Anali's First Amendment

You Tart!!!

2009-11-20T19:21:00.002-05:00

Tart sure has a lot of definitions. For this post's purposes, we'll stick with one: "A pastry shell with shallow sides, no top crust, and any of various fillings."

Last weekend I decided to bake my first tart. A few weeks before, I had picked up a copy of the October issue of Lola. It's a cute little pocketbook sized free magazine that you can find in the Boston area. I still need to grab this month's copy, which is the food issue.

Lola was launched in 2007 by Boston Globe Media and is a nice little publication. It's described as "a lifestyle magazine aimed at women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s." I fit their target for a few more years. Then I guess I just drop off into the ether. Oh well.

I do enjoy it for now. At least some of the content appears to be repackaged from The Boston Globe and Boston.com, where I found the online version of the recipe that I tried.

So back to the recipe. The original is a Chocolate Pine-Nut Tart. And such pretty pictures of it too!

This was my first time using my tart pan. I got it years ago and kept planning to use it, but it just never happened.

I don't know why I was suddenly so inspired by this recipe, but something clicked. Maybe because I also remembered that I still had really good Sharffen Berger chocolate from the BlogHer conference. Good chocolate is always an inspiration!

I made several changes to the recipe. Like usual, I used Smart Balance instead of butter. I don't normally keep cream in the house, so instead I used half vanilla rice milk and half Nestle Coffee-Mate Italian Sweet Crème. For the filling, instead of using one egg, I used the two left over egg whites. I'm not a huge fan of pine nuts in a dessert, so instead I sprinked the top of the tart with 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut.

The recipe isn't difficult to make, but there is some waiting involved. For those of you who have seen me on twitter, you know that I'm a real night owl. I started baking this late and didn't realize that I should have started earlier.

The tart crust went well, but I had to refrigerate it for 30 minutes and bake it for 15 minutes before adding the filling to bake the final tart. When I poured on the filling, it started dripping out the bottom of the pan. I couldn't believe it! I had to grab the tart pan and put it on a cookie sheet to bake it.

Well, the tart came out okay, but I don't think that I'll be rushing to make it again. I made a lot of changes, so the original recipe may be perfectly fine. I was hoping for more of a pudding texture and a thicker layer of it. That just was not to be. Much of the filling leaked out of the bottom, so that could have been it too. Maybe my tart pan is defective?

Well, my first tart experience could have gone better. It didn't taste too bad though. I mean how bad can good chocolate be?

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

No Need For Waffle Withdrawal

2009-11-19T11:07:00.007-05:00

I was reading the news last night and saw a story about an Eggo frozen waffle shortage. A waffle shortage? Hmmm. Okay.

According to the article, one of Kellogg's facilities was closed for a time due to historic amounts of rain in the area. On top of that, a bakery in another location is closed for repairs. With the two of these things happening together, it seems that it could take until mid-2010 before store shelves have sufficient quantities of Eggo waffles.

Apparently, some customers are already seeing dwindling amounts of Eggo waffles on store shelves and are considering rationing their waffles.

Well before people go crazy for lack of waffles, I hope they remember that waffles aren't a staple food like rice or corn. Waffles don't grow on trees or in a field. Waffles can be made at home people!

I'm going to try and not get too snarky. I'm much snarkier and more sarcastic in real life than on this blog. Or maybe I'll just let the snark rip!

Here are some waffle recipes. Waffle irons are sold all over the place and aren't too expensive.

With the money saved on not buying frozen waffles, probably after a month, the price of the waffle iron will already be covered. Plus homemade waffles are much healthier and tastier than frozen. I do admit that cleaning the waffle iron is a tedious task. But sometimes we have to buck up and do the hard work. Yeah. I think we can handle it.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The BloggerAid Cook Book

2009-11-18T18:26:00.003-05:00

Some of you might remember a book that I mentioned in a post a few months ago. Well, it's finally published!

