It makes me happy that this is a thing out in the world!
It makes me happy that this is a thing out in the world!
There is a bit of summer left before school starts. Why not pile in the car and go? Here are some links to help you get going.
10 Tips to remember when road tripping from Rachel Khoo Rachel went on a research trip in France for her new book.
Get the App! Roadtrippers
The 1909 Road Trip That Proved Women Could Drive
7 of the World’s Craziest Roads
Top 10 Funniest Movie Road Trips (NSFW)
Finally, no road trip would be complete without a dog-eared copy of this on your dash board.
photo courtesy of Tumblr
It’s another recipe I learned as a youngster dining out with my grandparents. My Grandpa loved to order this. Of course half the fun of doing so was the waiter wheeled his little cart up to your table and performed a fancy show of making the salad.
Caesar Salad
1 large head, Romaine Lettuce.
Wash and pat dry the lettuce and separate the individual leaves. Cut the larger outside leaves in half length-wise.
Set aside.
For the croutons:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
4 cups day old Baguette or Ciabatta Bread.
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Slice the bread into large chunks. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt and pepper.
Bake it the oven until golden brown and crispy. About 10-15 minutes.
Cool and set aside until time to make your salad.
For the dressing:
1 large whole clove Garlic (peeled)
3 Anchovies
Pepper (to taste)
1 Egg Yolk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.
1/2 cup Olive Oil.
3/4 cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
Traditionally this is made in a large wooden bowl. You don’t have to but, I do because I love to pretend I’m a fancy waiter.
Cut the garlic in half and rub it all around the bottom of the bowl. With the back of a large spoon crush the anchovies and the rest of the garlic into a paste. Add the egg yolk and whisk until light and creamy. Add the lemon juice and then very slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking briskly. You might not need all of the olive oil. Add pepper to taste.
The dressing should be well emulsified and stable. If not, throw in a teaspoon of mustard and whisk like crazy.
To Assemble the Salad:
You can choose to the leave the romaine lettuce whole or tear in up into bite sized chunks.
Add the lettuce and croutons to the bowl, toss gently with the dressing. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss gently again.
Serve immediately.
Not only is this salad brilliant along side roasted chicken but, it classes up delivery pizza!
Bonus! Fancy waiter photo from NYC trip!
Joanna Goddard has an amazing site devoted to motherhood, travel, fashion, design and female wellness. She has wonderful insight into navigating modern womanhood.
Lately, she’s been writing a fascinating series featuring American mothers living abroad, their stories, and what joy and challenges parenting in different cultures bring. As a Western mother, I thought these perspectives were eye opening.
Two years in the making, Simon Christen presents his “love letter to the fog of the San Francisco bay area.” It’s a truly inspiring work!
The rules around here are, that you get whatever you want for dinner on your birthday. Sometimes it’s a challenge to pull it off, because when I say anything I really mean anything. Seafood feast in January? Sure! All day Escargot while in Paris? Uh, okay!
Fried chicken with all the soul food accompaniments? Yes, of course dear!
Oh crap, what IS soul food?
Happily, it wasn’t hard to figure out.
I used this recipe for the fried chicken. It was so good!
My own recipe for the Cheesy Grits.
I bought the Mac & Cheese.
I’m the most proud however, of the Collard Greens!
It took some research and testing but I’m very pleased with my version.
Southern Style Collard Greens
4 bunches Fresh Collard Greens (about 8 cups chopped)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large Sweet Onion
1 tablespoon Peppercorns
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
2 cups Vegetable Stock
3-4 cups Water
2 Smoked Ham Hocks
2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
Slice the onion and saute in the olive oil in a big pot over medium high for about 10 minutes or until it’s soft. Add the peppercorns, crushed red pepper, vegetable stock and ham hocks to the pot. Add enough water so the ham hocks are almost covered. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours.
After the stock is finished, remove the ham hocks and remove as much meat as you can. Chop the meat into bite sized pieces and return it to the pot. Bring the stock to a boil uncovered for approximately 10-15 mins, reducing by about half.
Wash and chop the collard greens into rough 2 inch strips. Discard the very end of the stem where it’s the thickest.
Add the greens to the pot and stir until they are wilted some. Add the lemon juice.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes.
When the cooking time is done add the vinegar and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with your soul food birthday meal. Oh, don’t forget the grape Kool-aid!
city surf
Deep thinking about the nature of the 24 hour, non-stop lifestyle City Dark
Amazing art turning city streets and buildings into fantasy landscapes
Mayeul Akpovi captures Paris’ frenetic pace in this great stop motion film.
New York City painted by Janet Ternoff.
Ms. Ternoff is a self-taught artist living and working in New York. She creates realist-style cityscapes paintings in oil. Most of her works are New York City scenes.
Traveling means asking your wardrobe to do double duty. Pack versatile pieces and let the accessories do their work to move a simple romper or sheath dress from day to evening.
Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse #9) by Charlaine Harris
The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.
Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? by Thomas Kohnstamm
For those who think that travel guidebooks are the gospel truth. The debauched adventures of the best and worst travel writer ever.
From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse #8) by Charlaine Harris
It’s clear that things are changing whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie, Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community is caught up in the changes.
What have you read lately? Join me on Goodreads!
This is a summertime staple around here. It’s cooling, light and easy to make. That, my friends, is perfection during these hot days!
Melon & Mint Salad
1 Cantaloupe
1 Honey Dew Mellon
1 cup Fresh Berries (your choice)
Fresh Mint (finely chopped)
Peel and dice the melons into bite sized chunks and place into a large bowl. Add the berries and mint.
For the Mint Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Sugar
1 bunch Fresh Mint (about 10 leaves)
2 tablespoons Pernod (optional)
Mix the water and sugar in a small sauce pan and place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Boil for about 2-3 more minutes then take the pan off the heat. Add the mint leaves and allow to steep (like tea)
Allow the syrup to cool completely then take out the mint leaves.
Add the Pernod to the mixture.
Pour the mint simple syrup over the melon salad and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Kathleen Rear 