With my mid-20s now at a close, I have been reflecting on how I have matured in my tastes over the past 10 years. Through my parents' guidance and my own culinary explorations, I have started to like things I never imagined eating and thanks to a discerning wine drinker I once dated, I now love and appreciate the subtleties of French red wines. As I age I am also embracing my inherent personality, so true to form, I have made a list of some of these culinary thoughts.
Things I like:
1. Black Licorice
2. Brussel sprouts
3. Miso
4. Fish sauce (in my Pho)
5. Avocado (used to hate them!)
6. Cottage cheese
7. Almond butter
Things I can't stand:
1. Capers
2. Risotto
3. Grainy mustard
4. Tapioca pudding
5. Beer (for the most part)
Guilty pleasure foods:
1. Mayonnaise (I've officially lived in the Deep South too long!)
2. Rold Gold Honey Wheat ("crack") pretzels
3. Haribo gummy bears (refrigerated)
Here's to living and loving my late 20s!
07 December 2010
30 November 2010
Toothsome
One of our good friends at the dog park is a dental hygenist. She is adorable, bubbly and everything you expect from a people-oriented professional. But we only interact at the park, with our canine buddies. However, as things go, the subject of teeth cleaning came up. We all had our gripes and moans about dentists (the scraping noise, the drooling...you know), but she acted as a perky reminder to shame me into flossing regularly. Even though I'm not quite to an every day floss routine yet, it's at least every other day which is a start. :-)
Supposedly, all your health starts in (and with) your mouth. You don't have to take my word for it either. The Mayo Clinic says so. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dental/DE00001
Moral of the story: brush, floss, and take care of your health!
Supposedly, all your health starts in (and with) your mouth. You don't have to take my word for it either. The Mayo Clinic says so. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dental/DE00001
Moral of the story: brush, floss, and take care of your health!
25 November 2010
Just the two of us
We spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta as is our habit. I'm lucky that J and I agree that traveling over the 4-day holiday is just stressful and not that much fun. We adopted our friends' dog from Tuesday through today, and had a houseful of black and red fur that alternately tumbled, tussled, and slept their way through the past week.
One of the advantages to staying at home for Thanksgiving is complete control over the menu. After last year's intimate Thanksgiving dinner, we ate turkey for almost a full week! We decided that, as much as it's tradition, neither of us like turkey enough to experience that again. So it was a roast chicken (lemon, white wine and rosemary) with green bean and portobello mushroom casserole, sweet potato with marshmallow, and an apple caramel crumble to top it all off! We just finished the apple crisp this afternoon, but the rest of the food was polished off yesterday for lunch. The resulting food coma was also present.
I have also discovered (in some post-thanksgiving cooking) that I love making soups! The latest few were cauliflower soup, and this evening was a sweet potato soup, after last night's dinner out inspired me with an acorn squash bisque. So creamy without much of the calories makes it a guilt-free cold winter meal!
One of the advantages to staying at home for Thanksgiving is complete control over the menu. After last year's intimate Thanksgiving dinner, we ate turkey for almost a full week! We decided that, as much as it's tradition, neither of us like turkey enough to experience that again. So it was a roast chicken (lemon, white wine and rosemary) with green bean and portobello mushroom casserole, sweet potato with marshmallow, and an apple caramel crumble to top it all off! We just finished the apple crisp this afternoon, but the rest of the food was polished off yesterday for lunch. The resulting food coma was also present.
I have also discovered (in some post-thanksgiving cooking) that I love making soups! The latest few were cauliflower soup, and this evening was a sweet potato soup, after last night's dinner out inspired me with an acorn squash bisque. So creamy without much of the calories makes it a guilt-free cold winter meal!
23 November 2010
Rips, tears, and sweet potatoes
...that's how I go through magazines!
I love to keep pages that inspire me (fashion, food, crafting, doesn't matter). As those closest to me can attest, I always have stacks of random glossy pages running around my living space. But I can honestly say that I do use them, maybe not in a very functional way, but again and again I will peruse my favorite pictures for good old inspiration purposes.
