meatless mondays…really?

Posted on January 3, 2011 by victoria
Surprisingly, yes!  This die-hard carnivore is instituting Meatless Mondays at casa de Goldfarb.  Can you believe it?  I’m not sure I fully do yet.  We love meat: beef, pork, lamb.  Did I say beef?  And poultry and seafood – we eat a lot of it during the week. Rationally, I know if I ever had to give up meat permanently I wouldn’t die but I’m pretty sure it would break my heart and leave my tastebuds very, very depressed.
So why are we doing this? I’ve been hearing about this campaign a lot for the past year although it launched in 2003.  But we are not undertaking this commitment because it’s becoming fashionable but rather because we like to eat healthfully.  The idea of setting aside one day a week to enjoy a meat-free meal sounds good.  And challenging, which peaks the interest of my competitive spirit.  Can we have great meals without turning this into a 52-week pasta feed?
Meatless Mondays were born out of World Wars I and II.  In WWI, Americans were encouraged by the U.S. Food Administration, then led by future President Herbert Hoover, to reduce their consumption of key food staples in order to preserve them for the troops.  The program came back during WWII to help provide food for the people of war-torn Europe.  Times were tough but this was another way that the people in the U.S. could help with the war efforts.
The grassroots Meatless Mondays campaign is an initiative with a goal of reducing meat consumption by 15 percent. Healthier bodies, healthier planet and easy on the pocketbook.  Sold!  So now I’m on the hunt for great meatless entrée recipes.  If you have any favorites, please pass them along!  We are also going to use this time to finally try some of the city’s vegetarian restaurants.  To kick things off we are starting with Seattle Chef/Restauranteur Ethan Stowell’s Eggplant Parmesan.  Loved this because I was able to make it a day ahead.  All that’s left to do is sprinkle the bread crumbs and bake!  A great green salad and glass of red will round out the meal.  Delizioso!

________________________________________________________________

Posted in eat, meatless | Leave a comment

snap {3}

Posted on January 3, 2011 by victoria

trapped pinecone

________________________________________________________________

Posted in snap! | Leave a comment

snap {2}

Posted on January 2, 2011 by victoria

frosty fungi

________________________________________________________________

Posted in snap! | Leave a comment

hello 2011

Posted on January 1, 2011 by victoria
New Year’s Eve for us is often spent at home.  We’ve hosted a few NYE parties over the years but usually it is just me and Farb.  There is no reflecting, no resolution making but rather just a quiet night after a busy month of holiday merriment.  Perfect for us. We don’t have to dress up, brave the cold and more important, brave the throngs who over-indulge.  Dinner can take as long as we want and the best seats to watch the Space Needle fireworks are right in front of our window.  The evening started out with a glass of Prosecco while making appetizers.  That was quickly followed up with this little number.  NY’s Union Square Cafe has a nice version of a Proscecco cocktail called the Venetian Spritz.  It’s simple and a great aperitif. Fill a flute ¾ full with 3.5 oz of Prosecco, add a splash of the Italian bitter-orange liquer Aperol and 1 sugar cube.  The sugar cube will cause a chemical reaction so watch for the foam and fizz.
We had two apps, crab and artichoke stuffed mushrooms [okay, I cheated – store bought from Metropolitan Market but they were delish!] and deviled eggs.  My friend Kevin unwittingly taunts me on Facebook with comments about his deviled eggs, which apparently he makes for every family gathering.  My mouth starts salivating every time I read his status updates that even mention the word egg.  Couldn’t take it any more and made my own.  They were tas-tee!  Kevin: I’m ready for a deviled egg taste off when you are.  I know I’ll never win a tamale throw down.

         

Cocktail time! Next up was Tabla’s Pomegranate Gimlet. [Do you see a NY city cocktail theme here?]  I love pomegranates and this is a great winter drink.  Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.  Add  1¾ oz of gin, 1 oz each of lime and pomegranate juice and ¾ oz simple syrup.  Stir and garnish with lime and/or pomegranate seeds.  It is refreshing and was a nice palate cleanser.  Plus, look at the beautiful color.

