the most wonderful time of year?

I love the the holiday season, but not everything about it. I love the falling temperatures and the first snow (obviously, I'm not referring to California). I love seasonal flavors, like pumpkin and eggnog and gingerbread. I love Christmas decorations and Christmas music. I love baking candy cane cookies and gingerbread people. Despite my love for the holiday season, let me tell you what I hate: I hate the fact that this is the only time of year when we care about poor people.

That's right, the holiday season is the only time of year when we pretend to care about poor people. And I hate that. For some reason, we think it's tragic when poor people don't have a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. Just the other day, I got something in the mail asking me to donate money so that poor people could eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Last I checked, people are hungry year round, and multiple times a day. Yet, we don't care when it's not the last Thursday in November or December 25th. On all the other days of the year, we think that the poor are lazy and deserve the hand they are dealt. But for some reason, we feel really bad if they miss out on holiday meals.

Other evidence that we only care about poor people during the holiday season: Salvation Army bell ringers. Apparently, donations during the holiday season are acceptable. It's okay to help out the poor during the month of December. Otherwise, they should be left to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, right?

And finally, here's more evidence that we only care about poor people during the holiday season: toy drives. We're okay with children who lack food, clothing, and other basic essentials at other times of the year, but damn it, they better have a toy on Christmas Day.

I don't hate poor people, really I don't. I just despise that our individualistic, meritocratic society extends its generosity only during the month of December. I would prefer that we care about poor people during the other eleven months, but that's not in the spirit of American laissez faire society. So for now, I guess that a superficial generosity for one month out of the year is better than nothing. But I still don't like it.

griffith park, hot dogs, and baking bread

Last weekend was an eventful one. On Saturday, Drew and I went up to LA to check out Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory. It's kind of like Central Park, except that I actually liked Central Park. Anyway, because I've decided to be a tourist while I'm here (I don't plan to return after grad school), I'm making sure to hit up all the recommended attractions. Hence, the trip to Griffith Park. I like parks, really I do, and I like hiking. But I don't think that hiking in Griffith Park constitutes real hiking. Not when I can still see LA and not when I can look down and see roads and tennis courts. Nevertheless, it was nice to be outside and have a nice walk.

Look! Flowers grow in November here!

Anyway, Drew and I went up to the Griffith Observatory, walked around a bit, and enjoyed the view.

I'm not going to lie; the view was nice and it was cool to look out over LA.

After that, we headed over to Pink's, which is like a Hollywood legend, and waited for about an hour for their famous hot dogs. (Of course, I've already yelped about it) Pink's is overrated and not worth the long wait, but the food satisfies salty junk food cravings.

So Drew has decided that he wants to bake bread, and that's just what he did on Sunday. By the way, what is it about men and bread baking? He is the 3rd guy that I know of who has decided to learn. I know no women who bake bread. I went through a bread baking phase about 5 years ago, but it was short lived. I was never really dedicated to it; after all, I didn't get the baking stone and pizza peel. Here are the before shots:

And here is the after shot:

The bread was good and seemed pretty easy to make. He is using the book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, whose recipes don't require kneading (Is kneading a real turnoff in bread making? I kind of like it). The 5 minutes refers to the prep time, not the resting or baking time. The recipes make multiple loaves, so the extra dough can sit in your fridge for up to 14 days. I hope he makes me a baguette next.

pie-atus

I've decided to take a pie-atus. It's been two weeks since I've made pie. After the pecan and the pumpkin pie, what was left? I was getting the hang of pie crust, and I needed a break to bake some cookies and such. I can't favor pie; it's not fair to the cookies, the muffins, and the cupcakes. During the pie-atus, I baked pumpkin whoopie pies, banana muffins, and ginger cranberry bars. I made cranberry applesauce. I even gave Drew a baking tutorial and so far, he's made devil dogs and snickerdoodles, treasured family recipes.

I will soon return to the pie. I plan to bake a real pumpkin pie, meaning that I'm going to get sugar pumpkins and extract the pulp. I'm also going to give pecan pie another go. And, the other day, I was at the public library, and I checked out two pie cookbooks. I'm a little weary of both of them; one is called Perfect Apple Pie: 100 Delicious and Decidedly Different Recipes for America's Favorite Pie and the other is Pie: 300 Tried and True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie. I don't trust either cookbook, and I've barely cracked them open. Seriously, how many variations of apple pie do we really need? Both cookbooks violate my personal cookbook rule: I don't believe in purchasing cookbooks that boast 100, 200, or even 500 recipes.

