Summer has officially begun in Milwaukee, so I've taken advantage of three "rest days" at the beginning of the week to get my life and apartment in order before insanity begins.
Thursday
Becky and I's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Share from Rare Earth Farm starts! Looking forward to hopefully enlightening you all with the return of Monday Munchies detailing what I do with my bounty.
After picking up said veggies, it'll be my first trip down to Alterra on the Lake's Musica del Lago series. We have a solid group going for De La Buena. Hopefully the weather will be lovely.
Friday
I will be celebrating a dear friend's birthday, but beforehand I hope to swing by Taylor's to celebrate the birthday of UrbanMilwaukee.com. I doubt I'll make it to the screening of Rad at the Bike-In Movie, but you should go if you can!
Saturday
In the spirit of keeping an attitude of gratitude, I will not bemoan the fact that I'm missing 1,000 other events in Milwaukee (including participating in the Great Milwaukee Race with my friends) because I'll be working at the Juneteenth Day Parade & Celebration. Actually, you should pop by and check it out.
Provided I'm not totally exhausted after, I'll be heading over to the The Brenner Beer Tasting at the Parachute Project on 27th & Wells. I went to the first Parachute Project event on Gallery Night and it's definitely worth checking out. I'm a big fan of the "pop up gallery" concept and using abandoned urban spaces for art's sake. Check this one out if you can.
I'll likely end the evening at the Summer Soulstice on North Avenue, another Milwaukee summer tradition.
Sunday
Anyone want to be my brunch buddy on Sunday morning? I have signed up to write a guest blog for the fantastic Milwaukee Brunch Reviews this summer and would like to hit up Buckley's this weekend. Afterward, I plan to hit the Lakefront Festival of the Arts, swing into see the AIDS Quilt at the Milwaukee Art Musuem, and probably pop over to Polish Fest.
***
How can you be bored in this town? What are your plans for the weekend?
Showing posts with label summer magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer magic. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
monday munchies: tomato canning and innercity peaches
Summer has been flying by faster than I can keep up. Please excuse me new readers for the slacking, but trust me, you'll hear much from me in the winter.
Of course, much of my time in the summer is spent in the kitchen, trying to tame the growing amount of bounty I get from my Rare Earth Farm CSA each week, as well as the goodies I pick up at the Easttown Farmers Market.
Fortunately this summer I have been able to attend the "Savor the Taste of Summer" food preservation series at the Urban Ecology Center. I had my third course last Thursday night, focusing on tomato canning. Above is a picture of the crushed tomatoes (left) and salsa (right) that our class made. I was on the salsa team, along with my friend Kim (it's nice to have a canning buddy). Tomatoes are definitely a little more time-intensive than jam, and you have to be more careful about adding the right amount of acid, but I think the skills I learned will come in handy when the tomato harvest gets here. Hopefully it will be soon, as the cold weather and tomato fungus have thrown some wrenches into the process.
The best thing I learned in class had nothing to do with tomatoes at all. It was the fact that there is a peach orchard just three blocks from my work, in the middle of Milwaukee's central city. I had heard of Walnut Way before and the work they are doing in the community, but had no idea the extent of it. My instructor and farmer-classmate were discussing the delicious peaches they'd gotten from there. I had to check it out the next day, so on my lunch break I walked over. Not only did I find a peach orchard, but several lots of beautiful lush gardens and a gorgeous renovated Victorian home in an area many assume is only blight and decay. The folks at Walnut Way were absolutely gracious and kind, as well as enthusiastic to tell me all about their wares. I bought a dozen peaches and a vial of honey, from the bees they raise on one of their lots. (I've been told one should eat local honey to help with allergies; I couldn't think of honey more local than this). The enthusiasm of this organization was contagious and I practically skipped back to the office to spread the good news. My co-workers were astonished and a couple rushed over later to get their own peaches.
While it was hard to resist eating my entire bag of peaches that afternoon, I did make a peach cobbler (above) over the weekend. I have to say, the magic of Walnut Way was in every bite of their fruit, and I will definitely be returning. It truly brings a smile to face when I learn about groups like Walnut Way and Growing Power bringing new life to Milwaukee's economically-depressed areas through sustainable agriculture and getting the neighborhoods in touch with the environment.
Another big event last week was cooking birthday dinner for my friend Maribeth, and hosting a dinner party on a Wednesday night. Mar requested spaghetti, as she likes my sauce. Since tomatoes aren't up yet, I threw several cans of diced, stewed, pasted, etc. tomatoes from Trader Joe's along with garlic and spices into my electric skillet and let it stew for a couple hours. Looking forward to next year when I can use my own canned goods. I also used up several of my carrots, beets and one of the greenhouse tomatoes I had, in a salad.
The highlight of the dinner though, was Becky's Grizzly Man inspired cake, complete with bear cubs. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out the clip below.
Finally, in preparation for the Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge (which I'll only be here about a week of, since I'll be making trips to San Francisco and Chicago during the first two weeks of September), Becky and I went to the Eat Local Challenge Fair on Sunday and I continued to experiment with local foods in the kitchen.
Roasted Cauliflower, from the Commander's Palace cookbook
Zucchini and tomato pasta
Zucchini muffin and fresh cantaloupe (nothing like fruit from the farmer's market!)
Finally, broccoli gazpacho, which I winged the recipe for. About 2 cups of broccoli steamed, medium onion chopped, green pepper chopped, cup of cilantro chopped -- throw it in a blender with about a cup of yogurt and a cup of milk and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Voila!
Monday, August 10, 2009
monday munchies: too hot too cook
Only a couple of dishes to post this week, as summer has finally arrived, making time in the kitchen a wee bit unbearable. I was also out of town this weekend, so I relied on the food of friends and festivals.
Last week I whipped up this pasta dish with the remainder of my cilantro pesto and fresh tomatoes.
Tonight I waited until 8:30 p.m. for the heat to subside so I could use some extraneous veggies. The summer squash, onion and kale tacos turned out really well. And didn't create too much heat! I didn't have salsa, or peppers, so I flavored with the leftover gazpacho I ordered at Alterra last week. Worked out great!
On Sunday, I was treated to my friend Heather's culinary chops. She whipped up a delicious pre-Lolla breakfast of French Toast and turkey sausage. It was brilliant and staved off the need for too much festival food.
Heather, her husband, Sam, and I also enjoyed a fantastic brunch on Saturday. I'd been to this place a couple of years ago and had a great experience, but I wasn't sure if I'd just built it up in my mind. Glad to find out, it's still wonderful. I highly recommend the all-you-can-eat brunch at Joey's Brickhouse if you're ever in Chicago. It's made-to-order and drinks are between $1 (Miller Lite) and $4 (top shelf Bloody).
Hopefully the weather will cool down a little bit, as I have loads of veggies to use up from my CSA.
Stay tuned for a Lolla recap later this week!
Last week I whipped up this pasta dish with the remainder of my cilantro pesto and fresh tomatoes.
Tonight I waited until 8:30 p.m. for the heat to subside so I could use some extraneous veggies. The summer squash, onion and kale tacos turned out really well. And didn't create too much heat! I didn't have salsa, or peppers, so I flavored with the leftover gazpacho I ordered at Alterra last week. Worked out great!
On Sunday, I was treated to my friend Heather's culinary chops. She whipped up a delicious pre-Lolla breakfast of French Toast and turkey sausage. It was brilliant and staved off the need for too much festival food.
