding the pastie upright they could simply throw away the last bite and avoid illness. The mines were full of arsenic, and by not eating anything their hands had directly touched the men avoided consuming large quantities of poison. Second, when the women would make pasties they were often making several at once for several miners in the family. To avoid confusion they would carve initials or some kind of caricature into the bottom corner of the pastie. Later in the mines, everyone was sure to eat the corner with his initial on it last. This meant that if several people had leftovers for later they could easily tell one pastie from another. The initials also marked the dessert end of the pastie so the miners knew not to eat their desserts first.

My family has been eating pasties since they’ve arrived in America, and the tradition is still continued today. We usually just buy them since local bakers make them consistently delicious, but the pastie is a great, simple food that offers endless alternatives, and I’m sure my family will continue in our pastie eating tradition for years to come.

Enjoy!