Whirlwind

Sometimes you just need a good cup of coffee

In the craziness of getting ready for school, working out like a madwoman, and trying to squeeze as much fun into my 3 week summer break as possible, I clearly haven't been writing a ton, or cooking much inspired.  This isn't to say I haven't been cooking.  I made some great caramelized onion jam, which I'll make again and photograph.  I've made some amazing salads, both fruit and regular, and some pretty normal dinners. There's been a lot of roast chicken, a lot of pork chops, and a lot of vegetable dishes. No pasta yet.  But that's coming. I promise. . . and one day I'll actually make good on that promise. Until then, it'll keep you reading, right?

On the plus side, there's not a whole lot of serious cooking that absolutely needs to be done during the summer.  Sometimes, the bounty of the season is enough. Especially in the summer, when everything is ripe all a once.  I've been eating a whole lot of fruit.  Just check out my giant bowl of plums, pluots, nectarines, and peaches.  Most of them went into a giant fruit salad. Some will go into a plum cake. Some will just be eaten. The yellow pluots are my favorite.  They may actually be sweeter than sugar. . .











I'm also eating a lot of nice nice vegetables right now. Sometimes, even with homemade pesto. Okra is good (though I'm apparently one of the few people on the planet who thinks so).  Zucchini are everywhere, tomatoes are perfectly ripe and sweet.  Not pictured here are the ton of really good salad greens and late-summer peas I got at the farmer's market.  Seriously, there's no need to cook anything right now. . .yes, this includes okra.  Not only do I love okra, I love raw okra.

Not only is the food good, but the beer in the summer is fairly awesome.  This stuff, out of S.F. is flavorful and refreshing and, unfortunately, only available in the summer. Perhaps this is because it isn't as beautiful in S.F. all year round as it is in LA.  I bought a couple 6 packs so I have some when it's October and still 90 degrees out. And since I don't drink a ton, I can make it last.  This particular one was enjoyed once  my apartment was clean.  Nothing like a nice beer and a slice of bread with homemade butter and jam to erase the memory of 2 days of cleaning.









And now we come to the fun portion of our mini blog post; Food Porn. I'm not sure about the term "food porn" as a whole, but I sure do love pretty, tantalizing, mouthwatering pictures of food.  These are largely not stellar photos. They are, in fact, mostly cell phone shots.  But they are pictures of some of the random meals out I've enjoyed over the past couple months.

Stellar Roast Beef from Manny's Deli

Unique and delicious floats at Medici

Shrimp Burrito at Poquito Mas

Cheap and good sushi and tempura at Ugly Roll

 

 

Gelato at Gelato Bar. Addicted to their pistachio flavor

Cuban Pastries at Porto's Bakery

Ice cream Sandwiches from Coolhaus (Photo stolen from my lovely sister Kieran).  I haven't chased down the coolhaus truck in a while now.  They sell the sandwiches at Whole Foods, in cute little truck shaped boxes. Plus, they've supposedly got a store opening this summer, just down the street.  So far, it remains closed.