The BEST part of the evening…the Canlis Salad.  I am a salad girl.  And in Seattle, this is my all-time favorite, which is funny because it took three visits for me to finally try it.  The mint and oregano perplexed me; the coddled egg scared me.  But the third time is always a charm.  I order it every visit without fail.  I truly adore Canlis, for many reasons: the food is always great, their wine list hurts my head in a wonderful way, they have Yamazaki Japanese whisky {love}, the ambience is spectacular, it’s walking distance from the house, and their team, well, they are pretty wonderful.  My favorite person there is maitre’d David Kim.  He goes above and beyond to make sure that each and every visit is special.  Taking the time to get to know and remember our guests is just in his nature.  We had Farb’s 50th birthday at Canlis and it is the place we go every year for my birthday.  Many special occassions have taken place there and David has been a part of them all.  And if you haven’t heard about how Canlis chose to celebrate their 60th birthday, you should.  They perfectly married cunning, creativity and social media to honor Seattle and give many gifts to the community.  The greatest gift of all may be how they are now approaching philanthropy.   Kudos, Canlis, and happy birthday.

Braised beef short ribs with polenta and simply prepared green beans rounded out the meal.  Good thing dinner was spaced out over four hours otherwise we might have exploded.  Last cocktail of 2010 was Gramercy Tavern’s Applejack Rabbit.  If Canlis is one of my favorite Seattle restaurants, Gramercy Tavern is #1 in NYC.  Seasonally inspired, everything from the food to the cocktails to the decor is impeccably done.  Did I mention the decor? Ooh baby.  Fall is my favorite season and when fall comes to New York, no one does it better than Gramercy Tavern.  Simply put, it is stunning!   A note about our NYE’s drinks.  If you enjoy cocktails and like making them at home, you must get Danny Meyer’s [the man behind many of NY’s beloved restaurants] book Mix Shake Stir.  It will become your bible.

Although this drink combines apple brandy and maple syrup it is not overly sweet.  The acid from the juices balance it out well.  In a small bowl, combine 2 oz of apple brandy with 2/3 oz maple syrup.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice adding the brandy-syrup mixture and ¾ oz each orange and lemon juices.  Shake and strain into a martini glass; garnish with an apple slice.  The Applejack Rabbit was the perfect “dessert.” 
 

Following this and the fireworks show, we said goodbye to 2010.  Excited to see what 2011 brings.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Posted in eat, imbibe | Leave a comment

snap {1}

Posted on January 1, 2011 by victoria

First of my daily pics. Seattle welcomes 2011. Happy New Year.

 

________________________________________________________________

Posted in snap! | 1 Comment

calamari salad

Posted on December 30, 2010 by victoria
I love this salad both warm and chilled.  When serving it warm, it’s great with some chewy bread to soak up the dressing.  Fast, easy and relatively inexpensive.  You can make the salad with all roma tomatoes but I like the added sweetness of the grape tomatoes.  Makes a pretty and delicious first course.

serves 4
dressing
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp capers, rinsed + drained
½ tsp lemon zest
kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper
salad
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb calamari, cleaned + sliced into ½” rings
½ tsp red pepper flakes
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
½ c grape tomatoes, halved
¼ c sliced basil leaves
kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, capers and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.  Add calamari and saute 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes and basil. Cook for 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and using a colander, drain mixture of most of its juices.  Add to bowl with dressing. Toss, garnish with parsley and serve.
________________________________________________________________________________

 