The BloggerAid Cook Book is now for sale. You can purchase it by clicking here.

I contributed a recipe along with many other food bloggers from all over the world. Over 60 countries are represented!

Food bloggers are a very generous bunch of people. ALL the money from sales will go towards a very important cause. Read an edited excerpt from the book website below.

"Food does not simply nourish the body; food also celebrates what makes the world diverse, as well as, what unites us. The BloggerAid Cook Book is a collection of international recipes illustrating that we can work together and unite for a greater cause. The authors of this cookbook are food bloggers from around the world who have endeavored to make a difference by raising funds for the World Food Programme and encompassing their passion for "all things foodie" at the same time. ...

We chose the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to receive the funds generated by the cookbook because of the wonderful work this organization does. The WFP has touched the lives of our members, many of whom are from countries where poverty is often a way of life. More specifically, 100% of BloggerAid's proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the WFP's School Meals Programme, which benefits an average of 22 million hungry children each year."

I hope that we can all spread the word about the cookbook. And for those who are able, any purchases would be appreciated as well. Wouldn't this make a great holiday gift? I think it would!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The Simple Things

2009-11-16T01:40:00.003-05:00

This post is proudly brought to you by the letter S.

Belated Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street! Watching that show when I was a kid, was a simple thing that made me happy.

Here are some simple things that make me happy as an adult.

Trying new sweets when I visited San Francisco.

Meeting Norbert Yancy and listening to the gentle strumming of guitars.

Signs in the blue sky.

The smell of Leaves by Elizabeth W. One of my favorite scents.

Read more simple things from other bloggers over at Soul Aperture.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Banana Carrot Cupcakes + Maple Mascarpone Frosting

2009-11-13T01:11:00.002-05:00

These cupcakes were inspired by a carrot, old banana, and mascarpone surplus. When ingredients are sitting around for a while, they scream to be used for something.

I remembered this carrot cupcake recipe from Pro Bono Baker and another carrot cupcake recipe from Pictures & Pancakes. I printed out both recipes and started looked for the similarities and differences. Then I started marking them up with my pen, figuring out what I had available and had a taste for, then created a new recipe based on the two.

I loved these cupcakes! So did my parents and my brother. These may be the best cupcakes I've ever made. They're fairly quick to make except for the carrot peeling. But with all the time you spend on the carrots, you can feel good about eating these cupcakes. You're getting your veggies! And with the bananas, some fruit too. What's not to love? I hope you give them a try.

Banana Carrot Cupcakes
(Inspired by Pro Bono Baker and Pictures & Pancakes)
Makes a dozen cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used grapeseed)
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
3 medium carrots (about 1 cup peeled and finely shredded)

Place baking cups or liners in a muffin pan. Set oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine ingredients as you like. Part of my baking philosopy is that most recipes are very forgiving. Many cookbooks insist that you mix things in a particular order, but I'm not too keen on that. If I had to follow all the directions to the letter, I would hate baking.

So if you're a new baker, relax. If you prefer some direction, I combined the bananas, eggs, sugar, and oil, then mixed well. I added the carrots and mixed again. Then I measured and added the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir well again. Then I added the flour and stirred until combined well.

Pour the mixture into the lined pan and bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Maple Mascarpone Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/8 cup maple syrup
pinch of salt

Combine these ingredients in a small bowl until creamy. Frost cupcakes after they have cooled. Enjoy!

*Updated 11/13/09* I just learned about Bon Appétit's Blog Envy Bake-Off and decided to submit these cupcakes. They are pretty festive after all. Wish me luck! : )

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook Winner Is...

2009-11-12T16:06:00.001-05:00

Eve! Congratulations to you!

With all your entries, the odds certainly were in your favor. Also maybe your spreading the word on so many contests generated extra good karma.

Well, whatever the reason, your number came up! It was the facebook entry that did it. I'll be contacting you by email to get your address and send you the cookbook.