Heather, her husband, Sam, and I also enjoyed a fantastic brunch on Saturday. I'd been to this place a couple of years ago and had a great experience, but I wasn't sure if I'd just built it up in my mind. Glad to find out, it's still wonderful. I highly recommend the all-you-can-eat brunch at Joey's Brickhouse if you're ever in Chicago. It's made-to-order and drinks are between $1 (Miller Lite) and $4 (top shelf Bloody).
Hopefully the weather will cool down a little bit, as I have loads of veggies to use up from my CSA.
Stay tuned for a Lolla recap later this week!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
music madness: lollapalooza preview
I'm really looking forward to my weekend in Chicago at Lollapalooza. This will be my fourth Lolla (I only missed the '07 festival) and while the headliners aren't overly crazy, I'm stoked for many of the smaller acts.
Here's a preview of who I'm planning to catch. Asterisk is the first timers for me.
Friday
Here's a preview of who I'm planning to catch. Asterisk is the first timers for me.
Friday
- The Henry Clay People* - My friends Brooke & Craig got me hooked on this album and it's so good it's forcing me to take the 8 AM train.
- Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears* - Brooke & Craig claim this is one of the best shows they caught at SXSW this year, so I'm going to run over there from the train station tomorrow.
- The Gaslight Anthem* - Another B&C recommendation -- they rarely steer me wrong.
- Bon Iver - Wouldn't miss a chance to again catch my top album (and second best concert) of 2008. Plus, Wisconsin's own.
- Ben Folds - The only time I ever saw him (at the Miller Oasis Reopening at Summerfest) I was preoccupied with my Miller Lite, so it'd be nice to catch him in a right state of mind.
- Fleet Foxes* - The show I most regretted missing in '08, glad to get a chance to redeem!
- The Decemberists - It'll be like the 80th time I see them, but I know I won't be disappointed. And Hazards of Love is still in the running for album of the year.
- Simian Mobile Disco*- This is my workout music. Maybe I should bring my running shoes?
- Depeche Mode* - Only planning to catch a bit of the set. Feel like I need to go back to the '80s after this whole John Hughes thing.
- Los Campesinos! - Because once this year wasn't enough
- Robert Earl Keen* - Another B&C rec
- Blind Pilot - Opened for the Decemberists in May, a B&C recommendation, and Portland band.
- No Age*
- Hercules & Love Affair*
- Santigold*
- TV on the Radio* - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Ben Harper*
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs* - OH YEAH!
- Ra Ra Riot*
- Bat For Lashes*
- The Raveonettes
- Gang Gang Dance*
- Vampire Weekend - BLAAAAAKE'S GOT A NEW FACE!
- Passion Pit*
- Dan Auerbach (half-asterisk, as I've caught the Black Keys plenty o' times)
- Lou Reed* - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Band of Horses
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
call to action: solomon juneau's birthday
I will be in Chicago for Lollapalooza this weekend, but for those of you who around, definitely check out a cool event on Sunday sponsored by a new group in town - the Juneau Park Friends.
You are Invited to a Juneau Park Friends Birthday Celebration!
Join members of our organization and neighbors of Juneau Park to celebrate Solomon Juneau’s Birthday
Sunday, August 9, 2009
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Meet “Solomon” and Learn About his Historical Impact on Milwaukee
Cake, Provided by Metro Market & East Pointe Pick‘n Save, will be Served Next to Solomon Juneau’s Statue
Free cake? Seriously folks, check it out!
midweek munchies: yes! i did can! (and cheesecake!)
Okay, so the excitement as of late has deterred me from my other big culinary news of late.
I can!
I mentioned earlier in the summer that I took a class through the Urban Ecology Center to learn the art of jams and jellies. Well, summer has flown by and only this weekend, waiting (with a cleared calendar) for one of my best friends to roll into town, did I find a chunk of time to attempt canning. Although I didn't get to the strawberries tucked away in my freezer, I did take care of the 5lbs of cherries and blueberries (well, most of them) that my friend Kim graciously arranged for me to enjoy from her CSA.
I guess only time will tell if I did everything correctly, but I have 5 jars of brandied cherries and 6 jars of blueberry spice jam stored away in the cupboard. There was a small amount of the blueberry spice jam leftover and I must say it's been delicious on the breadmaker bread I made this week as well.
I also treated my coworkers to some blueberry cornbread muffins a la Martha last week.
While I still have to polish off the blueberries (though they've been mighty tasty with yogurt and granola every morning), the remaining cherries ended up atop one of the most decadent deserts I've ever created. Following the basics a random blog recipe for goat cheese cheesecake I went to town on Saturday afternoon. I used Ruegsegger Farms goat cheese for my base and eggs from my Rare Earth Farm CSA to keep it mostly local. For an added layer of awesome, I substituted Anna's Almond Cinnamon Thins for the crust in lieu of plain old graham crackers. I ended up having to cook it about an hour (as opposed to the 30-40 mins in the blog), but it was worth it. Seriously, cheesecake heaven. I was happy to share with friends throughout the weekend!
I can!
I mentioned earlier in the summer that I took a class through the Urban Ecology Center to learn the art of jams and jellies. Well, summer has flown by and only this weekend, waiting (with a cleared calendar) for one of my best friends to roll into town, did I find a chunk of time to attempt canning. Although I didn't get to the strawberries tucked away in my freezer, I did take care of the 5lbs of cherries and blueberries (well, most of them) that my friend Kim graciously arranged for me to enjoy from her CSA.
I guess only time will tell if I did everything correctly, but I have 5 jars of brandied cherries and 6 jars of blueberry spice jam stored away in the cupboard. There was a small amount of the blueberry spice jam leftover and I must say it's been delicious on the breadmaker bread I made this week as well.
I also treated my coworkers to some blueberry cornbread muffins a la Martha last week.
While I still have to polish off the blueberries (though they've been mighty tasty with yogurt and granola every morning), the remaining cherries ended up atop one of the most decadent deserts I've ever created. Following the basics a random blog recipe for goat cheese cheesecake I went to town on Saturday afternoon. I used Ruegsegger Farms goat cheese for my base and eggs from my Rare Earth Farm CSA to keep it mostly local. For an added layer of awesome, I substituted Anna's Almond Cinnamon Thins for the crust in lieu of plain old graham crackers. I ended up having to cook it about an hour (as opposed to the 30-40 mins in the blog), but it was worth it. Seriously, cheesecake heaven. I was happy to share with friends throughout the weekend!
Monday, July 27, 2009
monday munchies: accidental frenchie
In my weekend preview last week I promised a big reveal after Sunday. Since this is actually a project for another publication, I don't want to give too much away, but here's a few clues:
My mouth certainly has been dancing with the flavors of summer lately. I'm getting a delivery of sweet cherries and blueberries tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
- The folks over at one of my other fave Wisconsin blogs, Burp! Where Food Happens, are also participating in this fun little project
- In preparing my dish, I committed mass murder.
- The process was so complicated, I narrowly averted real, non-culinary, disaster:
Sorry to be so vague, but I want to make sure your interest stays piqued. Gotta sell papers here folks! (Mom, hold the email -- remember "patience is a virtue.")
In addition to my mystery cooking, I've whipped up a couple of other treats. I got to return to the East Town Farmer's Market after two Saturdays out of town. It was hopping and I picked up all sorts of treats to complement my ever-growing CSA box from Rare Earth Farm.
Market haul of the week.
Tonight I went on a green tomato kick, using up the ones I bought at ETFM. I made fried green tomatoes for dinner and finding myself with a load of leftovers, and still more unused tomatoes, I decided to look up Green Tomato Pie. The former were addictive, and the latter, well, it's interesting. It tastes really delicious (a lot of lemon juice gets added), but I'm having a texture issue. I'll have to get some taste testers. Any volunteers? This also was my first true double-crust pie EVER. Go me!