With recipes it's a lot the same way. Since we have been getting Cook's Illustrated magazine (must recommend it too!), I have increased the amount of food-related pages in my possession. But that has been where it ended. Until recently. Sometime last week - I don't remember when or why - I got the bee in my bonnet to actually start trying some of these hoarded recipes. I started off with a flourless chocolate cake for a labmate's birthday. It turned out pretty darn delicious - more dense chocolate brownie than cake, but it still disappeared. Then this weekend I found a cauliflower soup recipe that begged for the two heads of said vegetable that had been lingering in the refrigerator. It's nothing big or super complicated - onions, milk, chicken stock, cauliflower - but it was soul-satisfying and yummy. And it's kept my eyes open for the next opportunity to cook up something from a torn page.
This week, we're doing sweet potato souffle to complement the roast chicken, garlicky green beans, french onion soup and caramel apple crumble for our little Thanksgiving dinner. Not a torn out recipe, but copied from the Internets via The Kitchn. Between that and the candied sweet potato marshmallows, I might have tuber overload!
I love to keep pages that inspire me (fashion, food, crafting, doesn't matter). As those closest to me can attest, I always have stacks of random glossy pages running around my living space. But I can honestly say that I do use them, maybe not in a very functional way, but again and again I will peruse my favorite pictures for good old inspiration purposes.
With recipes it's a lot the same way. Since we have been getting Cook's Illustrated magazine (must recommend it too!), I have increased the amount of food-related pages in my possession. But that has been where it ended. Until recently. Sometime last week - I don't remember when or why - I got the bee in my bonnet to actually start trying some of these hoarded recipes. I started off with a flourless chocolate cake for a labmate's birthday. It turned out pretty darn delicious - more dense chocolate brownie than cake, but it still disappeared. Then this weekend I found a cauliflower soup recipe that begged for the two heads of said vegetable that had been lingering in the refrigerator. It's nothing big or super complicated - onions, milk, chicken stock, cauliflower - but it was soul-satisfying and yummy. And it's kept my eyes open for the next opportunity to cook up something from a torn page.
This week, we're doing sweet potato souffle to complement the roast chicken, garlicky green beans, french onion soup and caramel apple crumble for our little Thanksgiving dinner. Not a torn out recipe, but copied from the Internets via The Kitchn. Between that and the candied sweet potato marshmallows, I might have tuber overload!
21 November 2010
Some of my favorite things
As I approach the ripe old age of 28, I am taking ownership of my opinions. Not just the random thoughts on life - that's just who I am - but the littler things, like my favorite body wash, whether or not I like capers (I don't, at least the edible kind), and my diet choices. Here's the beginning of my list of those things:
1. TreSemme Curly Hair shampoo and conditioner. I love it (and the fact it's $3 for a HUGE bottle doesn't hurt either!)
2. J&J Lavender and Chamomile body wash - one of my new discoveries
3. Biore. Period. Nose strips, warming face wash, dual moisturizer. It is all fabulous.
4. Butter. Salted variety on sourdough toast is perfect.
5. Bloody mary tomato juice mix. It's the only way I like tomato juice, and a standard order on the airplane now.
6. Nail polish. As an outlet for my obsession with color.
7. Vodka. I love flavored vodka with soda water. Nice and simple.
8. Making caramel. Now that I mastered the art of the caramel, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to make it.
9. Pencil skirts and statement heels. Classics with a punch.
10. Organizing. This is no surprise to anyone who knows me. But I have come to accept it as a strength, something that is a real asset in the workplace as well as at home. I love being able to find things easily and have a place for everything.
1. TreSemme Curly Hair shampoo and conditioner. I love it (and the fact it's $3 for a HUGE bottle doesn't hurt either!)
2. J&J Lavender and Chamomile body wash - one of my new discoveries
3. Biore. Period. Nose strips, warming face wash, dual moisturizer. It is all fabulous.
4. Butter. Salted variety on sourdough toast is perfect.
5. Bloody mary tomato juice mix. It's the only way I like tomato juice, and a standard order on the airplane now.
6. Nail polish. As an outlet for my obsession with color.
7. Vodka. I love flavored vodka with soda water. Nice and simple.
8. Making caramel. Now that I mastered the art of the caramel, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to make it.