Again, thank you to everyone who participated! Best of luck next time. Remember there's still another contest going on here. You can still enter to win a $150.00 Spa Gift Card. You have until November 30th to enter.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

A Steamy Cookbook Giveaway

2009-11-10T15:32:00.010-05:00

*Updated 11/13/2009*
Please note that the giveaway has ended. The winner was Eve!

Several blog posts ago, was the Supa Dupa Giveaway Part 1.

I was holding off on Part 2, which was the cookbook part, because I wanted to make sure that I had the cookbooks to actually give away.

Well, one of the cookbooks arrived! And I remember exactly when. It was last Tuesday, November 3rd, which was Election Day. It was warm out, so I had decided to walk. I saw the UPS truck driving around, but didn't think much of it.

It turned out that one of the deliveries was for me! I returned home to a box from Tuttle Publishing! Part of my BlogHer Food '09 swag included a coupon for a free copy of Jaden Hair's new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. This was it!

I also got a really cute green tote bag. While I'm keeping the tote bag, I'm giving away the cookbook to one of you lucky readers.

On her blog Steamy Kitchen, Jaden describes her cookbook as "stuffed with dozens upon dozens of foolproof Asian recipes that are quick and easy to do—all in time for tonight’s supper!"

Just from quickly looking at the book, the pictures are beautiful. Not only are there amazing food pictures, but there are lots of pictures of Jaden and her family sprinkled throughout.

Another nice blogger that I met at the conference, Jackie of Foodie Reflections, recently blogged one of the recipes from the cookbook -- Quick Shrimp & Pea Omelette. It looks really good!

*Updated 11/11/09* While blog hopping, I found another recipe from the cookbook. Helen aka Tartelette just made some Chocolate Wontons. Also, here is a cookbook review written by Elise of Simply Recipes.

So if you'd like to win the cookbook for yourself, please let me know!

The Rules: All you need to do is to leave a comment here letting me know that you want to win. You need to be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. resident. I will do a random drawing for the winner.

If you want an extra chance at winning, you can tweet, facebook, or blog this contest for additional entries. Just come back here and leave the urls for each of them in a new comment. I do check! Please also make sure that I have an email address where I can reach you.

Oh, and this Steamy Contest is a quickie! You have until 11:00 pm EST tomorrow, November 11th to enter. So act fast! I'll announce the winner by Saturday, November 14th.

Thank you Jaden and Tuttle Publishing!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Bloggers In Boston

2009-11-07T00:52:00.001-05:00

Thursday night, I finally got the chance to meet Carol Gillot, the blogger behind Paris Breakfasts, one of my favorite blogs.

She had the opening reception to kick-off an exhibit of her paintings called Paris Façades at the French Library in Boston.

Paris Breakfasts was one of the first blogs that I discovered. I remember looking at her paintings wishing for one. Then a couple of years ago she did a swap. I traded a tea cup for an original watercolor. I love it so much!

And last night it was such a joy to finally meet Carol in person. She was so nice to take time out to sit and talk with me, when so many people wanted to see her. It was a beautiful exhibit and I recommend taking a look if you're in the area. If you love Paris, then you really should see Paris Façades , which runs through November 28th.

The day before, I met another blogger for lunch. Mary Kate, writes the delicious blog Kitchenbelle. Even though she lives in the Boston area, I didn't meet her until attending BlogHer Food '09 in San Francisco. She was one of the first people that I met. Such a small world!

We had a quick lunch at L'Aroma Cafe on Newbury Street. The seafood quiche and my chai latte were really good. They didn't announce our food as it became ready and was put out on the counter, so that was odd, but other than that, I really liked the place. Everyone was very nice.

Mary Kate and I had a great conversation about blogging, writing, work, and how the economy has changed. She even saw another food blogger that she knew of, but didn't end up talking with her. L'Aroma Cafe was just teaming with food bloggers!