Dwindling fried green tomatoes -- soooooo good!
Mmmmm...pie...
Some other highlights of late:
Summer sandwich of goat cheese (ETFM), cucumber (CSA), tomato (CSA) and homemade cilantro walnut pesto (mostly CSA).
Raspberry (ETFM), mint (herb garden), lemonade (whole foods) -- de-light-ful
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait, drizzled with local honey
In addition to my mystery cooking, I've whipped up a couple of other treats. I got to return to the East Town Farmer's Market after two Saturdays out of town. It was hopping and I picked up all sorts of treats to complement my ever-growing CSA box from Rare Earth Farm.
Market haul of the week.
Tonight I went on a green tomato kick, using up the ones I bought at ETFM. I made fried green tomatoes for dinner and finding myself with a load of leftovers, and still more unused tomatoes, I decided to look up Green Tomato Pie. The former were addictive, and the latter, well, it's interesting. It tastes really delicious (a lot of lemon juice gets added), but I'm having a texture issue. I'll have to get some taste testers. Any volunteers? This also was my first true double-crust pie EVER. Go me!
Dwindling fried green tomatoes -- soooooo good!
Mmmmm...pie...
Some other highlights of late:
Summer sandwich of goat cheese (ETFM), cucumber (CSA), tomato (CSA) and homemade cilantro walnut pesto (mostly CSA).
Raspberry (ETFM), mint (herb garden), lemonade (whole foods) -- de-light-ful
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait, drizzled with local honey
My mouth certainly has been dancing with the flavors of summer lately. I'm getting a delivery of sweet cherries and blueberries tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
milwaukee props: Great Milwaukee Weekend on Tap!
I know it's only Tuesday, but with my blogging record lately I thought I'd get this out now. This is a JAM-PACKED weekend coming up and I wanted to highlight some of it in this space.
Thursday! Young Nonprofit Professionals-Greater Milwaukee Chapter (of which I am Marketing Co-Chair), is hosting a screening of the documentary PROMISE OF AMERICA. The event is in Kadish Park (900 block of E North Ave) from 7:00-9:45 PM. More info here: http://ynpn-milwaukee.org/
Friday! It's Gallery Night folks. I'll be hitting up some spots in the downtown/3W area (let me know if you wanna join) before heading to Turner Hall for the hottest show of the summer - The Kings Go Forth CD release party. This is a guaranteed good time. Only $10 too! Come get your groove on. http://turnerhallballroom.org/kingsgoforth Oh and if you come to the show you get a commemorative Summer of Meghan souvenir.
Saturday! One of my favorite events of the summer, the Milwaukee Artists Marketplace, is from 10-5 today. I'll probably head over around noon (following my requisite East Town Farmer's Market visit). A great opportunity to pick up local art for really reasonable prices. http://www.mam.org/calendar/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=868&year=2009&month=07 . Afterward I'll stop over by the Brady Street Cheese Fest, then home.
I know there's a lot more going on, but I do have some housekeeping that needs to get done, including an extra special surprise that I'll reveal after Sunday.
thankful tuesdays: puppies!!!! (and friendships)
I am in love.
My heart melted a LOT tonight when I met this little lady (the one on the left):
Isn't she freaking adorable?
I'm so thankful to have a wonderful friend in Jane as well. It was fantastic revisiting our old Brady Street stomping grounds tonight. I'm so glad she wanted to include me in her first day of being a "mother." Puppy parade!
My heart melted a LOT tonight when I met this little lady (the one on the left):
Isn't she freaking adorable?
I'm so thankful to have a wonderful friend in Jane as well. It was fantastic revisiting our old Brady Street stomping grounds tonight. I'm so glad she wanted to include me in her first day of being a "mother." Puppy parade!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
monday munchies: tuesday backlog
As I mentioned yesterday, it's been a busy few weeks. Luckily, I have found the time to continue my adventures in the kitchen, using up the ingredients from my CSA at Rare Earth Farm, the East Town Farmer's Market, and my stop at the Madison Farmer's Market (abridged version) on Saturday.
Tonight I may have outdone myself, by concocting what may become my signature summer dish: Cabageless Asian Slaw (it looks a lot prettier in real life than it does in this photo).
Here's the skinny:
1 bulb kohlrabi, peeled, julienned
4 small carrots, peeled, julienned
5 radishes
1 c. sugar snap peas, shelled
small red onion, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 c peanuts (I just have this neverending jar of Planter's Salted...try to use something healthier!)
dressing:
1/4 c light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayo
Prepare and mix veggies and peanuts in small bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in separate bowl and mix well. Pour over veggies and toss together until fully coated. Serve immediately and chill leftovers.
What else have I been up to?
Well, it's not a local treat, but hummus is a quick and easy protein booster that's been sustaining me over my lunches the past couple days.
Today I ate it on pita with a Madison tomato and CSA lettuce and cucumber. Yesterday I enjoyed it with kale chips (easy! toss kale in olive oil and seasoning and bake for 10 mins at 350) and a side salad of ETFM spinach and goat cheese and CSA cucumber.
The kale chips came after several sauteed versions of the hearty green.
I've also been putting my newfound love of having organic poultry (and goat cheese!) (thanks Ruegsegger Farms) at the ETFM to work in the kitchen, as well as my egg share from the CSA.
We're starting to move past just the early greens and mix it up a little bit too. There were potatoes at the East Town Market...tasty with my cilantro for comfort food:
My food preservation skills are still warming up. I froze the bulk of my pesto from above. I also. froze kale (seriously, I was kinda done for awhile), dried dill and parsley and am froze strawberries to make jam soon!
Of course, not all strawberries made the freezer:
Tonight I may have outdone myself, by concocting what may become my signature summer dish: Cabageless Asian Slaw (it looks a lot prettier in real life than it does in this photo).
Here's the skinny:
1 bulb kohlrabi, peeled, julienned
4 small carrots, peeled, julienned
5 radishes
1 c. sugar snap peas, shelled
small red onion, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 c peanuts (I just have this neverending jar of Planter's Salted...try to use something healthier!)
dressing:
1/4 c light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayo
Prepare and mix veggies and peanuts in small bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in separate bowl and mix well. Pour over veggies and toss together until fully coated. Serve immediately and chill leftovers.
What else have I been up to?
Well, it's not a local treat, but hummus is a quick and easy protein booster that's been sustaining me over my lunches the past couple days.
Today I ate it on pita with a Madison tomato and CSA lettuce and cucumber. Yesterday I enjoyed it with kale chips (easy! toss kale in olive oil and seasoning and bake for 10 mins at 350) and a side salad of ETFM spinach and goat cheese and CSA cucumber.
The kale chips came after several sauteed versions of the hearty green.
With carrots.
Over pasta.
I've also been putting my newfound love of having organic poultry (and goat cheese!) (thanks Ruegsegger Farms) at the ETFM to work in the kitchen, as well as my egg share from the CSA.
Ground turkey patties (with eggs, spinach, onion, garlic and breadcrumbs) tossed with pasta, cilantro, cucumber and goat cheese -- most everything from the market or CSA
Pita with turkey patties, ETFM goat cheese and CSA cucumber and red lettuce
Spinach frittata
Spinach frittata
We're starting to move past just the early greens and mix it up a little bit too. There were potatoes at the East Town Market...tasty with my cilantro for comfort food:
And my CSA a couple weeks ago had a boatload of basil -- perfect for fresh pesto.
Pesto and cucumber pasta salad with side spinach salad topped with goat cheese.