It is my belief that when a cookbook claims to have like 300 pie recipes, all it means is that the author failed to edit out the bad ones. Then I'm left guessing which ones are truly good and which ones are mediocre. If I wanted a subpar pie, I'd do an internet search and take my chances on the first recipe that pops up. Plus, cookbooks with way too many recipes have so many variations and weird combinations, it seems like the authors are just searching for ways to reach some magic number. Is it just me, or does Apricot-Mango Pie with Coconut Crumb Topping sound like way too many flavor combinations that it can't possibly be good? Or how about Blueberry-Peach Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping? Or Caramel-Coffee Hazelnut Pie? I think you catch my drift. You're probably wondering why I bothered to check out these cookbooks. Maybe there will be a few recipes worth trying out. I'll let you know.

On a positive note that is completely unrelated to pies but related to cookbooks, you have to try Get Saucy: Make Dinner a New Way Every Day with Simple Sauces, Marinades, Glazes, Dressings, Pestos, Pasta Sauces, Salsas, and More by Grace Parisi. You won't be sorry. Drew borrowed his mom's copy, and well, let's just say that we're going to have to purchase her a new one. So far, we've made alfredo sauce, honey mustard barbeque sauce, sesame ginger stir-fry sauce, sweet and sour sauce, ginger-orange stir-fry sauce, fried ginger stir-fry sauce. Sauces are so easy, and they really make the meal.

"surprises" in the news

You're not going to like what I'm about to say, but I'm saying it anyway. The UC regents approved a 32% increase in student fees, so tuition at a UC will increase to approximately $10,300. Knowing that the economy is what it is, and that the UCs are simply following a national trend, I don't think this increase is nearly the tragedy or atrocity that some may believe it to be.

I took a quick look at tuition rates at public universities in different regions throughout the US and this is what I found (all rates are for in-state residents). A year at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus will cost $9120. Tuition at the University of Connecticut is $7632. A year at the University of South Carolina at Columbia will set you back $8756. The University of Texas at Austin has a tuition scale by school major ranging from $10,118 (liberal arts) to $10,801 (social work). And let's not forget a school in the Pacific Northwest- a year at the University of Washington at Seattle costs $7692.

Considering that practically everything is more expensive in California compared to the rest of the country, I'm not surprised that the cost of a public college education is catching up. What else do you expect in an individualistic, meritocratic society that views college education as a privilege, not a right? I'm not going to look for the statistics or crunch any numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of a public education is somehow proportionate to the state GDP. I'm not bothered by the tuition increase because everything costs more in California. I pay $584 a month to rent one bedroom in a 2 bedroom apartment. And that's with subsidized, on campus graduate student housing. In Minneapolis, I paid $367 to rent one bedroom in a 3 bedroom house. I know someone right now who is paying $750 for a 3 bedroom townhouse in Virginia (that's for the entire townhouse). I think you can see my point here.

I have to say something else that you're not going to like. A couple weeks ago, there was a shooting at Fort Hood, an army base in Texas. Thirteen people died, and 30 were wounded. The shooter was an army psychiatrist who was about to be deployed to Iraq. I do not in any way condone violence, and I realize that this was a tragedy, but I'm just not that surprised. The military is an institution that embodies the belief that conflict can be solved with violence, bombs, force, and death. When faced with a problem that cannot be solved diplomatically, force and violence are acceptable means of resolution. Under some circumstances, war is acceptable, even justified. This is the message that the military represents.

So, now we have an army psychiatrist conflicted and opposed to a deployment that he does not want. Is it any surprise that he turns to violence as a means to resolve his problem? Isn't this consistent with the message that the military sends?

on reading

When I was young, I went to the public library nearly every weekend. I have fond memories of reading, looking for new books, and being consumed with an interesting story. My parents encouraged my reading and they let me read whatever I wanted to read. In fact, this is probably when I developed a love for reading. Since then, my taste in reading has changed. I have exchanged fiction for non-fiction, but I find that I still make weekly or bi-monthly trips to the public library. Over the summer, I discovered the Newport Beach Public Library, thanks to the newfound freedom that comes with purchasing a car. It might sound a bit odd; I spend my days reading academic books and articles, and then I curl up with a non-academic book most evenings.