I also found out that Mary Kate interned at Flour Bakery and did recipe testing for Joanne Chang's upcoming cookbook. I love Flour Bakery and previously did an email interview with Joanne for my old blog, And Razzleberry Dressing. She was so nice and gave me a wonderful bread pudding recipe. When I spoke to Mary Kate about it, she knew the recipe! Again, such a small world.

Well after our lunch, we parted ways and I met up with a non-blogging friend. On my way to meet her, I walked through Boston Common.

There were so many squirrels scurrying about in the fallen leaves. I had to take a few pictures.

Well that's it for now. I was going to add more to this post, but I'm beat. Have a great weekend everyone!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Macoun v. Braeburn: The Results

2009-11-04T12:23:00.004-05:00

Before I get to the taste test, let's look at some more pictures of fall here in Massachusetts. So pretty!

And now to the apples. I'm not a huge apple fan. I like them. I know they're good for me, but berries are really my fruit of choice.

But it's apple season. So I'm going with the flow. Both Macoun and Braeburn taste pretty good.

Ultimately, my vote has to go to Braeburn. Side by side, I noticed a clear difference in taste.

Braeburn apples are very sweet. And for someone with a sweet tooth like me, they hit the sweet spot perfectly. Next time I get some apples, I'm going for the Braeburns.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Tasty Treats & A Spa Giveaway

2009-11-03T00:48:00.002-05:00

Recently I had the chance to try something new from Pepperidge Farm. Read my BlogHer review of these new treats and find out more about my giveaway by clicking here.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Apple + Yogurt Breakfast

2009-10-31T13:41:00.008-04:00

Apple + Yogurt Breakfast
Originally uploaded by anali02170

It's fall. The trees are changing and apples are everywhere. There are so many different apples out there. I decided to experiment a bit.

Red + Gold Delicious, Gala, and Macintosh have become old hat. So I figured that I'd give Macoun and Braeburns a try.

I'll be blogging the results soon!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Falling For Fall

2009-10-30T15:17:00.003-04:00

Fall is all around us. Though I've lived through dozens of autumns, I'm still astounded by the beauty each year.

From that first time in late August, when I notice the newly filtered look to the sun. The slight chill in the air in the mornings and evenings in September. To that one day in October, when suddenly leaves look like flames.

The scent of smoke in the air from indoor fireplaces instead of outside barbecues.

I'm not a fan of cold weather, but there's something special about the fall. Apple cider suddenly appears in grocery stores. Along with winter squash, pumpkins, and eggnog. Although, you can make your own eggnog.

Last weekend, I begrudgingly switched my closet from summer to winter. Pulling out my warm clothes, blankets, and flannel sheets. Then putting away my shorts, tank tops, and flip flops. The seasons changed again. From out of the summer blue.

Then Halloween and that weekend when we fall back. For those of us in the United States, that's this weekend. We all get an extra hour! I'm not sure what I'll do with mine this year. But I'm going to try and make it really count. What about you?

This lovely black cat always wonders around my neighborhood. I choose to believe that when it crosses my path, that it's very good luck.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! And Happy Halloween!

*Updated 10/31/09* - Carve your own virtual pumpkin here. It really is kind of fun.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Still Loving The Single Layer Cakes

2009-10-26T17:43:00.002-04:00

This summer, I confessed my crush on a single layer cake, which was my adaptation of Gourmet's Raspberry Buttermilk Cake.

The Swedish Visiting Cake is a classic too. One that I'll be baking for years to come. But there's a new cake in town.

The Norwegian Apple Cake. I discovered it on Tracy's blog last week.

Another wonderful single layer cake. I baked it this past weekend. It's gone already. G asked me to bake it again. It's quite possible.

I had planned to take a picture of a whole slice of the cake. But before I had a chance to, I realized that there were only a few crumbs left!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The Creativity Of Others

2009-10-22T15:32:00.001-04:00

One of the best things about blogging are the connections that you make offline. Through conferences, meet-ups, or just hanging out with one new blog friend, real people are the best part of blogging.