Of course, not all strawberries made the freezer:
with fresh CSA Wisconsin Maple Syrup
Cucumber-Mint-Cilantro soup and mixed green salad (red lettuce, spinach and carrot tops) topped with goat cheese, sauteed CSA Italian Pole Beans and strawberries.
I'm going to miss those fresh buggers until next year. Farewell tasty friends!
Monday, July 13, 2009
wow! it's july!
I'd like to tell you that I've been off galavanting around the world for the past three weeks, but alas.
I've been rockin' in Wisconsin a lot though...Spoon...Malkmus...English Beat...Elvis...Hold Steady...Get Down...
I've been cooking too. I owe posts!
I've been rockin' in Wisconsin a lot though...Spoon...Malkmus...English Beat...Elvis...Hold Steady...Get Down...
I've been cooking too. I owe posts!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
thankful tuesdays: summer in milwaukee!
New frozen custard and snack shop!
Fro-yo for Becks!
Custard for Megs!
And beautiful sunsets over one of our many bodies of water!
I've heard many people describe Milwaukee as an abusive lover. It's so cruel to us in the winter, but boy do summers rule.
Monday, June 22, 2009
music madness: summerfest on the horizon
Happy Summerfest Week!
I'm limiting myself to Big Gigness this year, but have picked three nights to go. Here are the nights and shows I'm planning on:
Thursday, June 25: 8 PM: Meat Puppets (US Cellular Stage) & 10 PM: Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band (Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard Stage)
Sunday, July 5: 8 PM: English Beat (who I HIGHLY RECOMMEND) (Miller Oasis) & 9 PM (actually after English Beat for me): Elvis Costello & The Imposters (M&I Classic Rock Stage)
Sunday is free from noon to 3 thanks to WE Energies, so I'll probably hang out there early. However, I'm open to getting a line on free tickets to cover my other two days if anyone is not using theirs. :)
Another show of note during the Summerfest run of course is Indie-Pendents Day a FREE show in Bay View featuring Stephen Malkmus on July 4. You can bet your sparklers I'll be there! Thank you PBR!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
monday munchies: early season treats
Yes, I realize it's Wednesday, but it's been a busy week.
I'm still loving the return of the East Town Farmer's Market.With my goodies this week, I managed to create two delicious creations which provided me three days worth of lunch:
I'm still loving the return of the East Town Farmer's Market.With my goodies this week, I managed to create two delicious creations which provided me three days worth of lunch:
This is Bok Choy Gratin which I found via the Epicurious App on my iPhone. This app is FREE and pretty amazing. You can look up recipes by ingredient, make shopping lists, and follow the preparation steps all on your phone. SO great. Anyway, it was absolutely tasteriffic. I used Bok Choy from the Farmer's Market, Gruyere from the West Allis Cheese Shoppe, whole nutmeg from the Spice House, and organic Sassy Cow milk from Good Harvest Market. I didn't have a shallot, so I subbed green onions (from the farmer's market) and instead of whole milk, I used 2% and stirred in famer's market goat cheese from last week. Highly recommend as a nice side.
I also made (and neglected to photograph) a turkey meatloaf. I sort of winged this one. I used Ruegsegger Farms ground turkey (I am going to become a poultry snob), Willoway Farm free range eggs, more of the aforementioned scallions, dill from the market, and garlic (frozen Trader Joe's, alas), oh and breadcrumbs of course. I mushed everything together and put it in a bread loaf pan with foil over it on 350 for 20 minutes. I took it out and spread dill mustard from the Arena Cheese Shop over the top. Then I baked it for another 35 minutes. PERFECTION!
Tomorrow I get my first CSA of the season, so hopefully more tasty homecooked meals will be coming my way. I made something awesome tonight too, but I'll save it for next Monday!
And of course, in addition to food, fresh local flowers are another bonus to the market. Until next week...
I also made (and neglected to photograph) a turkey meatloaf. I sort of winged this one. I used Ruegsegger Farms ground turkey (I am going to become a poultry snob), Willoway Farm free range eggs, more of the aforementioned scallions, dill from the market, and garlic (frozen Trader Joe's, alas), oh and breadcrumbs of course. I mushed everything together and put it in a bread loaf pan with foil over it on 350 for 20 minutes. I took it out and spread dill mustard from the Arena Cheese Shop over the top. Then I baked it for another 35 minutes. PERFECTION!
Tomorrow I get my first CSA of the season, so hopefully more tasty homecooked meals will be coming my way. I made something awesome tonight too, but I'll save it for next Monday!
And of course, in addition to food, fresh local flowers are another bonus to the market. Until next week...
Monday, June 8, 2009
monday munchies: they're baaaaaaaaaaaaaack
Hallelujah! Farmer's Markets are back in full swing.
This past Saturday found me at Cathedral Square for the East Town Farmer's Market. What a treat! I practically skipped out of bed to get my paws on the first fresh veggies of the year.
I made quite the morning of it, picking up a muffin from one of the booths and a cup of Stone Creek coffee. I picked up fresh veggies including onions, mixed greens, asparagus (which I'm apparently only allergic to if coated in pesticides), and radishes. I grabbed farm fresh eggs, garlic/bell pepper goat cheese, and honey. I also bought pansies and herbs to plant on my balcony and fresh flowers for the apartment.
After the Miller Lite Ride yesterday I came home to make use of my purchases.
I ended up making a Radish Tart (basically a radish quiche) by slightly modifying a recipe online. The results were perfection! I also blanched and froze the asparagus to enjoy sometime after the short season.
I definitely have an extra spring in my step being able to enjoy local, fresh foods!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
WTFisconsin: Jazz in the Park Shoots Itself In Foot
I usually defend Milwaukee. Especially when people from more "enlightened" cities try and use it as the butt of a joke. I am quick to point out all that Milwaukee has "going on," especially in its fabulous summertime. One of the top five "cool" factor things I inevitably will point out is Jazz in the Park.
"Jazz" is a Milwaukee Summer Institution. And it's one of the reasons I live where I live, one block east of Cathedral Square. A Thursday night gathering of the masses, this chill event is the place to catch up with friends, people-watch, halfway listen to music and imbibe in a couple glasses of BYOB wine.
Until today, the COLDEST DAY IN 13 YEARS in this town that cherishes every ounce of its summer....when the East Town Association announced the most devastating news ever.
There will be no more carry-ins at Jazz in the Park.
They cite some state statute that apparently isn't anything new, it's just been overlooked apparently for 19 years.
Ever heard of changing the law?
Nope, instead they are disappointing thousands of Milwaukeeans, many of whom are the exact young professionals they always whine about not retaining.
In my opinion, this is the most colossal Milwaukee blunder since my alma mater Marquette University tried to change its mascot to the "Gold," instead of keeping it the Golden Eagles or moving back to the Warriors. Luckily the community voice was strong enough that the decision was reversed within days.
Will it be the same with Jazz? The Twittersphere exploded right away, with several folks vowing to contact their alderperson. I emailed mine, Bob Bauman, immediately. I will keep you posted if his office responds.
UrbanMilwaukee.com has a much more level-headed view on this than I do (I never claimed to be an unbiased site, I just keep some opinions in check because of the nature of my day job), and I encourage you to read their opinions. Their suggestions for alternate revenue options are definitely something the Jazz folks should go back and consider.
In the meantime, I'm curious if there would be enough folks who could unite for a little good ol' fashioned civil disobedience at the first Jazz this year? I'd love to see them filling up the paddy wagons with young professionals grasping their Two Buck Chuck. I bet nothing would get the laws changed quicker.
Yes we can!
