Boston2Berkeley

Chilaquiles

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Beth

When we were in Long Beach last weekend for J’s cousin’s wedding, we ate a quick lunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel, Cafe 3737. I had a serious craving for huevos rancheros, but unfortunately the black beans that came with the dish weren’t vegetarian, so I went with the chilaquiles instead. I’d never had chilaquiles before, and this was definitely a refined version of the dish. I tend to think of chilaquiles as something you make when you wake up after a long night and realize you want eggs but have no vegetables or other omelet fillings around. … Continue reading →

Two Years Ago…

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Beth

I was running the Boston Marathon en route to my first marathon finish line where I beat my goal time and completed my fundraising for the Mass General Cystic Fibrosis clinic. I crossed the finish line in 4:52 and raised $3200 for the clinic. Two years later I still feel like nearly every moment of that race has been carved into my memory. Best of luck to everyone running today, and be extra careful in that crazy Boston heat.

Just Popping In

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Beth

I’m halfway through a crazy two weeks, and I wanted to stop by and say hi. I probably won’t have a new recipe for you until next week, but here are a few things I’m looking forward to making soon. Cate’s udon soup with vegetables and tofu this black sesame otsu recipe from 101 Cookbooks and these salty sesame and dark chocolate chip cookies from Joy the Baker otherwise, I’ll be eating a lot of this Mexican breakfast bowl (it never gets old) and I made another one of these buttermilk skillet cakes which has been topped with strawberries. so … Continue reading →

Homemade Matar Paneer

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Beth

A block away from my freshman dorm was a restaurant called “Tamber’s Nifty Fifties.” The décor was pure American diner, with the vinyl booths, jukebox, and just a touch of neon. They served burgers and tuna melts and milk shakes. Plus an entire menu of Indian food. Truly a strange combination. At the time, I just thought it was weird; I was far more obsessed with classes and grades than food at that point in my life (for days at a time I derived the majority of my calories from Annie’s shells and cheese). Looking back on it now though, … Continue reading →

Homemade Paneer

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Beth

I adore cheese. I would say that I’d never met a cheese I didn’t like, but I truly have no use for mild cheddar. Why bother? I told a friend at the farmers’ market last week that I like my cheddar so sharp it bites back. I also love some staple cheeses like parmesan, asiago, and feta, as well as some more specialized artisan cheese like Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam. While I’ve enjoyed cheese all over the country, including an epic hour long visit to the Cabot Cheese tasting room, after which I swore off cheese for five solid minutes, … Continue reading →

Homemade Naan

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Beth

Most afternoons I come home to find a takeout menu hung on my door knob. Usually the neon doortag is advertising pizza or Chinese and quickly finds a home in my recycling bin. Last week the menu was for Indian, and instead of instantly tossing it, I stood on my front porch and perused it. When I lived in Boston I walked by an Indian restaurant everyday on my way home from work. Sometimes I’d pop in and order some naan to eat while walking home. How can you go wrong with warm, fluffy bread? Better yet, warm, fluffy bread … Continue reading →

Spectating at the Oakland Marathon

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Beth

Today was supposed to be my PR attempt at the half marathon. Unfortunately a hip flexor injury took that dream away a few weeks ago. I was upset (for about ten minutes), but ultimately I want to have many years of running to look forward to. Oakland is my favorite race, so while I was sad not to run in it for a second year, I had a fantastic time taking photos and cheering everyone on. The Lululemon cheer station was neon themed, and we definitely had the best signs. We were at mile 22 of the full marathon and … Continue reading →

Everyday Buttermilk Skillet Cake

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Beth

I found my everyday cake! While paging through the Joy the Baker cookbook, I was instantly taken by this simple recipe. Sadly though, I don’t really need an everyday cake. People are not constantly dropping by my house for tea, and while cake is always welcome in this house, I don’t really need cake on my kitchen table every day. Still, it’s nice to think of life in an alternate universe where I would always need to have cake in the house. Where my kitchen staples might be eggs, kale, cheddar and buttermilk cake. That seems like an excellent alternate … Continue reading →

Potato and Cheddar Pierogi

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Beth

Last weekend I was back in Boston, and my mom took a day off from work so we could spend it together. I don’t get nearly as much Mom time now that I live 3000 miles away, so it was a rare treat. I lodged a special request that we spend part of the day making pierogi. Pierogi (a potato-filled dumpling of Polish origin), didn’t play any prominent role in my childhood, but my mom has fond memories of her Aunt Katie making them. We’ve been slowly collecting several generations worth of family recipes and dishes, and I really can’t … Continue reading →

A Perfect Birthday Celebration

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Beth

So I sort of jumped the gun on my birthday and celebrated it last weekend, even though this Sunday was my proper birthday. About a month ago I saw a totally convenient direct, flight to Boston for under $300 the week before my birthday. So I did the logical thing and bought it immediately and then promptly informed my friends and family. The whole trip actually worked out perfectly. Three of my four cousins were also home for the weekend, and we all went to the youngest cousin’s high school musical (we thought she was the best in the whole … Continue reading →