Recently, I've participated in the Kindness Swap and the Gift of Jewels project. The beautiful picture above is my "Gift of Jewels" from Christina. The Gift of Jewels exchange was created by Se'Lah from the blog Necessary Room. The event was a huge success with dozens of participants from all over the world.

The colorful collage below is from KT, and my second postcard as part of the Kindness Swap. Thank you both for the beautiful works of art!

There's a beautiful passage written on the other side of the postcard. Here's an excerpt.

"To vibrate, to accept, to expand ... this is the new duty.

To give oneself as one is, to let life meet us as it really is.

To live for the moment and extract from each moment all that it holds of truth, beauty, and goodness without scruple, without vain questioning...

In childlike purity of heart ... to be able to be oneself.

To dare to be happy and at last allow one's soul to spread its wings." -Jeanne de Vietinghoff

What are the things that you like most about blogging? Have you had experiences meeting other bloggers? Please share in the comments!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Drumroll please. The winners are ...

2009-10-20T13:54:00.001-04:00

Suldog and Kiva, Farmsteadlady! Congratulations to both of you for winning The Supa Dupa Giveaway Part 1!

Kiva, Farmsteadlady specified that she wanted the Cuisinart 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder, so that's what she gets. And Suldog didn't specify, so he gets the $25.00 gift card for CHEFScatalog.com. I hope you both enjoy your gifts!

I'll be contacting both of you by email to get your addresses, so I can send you your blog bounty.

All of you who entered, thank you for making this a really fun event. Supa Dupa Giveaway Part 2 will be coming soon. I'm just waiting for the cookbooks. And there is another unrelated giveaway coming up soon too. Things are getting busy on this blog!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

World Bread Day 2009 - Flatbreads

2009-10-16T01:39:00.003-04:00

It's World Bread Day! I missed it last year, so I really wanted to participate this year. I have a rather unconventional recipe for you too. Usually when I bake my first bread of the season, which this was, I always use yeast. But I decided that I wanted to look for a recipe that might somehow honor Gourmet Magazine.

I have the cookbook, The Best of Gourmet 2002, which I had never used, so I figured I'd see what I could find. Sadly, there are just three pages of bread recipes, so I didn't have much to choose from.

But on page 143, I found a recipe for Anise Seed Flatbreads. It looked quick and easy, so I decided to try it. I don't have any anise seeds though, so I used anise extract to retain the spirit of the recipe.

Now I can't say that I love the recipe. I'm not a huge flatbread eating kind of a person, but they aren't bad. And if I can find the right topping, they will make a great appetizer. The texture of these flatbreads is quite nice. They are firm, but not crumbly and have a nice crunch. The anise extract gives the dough a wonderful fragrance and I am looking forward to experimenting with the toppings.

Technically these flatbreads are my "first bread" of the season, but I still feel like I need to bake one with yeast for it to be legit. Well, here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a try. Please let me know what you think!

Anise Buckwheat Flatbreads
(Makes about 32)
(Adapted from The Best of Gourmet 2002)

1 cup oats
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup Smart Balance
1/4 tsp. anise extract
2/3 cup rice milk

Measure out the oats and pulse in a food processor until they are ground well. Pour into a large bowl and mix in softened Smart Balance. Or you can use butter or margarine. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Flour the counter, then work the dough into a ball.

For the sake of time, I only baked 1/4 of the dough to make 8 flatbreads. Tonight was good TV on ABC: Flash Forward, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice. The rest is in the refrigerator and I'll make it tomorrow.

Roll out dough and cut into pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Let cool and serve. Enjoy!