"Jazz" is a Milwaukee Summer Institution. And it's one of the reasons I live where I live, one block east of Cathedral Square. A Thursday night gathering of the masses, this chill event is the place to catch up with friends, people-watch, halfway listen to music and imbibe in a couple glasses of BYOB wine.
Until today, the COLDEST DAY IN 13 YEARS in this town that cherishes every ounce of its summer....when the East Town Association announced the most devastating news ever.
There will be no more carry-ins at Jazz in the Park.
They cite some state statute that apparently isn't anything new, it's just been overlooked apparently for 19 years.
Ever heard of changing the law?
Nope, instead they are disappointing thousands of Milwaukeeans, many of whom are the exact young professionals they always whine about not retaining.
In my opinion, this is the most colossal Milwaukee blunder since my alma mater Marquette University tried to change its mascot to the "Gold," instead of keeping it the Golden Eagles or moving back to the Warriors. Luckily the community voice was strong enough that the decision was reversed within days.
Will it be the same with Jazz? The Twittersphere exploded right away, with several folks vowing to contact their alderperson. I emailed mine, Bob Bauman, immediately. I will keep you posted if his office responds.
UrbanMilwaukee.com has a much more level-headed view on this than I do (I never claimed to be an unbiased site, I just keep some opinions in check because of the nature of my day job), and I encourage you to read their opinions. Their suggestions for alternate revenue options are definitely something the Jazz folks should go back and consider.
In the meantime, I'm curious if there would be enough folks who could unite for a little good ol' fashioned civil disobedience at the first Jazz this year? I'd love to see them filling up the paddy wagons with young professionals grasping their Two Buck Chuck. I bet nothing would get the laws changed quicker.
Yes we can!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Retro Blog: Kevin’s Milwaukee Visit
It’s amazing how much cooler siblings get with age. Last month I had the privilege of hosting my brother, Kevin, on his first vacation in two years. I took Friday off too, so it was sort of my vacation as well.
He arrived Thursday morning on a red-eye from Portland, so after picking him up from the airport (thanks Adam for letting me borrow the car!), I dropped him off and headed to work. Later that afternoon he took the bus to meet me, so he could see where I worked. (The past two times he visited Milwaukee I was in—or just out of—college, so I didn’t have a “real job” yet.) Unfortunately the co-worker who really wanted to meet him was out sick, but he got a solid tour of the office.
We left work and drove to pick up my CSA share for the week. Kevin was impressed by the spread of veggies, which were particularly colorful that week.
After dividing up shares, we headed over to Jazz in the Park. Kevin had some déjà vu there, and reminded me that I took him there when he visited at 19, so that he could drink. Whoops! It was still a good opportunity for him to meet quite a few of my friends and former co-workers. Plus always solid people watching.
Becky also joined us there before heading home to Minnesota for her high school reunion, so it was nice for Kev to see a familiar face, even if it was from six years ago.
We had to cut out of Jazz early so I could take Kevin to see The Pabst Theatre. He wasn’t too excited about seeing Bon Iver, but luckily it was an incredible show in an already incredible setting and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. The only downside was that we did miss most of AA Bondy, the opener, but we definitely did not miss out on the amazing mostly acoustic amazingness that is Bon Iver. The band is from rural Wisconsin too, so it made for an interesting audience of hipsters and family.
After the show I had to take the bro to Buckley’s for half-price beer night. He got a Manhattan though and claimed it was the best ever. Thanks Britt.
Smart move on taking Friday off. We slept in a bit before biking to Alterra on the Lake for lunch. Phil went out of town for the weekend but lent Kevin his mountain bike, which lasted for a day (more on that later), but it was very kind of him. After lunch we hit up the now-closed Gilbert & George exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Outstanding. We looked at the fascinating photo exhibit in one of the smaller galleries, which compares contemporary quirky portraits by a Wisconsin team to portraits throughout the last century. We also hit up the Sensory Overload installations, which I’d yet to experience. A quick turn around the Bradley Collection, folk art, Georgia O’Keefe and decorative arts (including the Chair Park!) and we were done. Didn’t realize how much was new since 2002 when I took him last time. The building may be cool, but the museum as a whole is a true gem to Milwaukee.
After we finished, we headed over to Discovery World. I saw my friend Wren on the way in but she was with a vendor, so didn’t see me. Kevin didn’t believe she was my friend. Pretty funny, especially as the two of them spent the rest of the weekend bonding over comics and art. The brother and I walked through the Les Paul House of Sound exhibit and the aquarium. There were a few too many kids for us to play with too much, but we still had a fun time.
A quick ride through Lakeshore State Park and we found ourselves entering for free at Irish Fest at 4 p.m. This was Kevin’s first Irish Fest (and the reason Mom shipped him out here), so we took our time going through the grounds. Brooke and Craig met us shortly after, which was another familiar face for Kevin. Wren, her friend Diane, and Grant all joined the party and we all got to watch the parade before we hit the beer stands. Lovely evening, spent most of it people watching, until 8 p.m. when the Quigleys started their bartending stint. Met another group of my friends down there and hung out until we had to skip back to MAM for Cedar Block’s What Do You Get? – a local artist interpretation of the G&G exhibit.
Totally had not thought through the outfit for the day, but proudly rocked my “Smart & Sassy Irish Lassie” t-shirt amongst the throngs of hipsters. Kevin was impressed at the lacking of judgmental gawking by the scenesters at the affront to fashion. Made me want to give Milwaukee a hug.
Event was fun times. Saw Monica and her bf Joe, and my friend Mario’s gf Jess was volunteering there. Jess coerced us into making an art project, which we have big plans for later this year.
Though Monica and Joe tried to convince us to accompany them to Comet, Kevin and I decided it would be best to turn in as we had a big day ahead of us.
Saturday morning we hit up the Plaza for breakfast before heading to the Lakefront Brewery Tour at 1. Of course coordinating a large group for the tour never works as planned, so we ended up on the 2 p.m. A nice group of my friends – Jason, Lars, Marcella, and her roommate Mary came out for the tour. We had a very dry guide, but Kevin had a great time and we biked over to Wolski’s after where we met up with Ben.
Kev and I had to split though to get down to Bradford Beach to meet Jane, Ralf and Mar. We were a little late due to bike troubles and missed most of the festivities down there. Had a nice visit though and headed back to my apartment for dinner and naps. BUT FIRST, we did have to cram ourselves in the car with two bikes and four adults. Hilarity ensued.
I scraped up a dinner out of CSA veggies and after we were fed and rested, Mar scooped us up to go to Bryant’s. Marcella, Wren and Grant all met us there. Poor Kevin did not enjoy it thoroughly as too many drinks were recommended to him, but we had a good time nonetheless. I had to get up early the next morning, but en route home we learned everyone was at Bad Genie, so we stopped so I could have some water and Kev could have a Scorpion Shot. He actually ended up staying out with my friends as I headed home early.
Got up early the next morning to bus down to Warnimont Golf Course for my last golf “mini-lesson.” Did terribly, but learned how to play on an actual course. Not as terrifying as expected. Thanks to Olivia, Hakan and George for their patience with me.
Our gang went to “celebrate” with brunch at Sheridan’s afterward. By the time I got home I desperately needed a nap. Poor Kevin just watched some DVDs while I caught up on rest. When I woke up we headed down to Irish Fest where we explored the grounds a bit more, caught a couple bands and waited for the Scattering at the end of the night. Whilst there, Phil returned to town, so we took a cab up to Jamo’s to meet him afterward.
