foreignmama

Congratulations, Doris Lessing!

It is always so nice to see a woman writer win a Nobel Prize (you can learn more about that here). Doris Lessing is one of those authors that I've always wanted to read, but never got around it. Even ordered books from my neighborhood library, they stood there in my bed side table, and, as usual, since I became a mom, never got opened. Now I have one more reason to try again. I can totally relate to her life story, a foreigner everywhere she went. Any first read recommendations? Which Lessing book should be my first?

Review: Esalen Cookbook

Right now my house smells wonderfull. It's the Banana Coconut Bread I am baking. The recipe I took from the "Esalen Cookbook: Healthy and Organic Recipes from Big Sur". The book was written by Charlie Cascio, who worked as the head chef and kitchen manager for the Esalen Institute for many years. It features healthy, wholesome and intriguing recipes for dishes such as Artichoke, Yam and Blue Cheese Scones, Moroccan Lamb Stew, Pecan-Encrusted Chicken, Orange Essence Raisin Bread, Sponges of Love Pancakes, Esalen Granola, and Grandma's German Goulash.
Right now my two favorites are this Banana Coconut Bread (who is the cover girl for the book) and Marion's Living Muesli, a cleansing delight that includes soaked seeds, groats and nuts, fresh fruit, lemon juice and maple syrup.

The book also describes how the kitchen at the institute works, from growing vegetables on their organic farm to letting the wild imagination of the staff come up with the most creative concoctions; it is so nice when cookbooks tell stories besides giving recipes. And the photography is truly inspiring.

Click here to read an article by Charlie Cascio, "The Compassionate Kitchen: The secret to cooking up a culinary masterpiece? It’s all about the love, baby!" In the same page you will find the following recipes from the book: Quinoa & Veggie Soufflé, Roasted Butternut & Curry Soup and Chocolate Wacky Cake.

Boasting moment: I have to tell you that I actually worked for a couple of hours in a kitchen commanded by the very own Cascio, when I was doing community work at a dance camp, and he actually asked me for help in setting up a kids vegetarian dinner menu. Of course I suggested my "Baked Tofu Marinated in Toasted Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce". He smiled, and served it that very night. Needless to say I was red with pride...

Celebratory mood after a night of pleasures, or, couple's therapy under the influence

This morning Teti woke up telling me he is going to find the Treasure Island, and bring back home the treasure. "Do you know what is in the treasure? Chocolate money! And real money too!" It had to be my son, to put chocolate before money...
Last evening my good friends Belisa and Patrick took Teti on a play date with their son so me and hub could go for therapy (we've been trying to help our marriage evolve through therapy...more on that in another post). In our last session the therapist gave us some homework: have a dinner all by ourselves, where we would exchange only nice talk and not grind about problems or household issues. Sounded like an assignment I could take on. But we never had the time or the babysitting opportunity to accomplish such feat, so we squeezed the dinner in the first hour before the 7:00 PM therapy appointment.
We finally went to check out Incanto, which has been in my list for a while. And I've finally tried Dandelion greens salad. Exquisite. For main courses, hub ordered Duck breast with arugula, grilled apricot and foie gras and I chose Malfatti with lamb ragu. The duck was out of this world, and balanced adventurously with the apricot. The Malfatti...well, the malfatti pasta itself was really good, cooked to al dente perfection; freshly made pasta, I would have enjoyed it even with just butter and shaved Parmesan. It is just lamb that is almost always disappointing. The only lamb I've ever enjoyed in United States was in Chez Panisse. (if you go to Tunisia, well, that is my lamb reference. And these are good references...).
I was not planning on drinking, but they had a red wine from Campania, the region where my Italian ancestors came from. I've never seen a wine from that place in any list, so I've had to try it. I was delicious, but a bit strong, as Italian wines tend to behave. We lingered over the dessert menu, but did not have time for it, and after paying the bill, we run to the therapy, already late.
Did you ever try to do therapy under the influence? I think it is harder than driving (but at least you don't go to jail for that). I just had to let hub take the lead. I could be sleeping, dancing, walking, anything, but not in a therapy session. He took his time to debate our current problem: dealing with a 4 year old aggressiveness, the use of potty words and how to address such issues in a non-traumatizing manner. And I just spaced out, thinking "maybe we can go for ice cream after that...".
We went to Mitchell's and I've got Macapuno coconut with hot fudge. Such a treat (or should I say threat?) past 8:00 PM is a brave thing for a PMS stricken woman on her mid thirties to attempt (and on top of a glass of wine? who am i kidding?). We picked up our kid and, as I've put him to sleep, I myself could not settle down, all that alcohol, sugar and theobromine running in my blood. But that was not a problem. Another thing I love doing that I haven't been able to do for a while is reading at my hearts content. And I had the perfect crime partner for that waiting at my side table: "Eat, Pray, Love", by Elizabeth Gilbert. A traveler's foodie yogi dramatic funny foreign-language-lover (read: Italian) book that kept me up until I did not have the nerve to look at the clock and be aware of the time. I had to be very disciplined to put that book down and force myself to sleep.
Today is "good morning coffee. I know I've told you I was quitting for a while, but...I need to get to my job." Not that I mind breaking that rule. After I've broke so many last night, I might as well open my day with a much needed caffeine rush.