Posted in eat | Leave a comment

goodbye chaotic drawers

Posted on December 29, 2010 by victoria
Okay, time to fess up.  I’m infatuated with The Container Store.  Going for a few items will turn into an afternoon of aisle wandering finding little things and asking myself “what can I use these for?”  On my Monday girl’s outing we ventured to one of my favorite places so my friend could buy the Elfa Drawer System written about earlier. While there her mom decided to buy one, too!  I still can’t believe I didn’t get a discount for my referrals!  Oh well, I quickly got over my disappointment by finding wonderful new goodies.
After living in our house for 10 years I can no longer take the chaos residing in our drawers, cupboards, cabinets and closets.  Been slowly tackling them room by room.  Recently, it was the dreaded bathroom, or in other words, the place where cosmetics go to hide; never to be seen again.  Had had enough of losing things, bottles of medicine rolling around, searching and searching for the right hair accessory.  Now, most people would have organized their drawers right when they moved in…I’m a slow learner.  But after seeing these little boxes at my friend Heidi’s house a while ago I knew they would be my savior.   Finally figured out what I needed, made a list and headed to The Container Store. Our bathroom drawers are incredibly deep so these Linus Drawer Organizers were the perfect solution to bring the pandemonium into control.  I used a mix of deep and shallow modular containers, depending on what they would be holding.  Ranging from $2.99 to $6.99 each, they are an investment but with rubber feet to prevent sliding and made of clear, hard plastic they’ll last a long time.  And yes, I organized Farb’s drawers as well.

 

makeup drawer - still way too many items!

 

 

shallow + deep modular units at work

mise en place

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Posted in organize | Leave a comment

the gift of friendship

Posted on December 23, 2010 by victoria
I used to love the holidays.  The decorating, the deep thought about who to get presents for and what those items should be, the meticulous planning of holiday dinners and parties.  Then a few years ago, I lost my love for the season.  I don’t know if I just got tired or didn’t much care anymore.  The gal known for looking at every single tree at the lot for the perfect one didn’t even bother to put one in the house.But I’m back.  And I can honestly say my relationships are the reason.  I’m not trying to do the holidays to perfection anymore,  but am instead focusing more on celebrating the people in my life.  It’s been a challenging year, for sure.  But one thing that has shown through like a beacon are true friendships.  It has been so great to spend time with people who truly motivate me to be a better person, to celebrate life, to enjoy every laugh and who raise me up when times are difficult. 

Today was a pretty non-discript day.  With two exceptions.  Had breakfast with my wonderful friend Katie who has become like a sister to me.  I can tell her anything and she doesn’t judge.  We share a love for so many things: food, design, homekeeping – all things she’s stellar at.  Oh, and when I say food I should explicitly say, beef!  She’s my calm in the storm and helps me wade through both difficult and silly decisions.  We don’t see each other often enough but the time together is so cherished.  This morning she gave me the beautiful 1960s Italian pot de cremes below.  Last year for my 40th she gave me an exquisite tea and saucer set.  Her taste is impeccable but the reason this gift is so special is the reason behind it.  Years ago at her home I admired the pot de cremes in her cabinet. To be honest, I didn’t even know what they were – just that they were delightfully pretty.  She remembered that and thought I would not only enjoy a set but use them!  I will, as I do with the cups + saucers, and will think of her fondly each and every time.  She is kind and thoughtful and I respect her love for family.

This afternoon, I came home to another surprise.  A box from my friend of 24 years, SuLee.  Her felt flower pins made me smile from ear to ear.  As I said earlier, she is creative beyond belief.  But more amazing is that she makes time to be creative.  She is a busy wife, mother to three sweet girls, community volunteer and an avid runner.  There were many years where I rarely saw her.  The miles are really no excuse.  But one of the true blessings in my life has been reconnecting with her several years ago.  I tell her often she inspires me to be a better person…it really is true.  She motivates me to tell people more frequently how important they are in my life, to volunteer at a children’s hospital that holds a special place in her heart, and watch my language.  Yes, this gal with a trucker’s mouth is becoming a little more refined, or at least trying.  I love my new, hand-crafted pins.  Not only because they are beautiful but because she thought of me during the holidays and because she spent her very precious time making them.  But then again, she thinks of me often, as does my friend Katie.  And they take the time to tell or show me.  What gifts could be better than that?