*Updated 10/26/09* The World Bread Day 2009 Roundup is up! Check out all the other bread recipes from the blog event here.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Passengers on a Pan Am Boeing 307

2009-10-15T14:36:00.008-04:00

Passengers on a Pan Am Boeing 307
Originally uploaded by State Library and Archives of Florida

I had to share this photo! What a cool looking shot. How travel has changed. My last flight I had to pay $8.00 for a very unappetizing breakfast. Sometimes food really is only fuel. That was one of the times.

Travel looks like luxury here. I guess it still is if you can pay for it. But then again, as I look more closely at this black and white photo and see the lack of black, I don't know that even if I had the money I would have been let aboard a flight like this. Sometimes really looking at the "good old days" makes you think about what is really good.

Travel is a lot about where you will be welcomed. It makes me very excited to hear about American Airlines' new website and community Black Atlas, which is supposed to debut today.

For those of you who read this post when it was first published, you may have noticed a few changes. I keep adding new thoughts. Well, at least one more. I keep thinking about the idea of diversity and inclusion. So many companies claim to have diversity policies and that they promote tolerance. I keep thinking about the idea of tolerance and how different that is from welcoming. Welcoming. It's a very simple word, but a hard action to do if it's not sincere. Companies that state that they promote diversity and inclusion are you tolerating those new hires or welcoming them?

Being merely tolerated is actually pretty awful. We all want to be welcomed.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Pink Thoughts

2009-10-15T01:48:00.003-04:00

I was so inspired by Christina's Pink Thoughts post last week, that I decided to do one more. She bravely shared her experience of having her first mammogram. In the comment section, others were inspired to make an appointment for one as well. That is powerful and profound. She may have saved a life.

You never know what doing one simple thing can do, so I decided to share some more Pink Thoughts with you today. If I can inspire one woman to have that mammogram that she may be putting off. If I can inspire one man to talk to a woman in his life about getting a mammogram, then this little post just may be worth something.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Friday, October 16th is National Mammography Day. According to this website, radiologists provide free or discounted screening mammograms, and women are encouraged to make a mammography appointment.

Unfortunately, breast cancer runs in my family. But there have been many survivors. My mom is a survivor for over twenty years. I've been getting mammograms since I was 35. They aren't fun. I won't lie. And I have found them to be very uncomfortable. I still get very nervous each time. But the best way to beat breast cancer is to prevent it or catch it in the earliest stages. So that's what I try to do. The discomfort is worth it. And I try to do something nice to treat myself after.

Like how about some pink cookies? Or some pink teabags in a pink tea cup? That sounds comforting to me!

*Updated 10/15/09* I'm doing a lot of updating today! In keeping with the spirit of this post, I want to share a blog post that was inspired by this one. This wonderful blogger, dancing doc, shares her story of being a physician and a breast cancer patient and survivor.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

A Bite To Eat In San Francisco

2009-10-14T10:47:00.004-04:00

Today I'm posting over at K's Blog. Please come on over to her blog for A Day in the Life to read some more about my trip to California and a great restaurant called Samovar.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Massachusetts Poet Laureate

2009-10-12T01:25:00.015-04:00

Since April 2004, I've been writing about Massachusetts being one of very few states without a State Poet Laureate.

This past April, which was National Poetry Month, I wrote a blog post again about Massachusetts being one of only eight states without its own Poet Laureate.

Then recently, I started noticing a flurry of activity on my sitemeter. Several people ended up on my blog after Googling "Massachusetts Poet Laureate" and other similar searches. I looked at some of the other results of the search and saw an article stating that there was pending legislation.

I looked online and found House Bill 3538 and House Bill 3146. Both Bills would create the position of Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. According to the legislation history, there was a Public Hearing in July, however only HB 3146 moved forward. On September 29th, the Bill was reported favorably and referred to the Joint Committee on Rules.

I spoke to a staff member and was told that the legislation appears to be moving forward and may be heard on the House Floor this week. If HB 3146 moves forward and becomes law, then Massachusetts may soon have a Poet Laureate. I have no idea what poets will be in the running for nominations, but it will be interesting to find out. I wonder who it will be and what their first poem will be like.

