I just ruined the picture on my brain's plasma tv.

Just wanted to do a quick post to let everyone know that I am indeed still alive and cooking (but it's definitely getting harder, more on that later). These past few weeks have seen the departure of the beloved/hated flair, the completion of insulation and electrical (minus lighting) and the tearing down of a few walls (some literal, some metaphorical...). Mames and I have been pretty busy and most nights it seems like it is tough just to make it through dinner without our faces falling into our plates. however, for the first time since we started remodeling, it feels like we are finally starting to make some real progress.

anyway, this is a food blog about food so: the salad above is a sort of ramshackle cobb salad. This one had all the traditional stuff minus the eggs and blue cheese (chicken, bacon, avocado, grunions, and tomatoes. made a roasted walnut dressing. was delicious. I had smoked a pork shoulder earlier in the week and had gotten about 7.5 pounds of meat off of that sucker, so I froze some of it and made some cassoulet with the rest. click here for method. next pic is fish tacos. I used some wolf fish for these. I'm not sure what this fish even looks like...perhaps a quick google image search is in order, hold on...OH.MY.GOODNESS!! Why the deuce is open harvest selling me meat from demonic water dwelling gremlins!?!?!?!?! if you dare...click to see wolf fish here or here or here. Now I just feel awful. I was just about to say that they were fabulous but now I feel all sorts of violated. I always like to pretend that everything I eat is always either faceless or super cute.the other pic is just beef stew. I feel ok about beef stew. Man. I am still a little shaken up from that picture. well, I have to go now. with any luck I'll catch a teletubbies marathon or at least some gabba gabba...

DISH recommends:

NOT CLICKING ON THOSE WOLF-FISH PICS. (if you did...I'm sorry. I just thought, you know, solidarity and whatnot. If enough of us clicked, maybe we could start a support group or something...)

I honestly doubt that Zeus ever ate "ambrosia" salad...

Made a salad with my garden greens, had it with some tuna (packed in olive oil), boiled tates, parsley, and cherry tomos.  Served it with a pomegranate vin and seeded pain de campagne (new killer bread at the bakery, only in taste, you'll survive eating it, I promise)

the middle dish was cinnamon, honey, and raisin brioche french toast with fried bananas and maple syrup.  yums.

last was  "elken von Kaiser."  Yeah, I know that's a made up germanesque name (because i made it up, duh) but I thought it sounded very german, which is exactly what I was going for.  anyway, elk sausages, red cabbage, and potatoes, braised in beer.  Could you get more german? Maybe, but not without some Lederhosen.

ok, going to keep it short, have too much to do today, want recipes?  just ask:)

pieces.

I was wondering if I could...

 Borrow the car?  Take you out to dinner? Ask you for a kidney even though you only have one? Well, the answer will be a big, fat YES if you serve this salad beforehand!

Tomato season is almost here!  I have quite a few green tomatoes on my plant, and am getting really excited.  one of my favorite things to do with them is make this salad.  Avocado is the base and is topped with diced tomatoes and bacon and then scallions that have been flash fried in the rendered bacon fat.  A scattering of nice sea salt and cracked pepper really rounds out the salad.  The "dressing"  is just two-thirds balsamic vinegar and one third pomegranate juice that has been reduced to a thin syrup consistency.  This is an old picture but I was checking out my tomatoes the other day and thinking about this.  Cilantro chiffonade would also be a nice addition.

I am planning on pulling my lettuces and broccoli rabe this week and replanting some arugula and kale.  I want to make something with lentils and linguica this week, and also Amy and I will be making cupcakes soon!  Today, I am smoking a pork shoulder on account of my parents being here (I heart smoking meat), and will probably make some delicious coleslaw also.

lots to do today so I had better get a move on.  still need to do some bike maintenance, yard work, work out, and exercise the dog (his body, not his demons).  peace.