Posted in just life | 1 Comment

wired pup

Posted on December 21, 2010 by victoria
I should have known that Murphy’s Law would rear its head last week when all the Christmas prep was finished.  Or maybe the ‘whip cream sneaking’ a few days earlier should have been a clue something was amiss with our pup.  But in a holiday haze, my radar was down.  Returned home Wednesday evening to a red-faced dog…literally.
Apparently, the painted styrofoam berries on a mini wreath meant to adourn a present was too intoxicating for the little guy to resist.  But Riley didn’t stop there. He had also eaten the ribbon, paper, silk leaves and WIRE!  The red dye evidence was all over his face, paws and tongue.  In four years this dog has NEVER – I repeat – NEVER eaten anything in the house.  Shoes, handbags, boxes, recycling, books all rest safely on the floor, never to be bothered.  Who knew a 2″ wreath would prove so enticing?
After a visit to his home-away-from-home, Elliot Bay Animal Hospital, we decided to take a easy approach hoping the situation would resolve itself with the help of a high fiber diet for 36 hours.  Worked like a charm on the styrofoam balls; not so much with the wire. Worried about possible puncture wounds, Riley checked into the VCA Veterinary Specialty Center  in Lynnwood Friday night for an endoscopy.  Waiting to be seen in the ER was difficult because there were quite a few dogs coming in with more critical issues than ours.  The visible concern, worry and unease on the owners’ faces made me so sad.  I want to believe all of them were as lucky as us and are doing much better today. Four hours, four calls from the vet and three x-rays later, Riley was wire free!  I won’t begin to tell you what Thursday thru Monday cost, but I will say I could have probably got three or four pairs of Pradas.  Thank goodness for pet insurance.  If you have a cat or dog and don’t have it…get it!  It is more affordable than you would think.  And it has been a Godsend for us in the last year.

Two lessons: 1] a dog on predisone may seem like his normal self…he’ll surprise you, and 2] there are angels among us that care  for the animals we consider family.  I have never been more thankful for all the professional, talented and compassionate vets in our community.  The docs, nurses and staff at Elliott Bay, Sunset Hill Vet & Rehab, and VCA have provided us with the highest quality care for Riley.  But beyond that, they have paid special attention to our feelings and have shown as much concern for our beloved pup’s health as much as we do.  That, my friends, is priceless.
 

pre-endoscopy…wire + balls oh my!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Posted in bark | Leave a comment

‘classic’ wreath

Posted on December 18, 2010 by victoria
My very lovely and creative friend SuLee made this wreath recently.  It was so pretty I was inspired to make one too.  I just hope Margaret Mitchell finds it flattering that her classic romance novel Gone with the Wind, one of my favorite books, was used to fill a special place in our home and is not sending down lightening bolts to strike me.
The tutorial for this inexpensive but beautiful wreath can be found at Living with Lindsay.  I used an 18″ wreath form, which required 250 sheets [that includes the 26 that got destroyed when ripping them out of the book]. So for this size you’ll need a book that is at least 500 pages long – front + back.   My edition of Gone with the Wind’s pages measured 8 ½” x 5 ½” and were already discolored, so only needed to add a little bit of paint to the edges.  I rolled the sheets accordian style and pinched in the paper when making the bottom tab [see tutorial].  Three little things:  1]  I attached my ribbon first because of how I wanted it to look and then layered the sheets w/glue and straight pins around it;  2] If you use an old book know that the pages are not as pliable as a newer one…so be gentle;  3] If you have a lazy susan, place the wreath on it.  Makes it easier to work on it without having to handle it too much.
Only took 4 hours to make.  Already had the ribbon remnant, glue sticks [used 15 – was probably heavy-handed!], brown paint and straight pins.  So my only costs were the $5 book from Third Place Books and the $9 styrofoam wreath.  Well actually, I had a Michaels gift card so didn’t pay anything for the latter.  SuLee went to the dollar store and made her beautiful wreath for under $5!  A pretty stylish accessory for very little money. 

________________________________________________________________

Posted in design | 2 Comments