The timing of this post was perfectly aligned with a postcard that I received a couple of days ago. I'm not sure who it's from, but it's really beautiful.
When I find out, I'll update this post to credit the artist.

Back in August, I joined the Kindness Swap on the blog Stories I Can Tell. I should be receiving another postcard soon and two people will receive the ones that I sent also.

The quote on the back of my postcard is from Emily Dickinson. It reads, "Beauty is not caused. It is."

Emily Dickinson is one of the most noteable of all American poets and she was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. I think it was quite fitting that I should receive a quote of hers as a gentle reminder of poets in Massachusetts.

*Updated 10/13/09* The artist who created the beautiful postcard for me is named Celeste Eve Johnston. Her blog is called The Musings of Me. I hope that you'll check out her blog and more of her beautiful art in her Etsy shop Celestes Art. Thank you for the beautiful postcard Celeste!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Pink Thoughts

2009-10-08T00:15:00.009-04:00

While I was in San Francisco, I finally met my friend Josephine in person. We've visited each other's blogs for close to a year now and started emailing too. She runs the lovely design blog Red Thread.

We had the best time together and she showed me around the city. I've found that people really are the same in person as they are on their blogs and Josephine was no exception. She's kind. Knows the best places to go. Has great style and wit. And remembered that I love cupcakes.

I'll write more about our full day later. Like how I ended up missing my flight home, but it worked out for the best. It can end up being an adventure when bloggers meet me!

But what I want to focus on now is the cupcakes. I only tried one, but it was very good. And I loved the cupcake shop. It's Kara's Cupcakes in Ghiardelli Square.

The store is so pretty and pink. It's probably one of the girliest places you can visit. Women of all ages were coming in and squealing with delight. I was one of them.

I'm showing you all this pink today to join in with Christina's blog event called Pink Thoughts. Her blog Soul Aperture is one of the loveliest places you can visit. I hope I get to meet Christina one day too.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cupcakes are sweet. But beating breast cancer is far sweeter. Live on ladies!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Buckwheat Banana Bread

2009-10-07T13:53:00.004-04:00

Would you like the recipe? Get it here and find out how I used POMx Iced Coffee in this Buckwheat Banana Bread.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

My BlogHer Food Swag Supa Dupa Giveaway!

2009-10-03T12:22:00.018-04:00

*Updated* The winners are Suldog and Kiva! Read the Supa Dupa announcement here!

This morning I finished eating the last of my box of Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola. Oh. My. God. I loved the stuff! I will be looking for it again. I know it sounds way too healthy to actually taste good. But it really does. I highly recommend it.

The granola was one of many foods and products given away at the BlogHer Food conference. I almost cannot even comprehend the amount of swag. I gave more than half of it away to two friends of mine that I met up with on Sunday. I'll write about that soon. One piece in particular was rather amusing. Especially considering so many people returned home by plane.

One guess. Yup! A big knife! Someone already tweeted about cutting herself with it. It would have been great to keep, but I didn't feel like explaining it to airport security.

And speaking of being on the cutting edge of things... Hah! Sorry. It's rare that I see a pun that I don't like. It was pretty cool to already have Starbucks VIA Ready Brew at home the day of its debut. I liked it too.

Who knew that instant coffee would ever come back? I found another reason to keep it on hand too. For baking. Last night, I used it in place of instant coffee granules for the famous Chocolate & Zucchini Cake. I used some of my Scharffen Berger cocoa powder too. I cannot believe all the chocolate that they gave us! Wow, what a treat!

And when I baked my cake last night, I used my nifty new Fagor digital kitchen timer. It even counts down the seconds! I was giddy just setting it. Maybe it was the endorphins rushing through my body because of all the chocolate. Well either way, I'm pretty happy with all the cool new stuff.

But you know what? At a certain point, it's just too much. How much stuff does one person need? So I've decided to do my biggest giveaway yet. It's SO big that it will be in two parts. It's Supa Dupa!

