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Saturday, October 23, 2010

kauai: a vacation from my vacation

i just spent a most excellent week on the island of kauai, visiting w/ one of my favorite ladies on earth -- the one and only niki otero. woohoo!


niki is, no doubt, the hostess w/ the mostest. read: 8 nights and days of island rambling in the infamous "red dragon", up cool green mountains and across sandy beaches, riding surf, paddling rivers, campfire jamming, volleyball spanking, wild fruit foraging, hearty home/camp cooking, hangin' w/ rad peeps, climbing waterfalls, drinking sunshine, and sippin' tasty, cool libations all along the way. Pure joy.

the red dragon will take you there

waimea canyon

riverside camp in koke'e state park

our friend, jameson (he brings the party)

paddling upriver to the falls

kilauea falls

a princess of a dog named kaya

mediterranean feast


kava on the go


i'm not surprised that i missed my flight back to oahu, and thank god, cuz i would've missed a crazy night of dancing w/ dj mark farina!   i think i'm recharged.

the lovely niki
love you niki!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

my sister, the wacky cakestress

this post is in honor of my big sis, SARAH, for today is her birthday.



 she's got moxy and mad creativity and has been dabbling w/ art over the years.  just this year, though, it seems she has found the perfect vehicle for her artistic expression, and which brings in some money, too.  so now she has her cake and can eat it too... literally. 


yes.  she started up a cake business, called "LET THEM EAT CAKE" and her designs are limitless.  seriously, i'm floored every time she posts a new pic of one of her cakes on fbook.  check out her page, and if you live anywhere near southern ohio, hit her up for your next cake-eating occasion.



love you sista.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!  and big ups on the big talent.  xo



(here's a sneak peek of her stuff ;)
"jamaican me crazy"



wedding cakes

kids' cakes (mater, from cars)

cakes for a cause

scream

baby showers
http://www.letthemeatcake.cc/

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

asian fix

i can't even say how much i miss the food in korea but, somehow, i haven't even attempted preparing anything korean since i've been back. last night, though, there was a sudden asian inspiration in the kitchen, which resulted in a satisfying meal of unagi & veggie maki and gyoza (w/ an herbed potatoey filling) w/ stir-fried arugula on the side. that's what i'm talkin' about.

take time to smell the roses

my housemate, jason, works w/ both taro & flowers (heliconias and gingers, primarily). he sells them by the stem, in a bundle, or in an arrangement. it's a wonderful art and i had my first go at it the other day. behold, my first flower arrangement.
it's not too bad, if i do say so myself.  (and, yes, that is a portrait of reagan on the wall, in case you're wondering ;)


here are a few flower quotes for your enjoyment :)

*Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

*The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers. ~Basho

*The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks. ~Tennessee Williams

*When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. ~Chinese Proverb

*Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. ~The Koran

*We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses. ~Abraham Lincoln

*In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends. ~Kozuko Okakura

lilikoi lemon bars

it's was an overcast sunday and i came back from my drizzly morning walk around the farm with 6 lilikoi (passion fruit) in hand.  while juicing them, i got the idea to put that tart, tangy liquid into lemon bars.  so i found a basic recipe and added in the lilikoi juice.  here's the recipe:  

Lilikoi Lemon Bars

Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lilikoi/lemon juice (i used about 3/4 c lilikoi & 1/4 lemon juice)
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar (which i didn't have, but oh well).

yummers. 

birth of chocolate

i planted a bunch of cacao pods a couple of weeks ago and they all started popping over the last few days.  this is what the first leaf of a cacao tree looks like.  a bit erotic, dontcha think?  ;)