Kevin volunteered to take the bus to the airport in the morning, so I headed off to work one tired sister, but glad I got some sibling bonding in over a jam-packed weekend, as well as got to highlight my awesome adopted city.
He arrived Thursday morning on a red-eye from Portland, so after picking him up from the airport (thanks Adam for letting me borrow the car!), I dropped him off and headed to work. Later that afternoon he took the bus to meet me, so he could see where I worked. (The past two times he visited Milwaukee I was in—or just out of—college, so I didn’t have a “real job” yet.) Unfortunately the co-worker who really wanted to meet him was out sick, but he got a solid tour of the office.
We left work and drove to pick up my CSA share for the week. Kevin was impressed by the spread of veggies, which were particularly colorful that week.
After dividing up shares, we headed over to Jazz in the Park. Kevin had some déjà vu there, and reminded me that I took him there when he visited at 19, so that he could drink. Whoops! It was still a good opportunity for him to meet quite a few of my friends and former co-workers. Plus always solid people watching.
Becky also joined us there before heading home to Minnesota for her high school reunion, so it was nice for Kev to see a familiar face, even if it was from six years ago.
We had to cut out of Jazz early so I could take Kevin to see The Pabst Theatre. He wasn’t too excited about seeing Bon Iver, but luckily it was an incredible show in an already incredible setting and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. The only downside was that we did miss most of AA Bondy, the opener, but we definitely did not miss out on the amazing mostly acoustic amazingness that is Bon Iver. The band is from rural Wisconsin too, so it made for an interesting audience of hipsters and family.
After the show I had to take the bro to Buckley’s for half-price beer night. He got a Manhattan though and claimed it was the best ever. Thanks Britt.
Smart move on taking Friday off. We slept in a bit before biking to Alterra on the Lake for lunch. Phil went out of town for the weekend but lent Kevin his mountain bike, which lasted for a day (more on that later), but it was very kind of him. After lunch we hit up the now-closed Gilbert & George exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Outstanding. We looked at the fascinating photo exhibit in one of the smaller galleries, which compares contemporary quirky portraits by a Wisconsin team to portraits throughout the last century. We also hit up the Sensory Overload installations, which I’d yet to experience. A quick turn around the Bradley Collection, folk art, Georgia O’Keefe and decorative arts (including the Chair Park!) and we were done. Didn’t realize how much was new since 2002 when I took him last time. The building may be cool, but the museum as a whole is a true gem to Milwaukee.
After we finished, we headed over to Discovery World. I saw my friend Wren on the way in but she was with a vendor, so didn’t see me. Kevin didn’t believe she was my friend. Pretty funny, especially as the two of them spent the rest of the weekend bonding over comics and art. The brother and I walked through the Les Paul House of Sound exhibit and the aquarium. There were a few too many kids for us to play with too much, but we still had a fun time.
A quick ride through Lakeshore State Park and we found ourselves entering for free at Irish Fest at 4 p.m. This was Kevin’s first Irish Fest (and the reason Mom shipped him out here), so we took our time going through the grounds. Brooke and Craig met us shortly after, which was another familiar face for Kevin. Wren, her friend Diane, and Grant all joined the party and we all got to watch the parade before we hit the beer stands. Lovely evening, spent most of it people watching, until 8 p.m. when the Quigleys started their bartending stint. Met another group of my friends down there and hung out until we had to skip back to MAM for Cedar Block’s What Do You Get? – a local artist interpretation of the G&G exhibit.
Totally had not thought through the outfit for the day, but proudly rocked my “Smart & Sassy Irish Lassie” t-shirt amongst the throngs of hipsters. Kevin was impressed at the lacking of judgmental gawking by the scenesters at the affront to fashion. Made me want to give Milwaukee a hug.
Event was fun times. Saw Monica and her bf Joe, and my friend Mario’s gf Jess was volunteering there. Jess coerced us into making an art project, which we have big plans for later this year.
Though Monica and Joe tried to convince us to accompany them to Comet, Kevin and I decided it would be best to turn in as we had a big day ahead of us.
Saturday morning we hit up the Plaza for breakfast before heading to the Lakefront Brewery Tour at 1. Of course coordinating a large group for the tour never works as planned, so we ended up on the 2 p.m. A nice group of my friends – Jason, Lars, Marcella, and her roommate Mary came out for the tour. We had a very dry guide, but Kevin had a great time and we biked over to Wolski’s after where we met up with Ben.
Kev and I had to split though to get down to Bradford Beach to meet Jane, Ralf and Mar. We were a little late due to bike troubles and missed most of the festivities down there. Had a nice visit though and headed back to my apartment for dinner and naps. BUT FIRST, we did have to cram ourselves in the car with two bikes and four adults. Hilarity ensued.
I scraped up a dinner out of CSA veggies and after we were fed and rested, Mar scooped us up to go to Bryant’s. Marcella, Wren and Grant all met us there. Poor Kevin did not enjoy it thoroughly as too many drinks were recommended to him, but we had a good time nonetheless. I had to get up early the next morning, but en route home we learned everyone was at Bad Genie, so we stopped so I could have some water and Kev could have a Scorpion Shot. He actually ended up staying out with my friends as I headed home early.
Got up early the next morning to bus down to Warnimont Golf Course for my last golf “mini-lesson.” Did terribly, but learned how to play on an actual course. Not as terrifying as expected. Thanks to Olivia, Hakan and George for their patience with me.
Our gang went to “celebrate” with brunch at Sheridan’s afterward. By the time I got home I desperately needed a nap. Poor Kevin just watched some DVDs while I caught up on rest. When I woke up we headed down to Irish Fest where we explored the grounds a bit more, caught a couple bands and waited for the Scattering at the end of the night. Whilst there, Phil returned to town, so we took a cab up to Jamo’s to meet him afterward.
Kevin volunteered to take the bus to the airport in the morning, so I headed off to work one tired sister, but glad I got some sibling bonding in over a jam-packed weekend, as well as got to highlight my awesome adopted city.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
retro blog #3: august eats
I started the month off well with the aforementioned, er afore-alluded-to , Slow Food fundraiser at La Merenda.
This was a really fun event and I ended up at a great table, not only with my friends Beth & Mike, but with a bunch of random folks who were all co-workers a local law firm. They were a hoot and our table was definitely a fun gang of strangers.
How could we not bond over such wonderful food and wine though? Each course incorporated local ingredients and a Wisconsin cheese. Jackpot!
The menu was:
Course 1 - Cheese Plate (this included several cheeses that had just taken home ribbons from the American Cheese Society competition the week prior-- TO DIE FOR)
Cheeses were:
Course 2 - Fried Green Tomatoes with Mozzarella Handmade with Grändé Curd Topped with a Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Yes, it was as completely mind-blowing as the title would indicate. And it took away my fear of FGT. But not the association with chick flicks.
Wine was Domaine de la Bécassonne 2007 Côte due Rhô Blanc.
Course 3 - Duck Confit Crepes with Roth Käse Blue Affiné and Rosemary Cream Sauce
Thank the Lord that I eat duck (in case it's not clear somewhere else in the blog, I don't eat red meat or pork (basically mammal) and sometimes (as in Course 4) that causes an issue), because this was EFFIN FABULOUS. It made me want to go kill a duck and try this at home. Just kidding. But it was DAMN tasty.
Wine went really well too --Babich 2005 Reserve Pinot Noir.
Course 4 - "Wisconsin Slow Food Iron Chef"
I did forget to mention earlier, that this event involved several chefs in addition to the resident at La Merenda. Also participating were Braise on the Go and Meritage. Oh and the cheese guy was from Larry's Market. Anywho, obviously in this portion the chefs all worked with random ingredients to create a dish. And here is where I ran into trouble. It was some sort of Morroccan Lamb topped with whipped mashed potatoes.