I've gone through phases with books. Before I came to grad school, I read quasi-academic stuff about reproductive rights, the Supreme Court, and women's rights in my free time. Now, I rarely read books about women's rights or political science in my free time. Instead, I read books about food, cooking, history, and other social science-y topics.

I went through a Bill Bryson phase late in the spring and throughout the summer. Bryson is a humorous travel writer, and I devoured A Walk in the Woods; I'm a Stranger Here Myself; and The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America. I am also going through a foodie phase, reading lots of books with cooking, baking, and eating anecdotes. I recently read Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone; Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen; and Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise. When I returned from my second trip to D.C. and fresh off a visit to Ford's Theatre, I went through a Lincoln assassination phase. I read Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer and The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln.

As you can see, I tend not to read a lot of fiction. I've tried to embrace fiction, really I have. I went through a Jane Austen phase and really tried to enjoy Pride and Prejudice, but I got bored after about 100 pages. (perhaps Austen isn't the best place to start when attempting to embrace fiction?) I have an old friend from college who is well read in the "classics," and I always envied her persistence and ability to read these books. She always sounded so smart and well versed when she talked about them. A few months ago, one friend mentioned that she was taking another crack at the Brothers Karamazov, and the other lamented how bored he felt when trying to read the same book. Me? I'm not even going to try.

It seems like high school literature classes misdirect their reading lists. I might be off base here, but I'm not sure any student will develop an appreciation or enjoyment of reading by having Shakespeare shoved down their throats. When I was in high school, I remember being bored with Shakespeare, The Grapes of Wrath, A Tale of Two Cities, and The Crucible. (I know there were more, but I can't remember them.) I once read that one in four adults read no books last year. One in four. Maybe high school is too blame, maybe not, but I don't see how my life has benefited from the exposure to the "classics." And hey, this is purely anecdotal, but I think I turned out just fine.

So, I'm okay with not knowing the difference between Hamlet and Macbeth. I don't feel bad that I don't know what happens to the guy who implores you to call him Ismael. And if I can't remember which times were the best and which times were the worst, then I'm okay with that too. These days, I'm reading a couple books about cooking anecdotes and an autobiography about a plus-size model. Oh, and I'm learning about blood diamonds too. I can't wait to tell you about that book. Stay tuned.

melting pot

The BF and I splurged on fondue at the Melting Pot last weekend. Here is what I had to say on yelp.

year 4

With all of the baking, the yelping, the baseball, the crocheting, my summertime discovery of the Newport Beach Public Library, and other random excursions, you have got to be wondering if I'm still in grad school or how I have time to even be in grad school. Rest assured, I'm still here, and in case you're keeping track, I started my fourth year about six weeks ago.

I'm not taking classes anymore, a moment that I have been awaiting for about the past year and a half. I'm TAing for Constitutional Law: Individual Liberties for the dean of the law school, a constitutional law god. I'm enjoying the freedom that comes from not taking classes, and I like working on my own papers instead of being responsible for weekly readings, reaction papers, and course papers for classes that are sometimes not useful. I've heard that some students face the difficulty of staying motivated and disciplined once they finish classes, but I think I'm handling the unstructured quarter pretty well so far. I'm doing a lot of reading, looking for a dissertation topic and figuring out where I fit in. I've found a home in public law, and it seems like a good fit and a good way to study women's rights, gender, race, and women's sexuality.

So there you have it. I'm staying busy, but mostly productive. I'll let you know when something more interesting happens.

pumpkin pie

I love fall, the holiday season, and all the seasonal flavors associated with this time of year. Starbucks and Peet's have barely rolled out their seasonal lattes, and I've already had my fill of pumpkin spice lattes and gingerbread lattes. Eggnog isn't in the grocery store yet, but I've already picked up a bottle of apple cider. Did I already mention that I love this time of year? All that's missing is cold weather, winter coats, and of course, snow.

After the pecan pie fiasco last weekend, I took a stab at pumpkin pie today. I don't think I've told you how much I absolutely love pumpkin pie. When October rolls around, I crave it. When I lived in New York City, I had two friends who shared my enthusiasm and love for pumpkin pie. We used to buy a pie and whipped cream, split it three ways and indulge ourselves in the pumpkin-y goodness.