Part 1 is for kitchen stuff. Part 2 will be for cookbooks.

Supa Dupa Giveaway Part 1

Here are the two prizes that you can win: a $25.00 gift card for CHEFScatalog.com or a Cuisinart 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder.

The Rules: All you need to do is to leave a comment here letting me know that you want to win. You need to be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. resident. I will do two random drawings for two winners.

If you want an extra chance at winning, you can tweet, facebook, or blog this contest for additional entries. Just come back here and leave the urls for each of them in a new comment. I do check! Please also make sure that I have an email address where I can reach you.

The contest is open for two weeks. The deadline is Saturday, October 17, 2009, which is also the Sweetest Day.

Thank you to all the Sponsors of BlogHer Food '09. Also a huge thank you to Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, Elise of Simply Recipes, and Ree of The Pioneer Woman, who threw the amazing after-party at Tropisueño. There was a ton of food, great music, dancing, conversation, and even more swag! You ladies know how to throw a party!

*Updated 10/11/09* Thanks for all the comments everyone! Best of luck to all of you!

*Updated 10/20/09* The winners have been picked! There will be an announcement very soon!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Back From BlogHer Food '09

2009-09-28T23:09:00.014-04:00

Early this morning, I arrived home from San Francisco. I wasn't able to sleep on the plane last night, so I've been resting and catching up with a few things.

It will take a few days to share more pictures and stories with you. But for now, here are some highlights.

I spoke on the panel called Protecting Yourself and Your Work. Sean Timberlake of Hedonia was the Moderator and Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes was also part of the panel.

Both Elise and Sean were a pleasure to work with and I truly appreciate all their knowledge and generosity. A couple of people came up to me later and told me that they really enjoyed the presentation. That meant the world to me!

Click on the link for BlogHer's Official Live Blog from the session. It was my first panel discussion and I was a bit nervous in the beginning. I relaxed after a few minutes and was able to get most of my points across.

One thing I do want to clarify though. It may not have been made clear enough in the discussion. It's true that generally recipes are not protected under copyright law. However, the few recipe related copyright cases and law review articles state that it is possible that a recipe containing enough original literary expression could be protected under copyright. One case in particular, Barbour v. Head, states "... the statement issued by the Register of Copyrights, to whatever extent it is instructive, does not declare that recipes are per se uncopyrightable."

Okay, back to the conference. During lunch, I had my brush with celebrity.

I met Rocco DiSpirito. He was there representing Bertolli and looking quite appetizing himself. Well that's it for now. More soon!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

2009-09-24T14:54:00.008-04:00

Summer officially ended this week. However, the weather suddenly turned warmer as the seasons changed.

Right now it's about 80 degrees and a bit humid. I'm not complaining. Not at all. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to drop down to the low 60's. Although I'll be on my way to San Francisco, where it's supposed to be a bit warmer.

Last week the weather felt like fall. The leaves are changing colors. Mornings have been brisk. A serious chill permeates the night and early morning air. I took out a wool blanket and even put on the heat one night.

Plus I made pancakes one morning. Nothing says pancakes like a cold morning. I've found that I'm generally not a huge fan of buckwheat flour. The taste is a bit severe to me. But I think I found a way to play with it. I used a bit less than normally called for and added brown sugar. These pancakes were great!

I thought that I'd never buy buckwheat flour again, but I think I changed my mind. These pancakes will go into the regular cold morning breakfast rotation.

Well, I didn't leave my heart in San Francisco, but I'm looking forward to my return visit. There are so many activities lined up for BlogHer Food '09. I'm going to have to load up on coffee and ignore the jet lag.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
2 eggs
2 cups vanilla rice milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T brown sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries (approx)

Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Pour batter on hot griddle. When the top bubbles up, turn over with spatula. Cook other side until browned. Enjoy hot with butter and syrup. Yum!

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.