Fortunately the potatoes were pretty separate and I ate those.
Wine - Hupfeld 2006 Hochheimer Konigin Victoriaberg Riesling Kabinett. Some crazy German wine that has the seal of Queen Victoria on it. I can't find a website not in German.
Course 6 - Skipping the bulk of Course 5 was a-okay because I had room for all of Course 6. This was the perfect dessert to end the evening -- Roasted Plums with BelGioioso Mascarpone Whipped Cream, Lavender, Honey and Hazelnuts.
Heaven.
Wine - Quinta Do NV Ruby Port
Now you'd think that starting the month off so spectacularly from a culinary standpoint that I'd be inspired at home. Well I was, until my refrigerator went kaput. They actually did fix the motor, but my milk is still going bad (rancid actually), so I may be getting a new fridge. Fingers crossed.
At any rate, I did make some use out of the CSA this month, in addition to munching on lots of raw veggies (yay broccoli and cauliflower), I followed recipes for Sweet Cabbage Salad:
I also did not get a picture before I (and others) devoured it, but I followed the CSA recommended recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake and fell in LOVE. I topped it with homemade sour cream chocolate frosting. Even Phil who hates sweets couldn't get enough beet cake. Yum.
Besides that though, the broken fridge has really thrown a kink in things. I've made quite a bit of zucchini parmesan, and just random pasta primavera. I hope to use most of my CSA this weekend, since it's Labor Day and I will have time to cook.
p.s. I'm not a freak by the way, remembering all the courses -- I kept the program!
This was a really fun event and I ended up at a great table, not only with my friends Beth & Mike, but with a bunch of random folks who were all co-workers a local law firm. They were a hoot and our table was definitely a fun gang of strangers.
How could we not bond over such wonderful food and wine though? Each course incorporated local ingredients and a Wisconsin cheese. Jackpot!
The menu was:
Course 1 - Cheese Plate (this included several cheeses that had just taken home ribbons from the American Cheese Society competition the week prior-- TO DIE FOR)
Cheeses were:
- Driftless Fresh Sheep Cheese from Hidden Springs Creamery
- Carr Valley Cave Aged Marissa Sheep Milk
- Edelweiss Emmenthal raw cow milk
- Carr Valley Snow White Goat -- BEST IN SHOW ACS 2008 Conference (and sooo good)
- Marieke's Gouda - Gouda, 9 months, raw cow's milk from Holland Family Cheese
- Ader Käse Reserve, pasteurized cow's milk
Course 2 - Fried Green Tomatoes with Mozzarella Handmade with Grändé Curd Topped with a Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Yes, it was as completely mind-blowing as the title would indicate. And it took away my fear of FGT. But not the association with chick flicks.
Wine was Domaine de la Bécassonne 2007 Côte due Rhô Blanc.
Course 3 - Duck Confit Crepes with Roth Käse Blue Affiné and Rosemary Cream Sauce
Thank the Lord that I eat duck (in case it's not clear somewhere else in the blog, I don't eat red meat or pork (basically mammal) and sometimes (as in Course 4) that causes an issue), because this was EFFIN FABULOUS. It made me want to go kill a duck and try this at home. Just kidding. But it was DAMN tasty.
Wine went really well too --Babich 2005 Reserve Pinot Noir.
Course 4 - "Wisconsin Slow Food Iron Chef"
I did forget to mention earlier, that this event involved several chefs in addition to the resident at La Merenda. Also participating were Braise on the Go and Meritage. Oh and the cheese guy was from Larry's Market. Anywho, obviously in this portion the chefs all worked with random ingredients to create a dish. And here is where I ran into trouble. It was some sort of Morroccan Lamb topped with whipped mashed potatoes.
Fortunately the potatoes were pretty separate and I ate those.
Wine - Hupfeld 2006 Hochheimer Konigin Victoriaberg Riesling Kabinett. Some crazy German wine that has the seal of Queen Victoria on it. I can't find a website not in German.
Course 6 - Skipping the bulk of Course 5 was a-okay because I had room for all of Course 6. This was the perfect dessert to end the evening -- Roasted Plums with BelGioioso Mascarpone Whipped Cream, Lavender, Honey and Hazelnuts.
Heaven.
Wine - Quinta Do NV Ruby Port
Now you'd think that starting the month off so spectacularly from a culinary standpoint that I'd be inspired at home. Well I was, until my refrigerator went kaput. They actually did fix the motor, but my milk is still going bad (rancid actually), so I may be getting a new fridge. Fingers crossed.
At any rate, I did make some use out of the CSA this month, in addition to munching on lots of raw veggies (yay broccoli and cauliflower), I followed recipes for Sweet Cabbage Salad:
I also did not get a picture before I (and others) devoured it, but I followed the CSA recommended recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake and fell in LOVE. I topped it with homemade sour cream chocolate frosting. Even Phil who hates sweets couldn't get enough beet cake. Yum.
Besides that though, the broken fridge has really thrown a kink in things. I've made quite a bit of zucchini parmesan, and just random pasta primavera. I hope to use most of my CSA this weekend, since it's Labor Day and I will have time to cook.
p.s. I'm not a freak by the way, remembering all the courses -- I kept the program!
retro blog #2: chi-town
The nice thing about heading down for Lolla this year is that I got to stay with my newlywed pals Heather and Sam in Rogers Park. They were gracious hosts to myself and my friend Keiker who traveled to Lolla with me. They made us wonderful breakfast each day and on Sunday took us for a stroll around their neighborhood.
They live right by Loyola Chicago, so it was nice to check out another Jesuit college campus. I've been to campuses of other Chicago schools as well -- Northwestern, DePaul, University of Chicago -- so it was also good to add this notch.
Of course with any Catholic school, one of the most striking features was the church on campus. This one is fascinating because it's literally built right up to Lake Michigan:
My friends also live near several public beaches. Although Milwaukee just redid Bradford Beach, it's still a bit grody for us Wisconsinites to imagine people swimming in the lake. However, in Chicago it doesn't seem to worry folks:
It was definitely nice to get a glimpse of a less-visited neighborhood in Chicago. Of course, I also did take my obligatory shots at Lolla of Buckingham fountain and the crowd overall.
But this is also because the festival organizers did a great job of picking Grant Park as the spot for Lolla, as the event is so well-framed by the city itself.
And well, Buckingham Fountain just looks COOL at night:
Of course one of the most fascinating architectural wonders to me of the trip, was the repurposing of a fence for a bike rack. Ah Chicago and it's legacy of builders!
They live right by Loyola Chicago, so it was nice to check out another Jesuit college campus. I've been to campuses of other Chicago schools as well -- Northwestern, DePaul, University of Chicago -- so it was also good to add this notch.
Of course with any Catholic school, one of the most striking features was the church on campus. This one is fascinating because it's literally built right up to Lake Michigan:
My friends also live near several public beaches. Although Milwaukee just redid Bradford Beach, it's still a bit grody for us Wisconsinites to imagine people swimming in the lake. However, in Chicago it doesn't seem to worry folks:
It was definitely nice to get a glimpse of a less-visited neighborhood in Chicago. Of course, I also did take my obligatory shots at Lolla of Buckingham fountain and the crowd overall.
But this is also because the festival organizers did a great job of picking Grant Park as the spot for Lolla, as the event is so well-framed by the city itself.