Baking pumpkin pie is a lot easier said than done. Let me tell you, it is a challenge. Pretty much the only reason that I decided to learn to bake pie is so that I can bake my own seasonal pies, and so far, those have been the most challenging. I made the crust and the filling with no trouble at all, and the difficulty arose during the baking time (I blame my low quality oven). Anyway, the baking time was for about an hour, but the filling refused to set so I baked the pie for about an hour and a half. It came out dark, still a little jiggly, and the edges were burnt.

Despite my initial disappointment in the pie's appearance, it actually turned out pretty good. I'm not going to lie to you; I'm eating my second piece right now as I blog. The crust is a tad bit too done and a touch crispy, but it's not burnt. It's not too bad. The filling is heavenly. It is a conglomeration of creamy, pumpkin-y goodness chock full of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and a hint of lemon zest. It melts in my mouth and glides down my throat. It is a wonderful contrast to the buttery, flaky crust.

Even though I had some trouble with the baking, this is my favorite pie. Maybe that's just because I love pumpkin pie. It's not too sweet, and no single flavor overpowers the pie. Every spice melds together with the pumpkin, and the result is simply satisfying.

magic lamp

This weekend, Drew and I headed up to Long Beach and ate at the Magic Lamp. Check out my yelp review.

the omelette parlor

I am home with a cold right now, just a cold, and hopefully not H1N1. (By the way, it's not induced by Halloween, in case you were wondering.) I'm not getting a lot done, but I did manage to yelp about a recent trip to the Omelette Parlor.

bourbon chocolate pecan pie

It is the day after Halloween, so I guess this means that holiday season is here. I adore the holiday season, and I've already gotten a jumpstart on indulging in pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider. Since it is officially November, I decided to shift away from the fruit pies and into the seasonal pies. After all, part of the reason that I have made it my mission to bake good pie is so that I can bake my own pumpkin and pecan pies. (And, I'm a little bored in the baking department, and I needed a new challenge.)

I had another baking fiasco today. The good news is that I think I'm getting the hang of pie crust. I might be getting good at it. I no longer need to give myself a pre pie crust pep talk, and I no longer need to coax or cajole the dough into the pie dish. And, there are no obscenities anymore. So, the pie crust is coming along, and I'm even thinking about experimenting with different recipes.

Today I made a Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, a recipe I dug up on the Food Network website, courtesy of Emeril. I toasted some pecans and put them in the pie dish. Then I mixed corn syrup, melter butter, eggs, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar and poured the mixture into the shell. Like magic, the pecans rose to the top. Then I baked the pie, but I had some trouble. The filling refused to set, so I had to give the pie extra baking time. Well, the extra time compromised the quality of my crust. I used a pie protector to protect the edge, but the crust burned anyway. And the pie got really dark on top. After pulling the pie from the oven, I poured bourbon over the top and let it penetrate the pie. I made a chocolate ganache (is that redundant?) and spread that over the top of the pie.

I read somwehere that the average person puts on about 7 pounds during the holiday season. Now I know why. This pie was very, very rich. It wasn't very good, and that had nothing to do with the overcooked and burnt crust. The chocolate was simply overpowering and completely dominated the pie. It was kind of like eating hot fudge ice cream topping laced with pecans. (I've never done such a thing, but this is how I imagine it to be) I might be able to salvage the pie if I scrape off the layer of offending chocolate and bypass the crust.

I'll try my hand at pecan pie in a few weeks, but in the meantime, I'll give pumpkin pie a go.

operation chocolate chip cookie: trial 18

I bet you forgot all about my quest to bake the best chocolate chip cookie, so let it be known that the search is still on. We have a guest pastry chef for this latest trial: Drew. Last week, he made a batch from a family recipe, Chocolate Chip Crispers. I will have you know that he made these cookies with minimal assistance from myself. (all I did was measure the pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut)

The secret ingredient in these cookies is Rice Krispies. Since the cereal doesn't really have much of a flavor, its value lies in the crunch factor. The Rice Krispies give the cookies texture and crunch, yet the cookie is still soft and chewy. So you get the best of both worlds; crunchiness and chewiness without actually having a hard, crisp cookie.

These cookies are chock full of flavor. The dough contains coconut, coconut extract, and pecans. Drew divided the dough in half and added either butterscotch chips or chocolate chips to each half. I can't decide which version I like better. The chocolate chips are truer to the original cookie, but the butterscotch chips are a nice twist. These cookies are so sweet that it is almost like eating candy. I really enjoyed the creative take on an old classic.