9. Pencil skirts and statement heels. Classics with a punch.
10. Organizing. This is no surprise to anyone who knows me. But I have come to accept it as a strength, something that is a real asset in the workplace as well as at home. I love being able to find things easily and have a place for everything.
20 November 2010
Flash mob!
A few weeks ago one of my friends from my (long abandoned) dance scene here in Atlanta posted about needing a dance partner for this "flash mob" thing that was going on. Somehow I decided to volunteer, and now we are "spontaneously" dancing in the middle of Atlantic Station this afternoon!
The idea and choreography were first started by Damon and Lisa D'Amico (of Houston, TX west coast swing fame!!!). I guess I can't escape my roots. :-)
Here is the link to the Houston flash mob event. Look for videos from this afternoon coming soon too!
The idea and choreography were first started by Damon and Lisa D'Amico (of Houston, TX west coast swing fame!!!). I guess I can't escape my roots. :-)
Here is the link to the Houston flash mob event. Look for videos from this afternoon coming soon too!
18 November 2010
Bioethics and other political hot buttons
Last night J and I attended what was supposed to be a dialogue on Bioethics from the chair and vice chair of Obama's Bioethics committee. These leaders happened to be the president of U. Pennsylvania, and the president of Emory, respectively, which was why we had gotten invited to attend. We were both excited to hear what these scholars were going to say on sticky bioethical issues that affect our research and our field.
The biggest disappointment was realizing that they had no intention of actually discussing facts and debating issues for the benefit of the audience. In sum, they barely touched on any bioethical issue and spent the better part of 80minutes lauding each other for the outstanding roles the schools play in leading this discussion and engaging their student bodies in ethical awareness. Bluntly put, we listened to an hour of political posturing and self-gratifying blather.
Community members who we schmoozed with at the reception beforehand were not in the field at all but were curious to hear informed opinions and arguments on these hot button issues which stay in the very near subsurface of all bio-related research and clinical trials. For non-scientists who don't get exposed to pertinent facts and opinions about these issues (or maybe don't know how to seek them out), presenting clear and direct arguments based on scientific evidence is crucial to their ability to make an informed decision about any bioethical issue. We, as scientists in this community also have an obligation to play better PR for our research. Half of opposition comes from a lack of understanding by the community we serve, and that is definitely at least half our fault.
This committee, however, missed a huge opportunity to play an advocate role for these factual, informed and civil discussions before they are interrupted by political, religious or other interests. What better way to change society than to set an example? If I could tell the chair and vice chair only one thing, I would tell them to spend time discussing issues rather than padding their egos.
The biggest disappointment was realizing that they had no intention of actually discussing facts and debating issues for the benefit of the audience. In sum, they barely touched on any bioethical issue and spent the better part of 80minutes lauding each other for the outstanding roles the schools play in leading this discussion and engaging their student bodies in ethical awareness. Bluntly put, we listened to an hour of political posturing and self-gratifying blather.
Community members who we schmoozed with at the reception beforehand were not in the field at all but were curious to hear informed opinions and arguments on these hot button issues which stay in the very near subsurface of all bio-related research and clinical trials. For non-scientists who don't get exposed to pertinent facts and opinions about these issues (or maybe don't know how to seek them out), presenting clear and direct arguments based on scientific evidence is crucial to their ability to make an informed decision about any bioethical issue. We, as scientists in this community also have an obligation to play better PR for our research. Half of opposition comes from a lack of understanding by the community we serve, and that is definitely at least half our fault.
This committee, however, missed a huge opportunity to play an advocate role for these factual, informed and civil discussions before they are interrupted by political, religious or other interests. What better way to change society than to set an example? If I could tell the chair and vice chair only one thing, I would tell them to spend time discussing issues rather than padding their egos.
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