Family Brunch

Who invited the little lion?

Nap Time

Service Industry Fun

Last night, a man off the street walked up to one of our tables and started yelling at our customers about how people should not dye dogs' hair. These people did not have a dog, or hair dye from what I could tell, and they were naturally confused. We tried to politely usher him away, and he got very angry and called us some mean names. Our feelings were hurt, we felt bad for our customers, and I wondered what got him thinking about dyed dog hair.

I mean, I agree with him- dye, no. Tattoos, yes. I also think: Grown women do not belong on razor scooters, Peonies are not out of style (as the lady at the plant store told me today, bitch), and Pine State Biscuits should deliver.

I wonder what else that guy thinks about and yells at people for??

This Was Not My Idea

I know, EEWWWW!!!

But seriously, I am so excited about what you are looking at here. It's aspic (and a lot of fat and bits stuck to the sides of the pot), and then it's aspic in ice cube trays. Horray!
"But why?", You might be wondering.

I'll tell you why. My friend and Captain, Sous Chef Will gave me this idea. I made the aspic by accident. I was making a stock with the lamb and duck bones from the cassoulet, and did not have time to make an actual soup with the stock. So I put it in the fridge, and the next day it was a meat jelly (apparently this means I did a good job and used really great hearty bones.) But then another day passed and I started to worry that my meat jelly would go to waste, and so I asked Will what to do. He suggested that I put the aspic in ice cube trays, freeze it, remove the cubes from the tray and put them into a plastic bag for easy frozen storage. And then, whenever I am making fancy sauce or whatever I can just take a few cubes out and I'm ready to go! This is so exciting to me that I almost have butterflies over aspic cubes. Or I drank too much coffee. Either way- I am thrilled.

From The Garden

The race is on- will I cook these beets or allow them to wilt away in the crisper for weeks? OR, will I both let them wilt away in the crisper AND THEN cook them?

God knows I love questionable food.

It's What's For Lunch

With my fancy mayonnaise I made a delicious lunch salad. Here is the recipe:

Chickpea Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes and Tuna
1 can chickpeas
1 can tuna
1 large heirloom tomato (black krim)
5 sprigs of parsley
1/4 cup homemade mayonnaise, maybe more, maybe less (depends on how nuts you are)
s+p to taste

Rinse and drain chickpeas and tuna. Mix with mayonnaise. Chop up parsley and tomato, combine with tuna and chickpeas. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread!

I can't decide what to do with the rest of the mayonnaise- maybe a cake?

Mayonnaise, Make Your Own

It's easy and not a little bit gross the way store bought mayo is- its silky, olivey, lemony, and somehow seems healthier even though it has a much thicker and more luxurious texture.

3 egg yolks
2 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

It is important with this recipe that you use good olive oil. You can really taste it in the end, so if if sucks and/or is rancid, everyone will know and judge you.

Whip the yolks until they are creamy and light yellow, about 2 minutes. I used a whisk and sweated, out of breath, whilst standing right next to my standing mixer. Why? Because I'm intense like that. Whisk in lemon juice and salt. Add a few drops of oil and beat it like mad. Then a few more drops. Then a few more. Then, go for it. Add big splashes of oil, whisking the whole while. I added a little more juice and salt (to taste) for flair at the end. There you have it! Store it in a cute jar for a week. Have you ever seen a more perfect shade of yellow?