And well, Buckingham Fountain just looks COOL at night:
Of course one of the most fascinating architectural wonders to me of the trip, was the repurposing of a fence for a bike rack. Ah Chicago and it's legacy of builders!
retro blog #1: lolla recap
Again, my apologies for sucking at blogging this month. Obviously I've been ridiculously busy. Part of that busy-ness has included severely rocking out.
I kicked off my month with a last-day-of-July billing of The Go! Team and CSS at Turner Hall Ballroom. I actually only was able to be there for the Go! Team, but I did get to catch up with old co-workers before the show and old board members afterward.
The next afternoon I headed down to Chicago for Lollapalooza which will end up being my only music fest for the year since I skipped Pitchfork.
We got down there a little late (thanks to traffic and a crammed El full of freakin' Cubs fans), but caught the tail end of Bloc Party. Fortunately we met up with some friends and got really, really close to the side of the stage for Radiohead. I already posted the video, but here are some more pics from that AMAZING show:
I have way more, but I won't bore you :). The show really did meet all my expectations.
The next morning after a delicious homemade breakfast from our gracious hosts (my friends Heather and Sam), we headed down to Lolla for the full afternoon line-up.
First up, Dr. Dog. The live show was pretty good, but I definitely will say that Fate is in my Top 10 this year.
Next up I ended up catching The Foals, who I need to investigate a little more. They were noveaou-Brit-punk. Always good. I caught the tail end of The Gutter Twins too, but sort of wandered at this point to go find other folks I was meeting up with. I ended up seeing some of DeVotchKa, and then some of the Perry Farrell All Star show, which featured Slash and Samantha Ronson DJing. Apparently Lohan was there, of course. Heard a bit of Booka Shade also who I NEED to checkout. Dancealicious.
My wanderings wrapped up in time for me to bust it over to get front and center for Jamie Lidell. Jim will likely end up in my Top 5 and Jamie Lidell himself is definitely a new music crush for sure.
After getting worked up at the above show, I grabbed some grub, overheard some of Broken Social Scene, but again, got front and center for the always delightful Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (I bought a really cool Sharon Jones t-shirt too! But don't worry I didn't wear it until the next day and I wasn't "that guy"):
After SJ, we found a nice patch of grass and watched one of the better Wilco shows I've seen in years. The band is finally at the point where they can play greatest hits versus promoting whatever is new. Unfortunately though we did have to sit through Spiders/Kidsmoke. Ugh.
Oh and the band had matching suits. Awesome.
The next day we took a tour of Rogers Park (photos in another post) and headed down later to the concerts.
The last day of Lolla, it was really hot and humid. My friend went to go watch Brazilian Girls, but the crowd was a bit much for me, so I caught Nicole Atkins & the Sea. Another one I need to check out a bit more.
I did muster up energy to go sweat it out at Chromeo next. Seriously fun show. If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, do it.
It was nice to go sit on the grass again for Iron & Wine next:
I was REALLY looking to the next show, Girl Talk, especially since he is playing in Milwaukee on Election Night and there's no effin way I'm going to skip being glued to MSNBC/CNN that night. The show started off just great:
Unfortunately we were distracted by the WORLD'S GROSSEST COUPLE in front of us. They were total methfaces and in addition to molesting each other (he kept pulling her shorts down until her panties were falling out in front), they blew smoke from their cheap cigar in our faces, and constantly hocked up a river of loogies. The entire section around us were revolted by these two:
Yeah, that is some sort of effed up carving on that guys back. That guy who truly is:
Anyway, I digress. At this point, we were just frustrated and tired. I really wish I could've climbed a tree to see the show:
At any rate we kind of just rode out the rest of the day before we had to head back. We sat on the grass and saw none of The National, but heard part of it. We watched the opening sequence for Kanye, but honestly it wasn't that great so we headed home.
Overall, I am grateful that Chicago is the home of this fine festival and is so close to Milwaukee. I wish it was only two days, I wish there was better public transportation options (aka late night service) between the two cities, and I wish sucky people didn't go to shows. However, the positives were bonding with old friends and new friends, FINALLY seeing Radiohead sober and checking out some bands with whom I wasn't super familiar.
I'm sure I'll go again in the future.
I kicked off my month with a last-day-of-July billing of The Go! Team and CSS at Turner Hall Ballroom. I actually only was able to be there for the Go! Team, but I did get to catch up with old co-workers before the show and old board members afterward.
The next afternoon I headed down to Chicago for Lollapalooza which will end up being my only music fest for the year since I skipped Pitchfork.
We got down there a little late (thanks to traffic and a crammed El full of freakin' Cubs fans), but caught the tail end of Bloc Party. Fortunately we met up with some friends and got really, really close to the side of the stage for Radiohead. I already posted the video, but here are some more pics from that AMAZING show:
I have way more, but I won't bore you :). The show really did meet all my expectations.
The next morning after a delicious homemade breakfast from our gracious hosts (my friends Heather and Sam), we headed down to Lolla for the full afternoon line-up.
First up, Dr. Dog. The live show was pretty good, but I definitely will say that Fate is in my Top 10 this year.
Next up I ended up catching The Foals, who I need to investigate a little more. They were noveaou-Brit-punk. Always good. I caught the tail end of The Gutter Twins too, but sort of wandered at this point to go find other folks I was meeting up with. I ended up seeing some of DeVotchKa, and then some of the Perry Farrell All Star show, which featured Slash and Samantha Ronson DJing. Apparently Lohan was there, of course. Heard a bit of Booka Shade also who I NEED to checkout. Dancealicious.
My wanderings wrapped up in time for me to bust it over to get front and center for Jamie Lidell. Jim will likely end up in my Top 5 and Jamie Lidell himself is definitely a new music crush for sure.
After SJ, we found a nice patch of grass and watched one of the better Wilco shows I've seen in years. The band is finally at the point where they can play greatest hits versus promoting whatever is new. Unfortunately though we did have to sit through Spiders/Kidsmoke. Ugh.
Oh and the band had matching suits. Awesome.
The next day we took a tour of Rogers Park (photos in another post) and headed down later to the concerts.
The last day of Lolla, it was really hot and humid. My friend went to go watch Brazilian Girls, but the crowd was a bit much for me, so I caught Nicole Atkins & the Sea. Another one I need to check out a bit more.
I did muster up energy to go sweat it out at Chromeo next. Seriously fun show. If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, do it.
It was nice to go sit on the grass again for Iron & Wine next:
I was REALLY looking to the next show, Girl Talk, especially since he is playing in Milwaukee on Election Night and there's no effin way I'm going to skip being glued to MSNBC/CNN that night. The show started off just great:
Unfortunately we were distracted by the WORLD'S GROSSEST COUPLE in front of us. They were total methfaces and in addition to molesting each other (he kept pulling her shorts down until her panties were falling out in front), they blew smoke from their cheap cigar in our faces, and constantly hocked up a river of loogies. The entire section around us were revolted by these two:
Yeah, that is some sort of effed up carving on that guys back. That guy who truly is:
Anyway, I digress. At this point, we were just frustrated and tired. I really wish I could've climbed a tree to see the show:
At any rate we kind of just rode out the rest of the day before we had to head back. We sat on the grass and saw none of The National, but heard part of it. We watched the opening sequence for Kanye, but honestly it wasn't that great so we headed home.
Overall, I am grateful that Chicago is the home of this fine festival and is so close to Milwaukee. I wish it was only two days, I wish there was better public transportation options (aka late night service) between the two cities, and I wish sucky people didn't go to shows. However, the positives were bonding with old friends and new friends, FINALLY seeing Radiohead sober and checking out some bands with whom I wasn't super familiar.
I'm sure I'll go again in the future.
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