| ARCHIVE:
OCTOBER 2003
OCTOBER 31, 2003 : Happy Halloween
 -->
Check this
zombie cake out. This is the coolest damn thing that I have
seen in a long time. I am totally impressed by the detail and effort
and thoroughness of this project. You have to take a look and read
through the whole process of making these labor intensive horror
cakes. I can't believe I came across this link for today. Perfect.
Also, there's the thorax
cake. (link via going jesus)
> Wahoo! its halloween. Time for pot lucks and eating and candy
and fun times.
OCTOBER
29, 2003 : wednesday
--> My jackolantern has advanced rot face.
I was looking at it before I left for work this morning. It had
some white foamy moldy marshmallowy looking stuff growing from the
cuts. We had kept ours inside, to keep them fresh from bugs before
friday---but i put my outside this morning. I don't want those spores
floating around our house.
Its a little disappointing. I mean, when I bought it monday at lunch,
i thought i was picking out a pumpkin with lots of character: a
long curved stem, some blemishes and some area of texture/discoloration.
I guess the texture was actually the early stages of rot. I may
go back to the grocery store and make them give me another one.
Or else, i'll just carve our extra pumpkin. Or else, i'll wait til
next year.
OCTOBER
28, 2003 : tuesday
--> This is last year's jack-o-lantern,
a tribue to Kogepan.
We carved up some jack-o-lanterns last night with friends. I don't
have the photos today, but i will post them very soon. I really
love to carve a pumpkin. It was so enjoyable to see how each person's
came out and they were all different. Of all the traditions of the
various holidays, this one is right up there. I think we're going
to carve a couple more tonight!
Did i say 'carve' too many times? {shudder}
OCTOBER
25, 2003 : saturday
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We have hated the flourescent light in our kitchen since the day
we bought our house 3 years ago. We finally found a new one today
at dome hepot and came home eager to install it.
We've replaced the majority of light fixtures in our house. Admittedly,
Snail does all the work as I stand patiently ready to either catch
his fall, pass him the screwdriver or help hold the light while
he works on the wiring. I was laughing at him today -- at the predictable
changes in personality as the project unfolds.
First, he's perfectly quiet as if he were sitting on the couch eating
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Second, he starts to make jokes
in an attempt to keep things upbeat after he discovers that we put
something in backwards. Thirdly and lastly, some under-his-breath
swearing begins as the fun of light fixture installation wanes and
his arms get tired of being up in the air.
Luckily today, the stars aligned and the light went up without any
troubles. Now, our kitchen looks like a showroom. Hurray!
OCTOBER
23, 2003 : thursday
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Is it too late for me to be this
for halloween?
i have no excuses for not having a cool costume...I mean, i have
a sewing machine and I have vision. Its just that I'm not willing
to dedicate the time and I'm not into Halloween costumes enough
to even think about investing the time. They always seem stupid
until October 31st and then i think, "This looks fun. Why didn't
i dress up? I swear i'll do it next year." And then next year
rolls around and I go through the same thought process.
When you're a kid, parents are the source of many great inspired
oddball random things that can be incorporated into costumes. As
an adult, I know what the depths of my closet have to offer and
its nothing more than last year's old navy jeans and a skirt that
I never wore. Which leaves me to making something, spending $19.99
for a packaged get-up, or not bothering at all.
And to be fair but not cruel, central texas isn't exactly the epitome
of Halloween magic and autumnal spirits. It was 89 degrees yesterday
and the closest leaf color change is brown.......a brown leaf on
the ground. Ah well. I have learned to appreciate the subtleties
of seasons and I don't miss the frozen windshields come january.
In fact, its probably fun to dress up here and not have to craft
your halloween costume around warmth.
OCTOBER
20, 2003 : monday
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I had the day off today. I woke up and went to the nursery and bought
two plants. I stuck one of them in the flower bed out back and ran
out of steam before putting the other one in the groud. Two plants
doesn't even make a dent in the planting that will be done but its
a safe start for me. Gotta ease into it. I picked up a great free
booklet at the nursery called Native
and Adapted Landscape Plants (an earth-wise guide for central
texas). Really classy booklet with full-color pictures of plants
and charts showing details of plant care. This booklet will be my
bible for landscaping. I am on board with using plants that will
thrive in this climate.
-->
By the way, my cake tasted delicious!
OCTOBER
19, 2003 : sunday : Happy Birthday Snail!
--> I've been
working on that coconut
cake all weekend (the one from my oct 3 post) for snail's birthday.
At this point it ought to be nothing short of a culinary masterpiece,
but that's hardly the case. Its a 3 layer cake with filling and
a frosting. I just made the frosting (a sugar and egg deal) over
a double boiler and it looks to be a bit too runny for the cake.
It said to cook it for 7 minutes. As i was making it, I looked at
the clock and was timing it and noticed that that hand wasn't moving
and realized that i was staring at the hour hand. I made a good
decision there to set a timer. It was an honest mistake right? Anyway,
hard to say why my frosting didn't get quite as thick as it should....Did
i not cook it long enough? was my hand mixer not mixing fast enough?
Since i haven't made many icings, I just don't know. Thickening
is a delicate science.
Its disappointing that it didn't all go as perfect as i would have
liked. I don't even have the energy to tell the story about the
actual cake layers. I hate when things that are in my control, don't
go just exactly right. Fortunately, I've been baking long enough
to know when to hold em and when to fold em.
I have a can of frosting in the cupboard, and i'm going to slap
it on my cakes, sprinkle on some coconut and be done.
The frosting tastes like marshmallows, so i'm not too sad
to wash it down the drain.
OCTOBER
12, 2003 : sunday
--> I made
my first gravy tonight to go in the Beef Pot Pie that we made for
dinner. It was all a total success. Bring on the winter comfort
food and its not even cold outside. About the only sign that its
mid-october is the shortening days and the slight decrease in temperature.
OCTOBER
8, 2003 : wednesday
 -->
I was checking out the Ruth's
Chris Steakhouse website yesterday, specifically looking at
their menu.
i was delighted and amazed to find not one, not two, but three different
cuts of french fries. This is no joke. They have Steak Fries (big
and rough cut), julienne (regular cut), and shoestring (extra thin
and crispy). I can't believe this place really has three different
fries. That is just the coolest thing ever.
-->
In other food news, I made Pan-Fried
Onion dip the other night and it was easy and delicious. The
ingredients are simple and the result is authentic onion dip that
is suprisingly sweet.
OCTOBER
7, 2003 : tuesday
SNAIL AND GRUDEN LOVE FOOTBALL
 -->
I grew up with a dad and a brother who never watched sports a day
in their lives, to my recollection. I I graduated from a university
with absolutely no football team whatsoever.
When snail and I met 8 years ago, i was a blank sports slate and
he was a football fan. Like any good new girlfriend I was willing
to sit through some games here and there, eating some munchies and
drinking a dr pepper. Over the years, i have sat through game after
game after game and I admit that its kinda grown on me. I can't
help but laugh to myself at the things that I have absorbed from
watching so much football. It should be no surprise that i've commited
more than a few names in the NFL to memory, including players and
coaches that have switched teams. If given a multiple choice test,
i could probably do pretty well to guess at the names of the quarterbacks,
the running backs and the head coaches for the major teams. Don't
ask me about super bowls, because I have no memory for those (perhaps
the game-day food coma muddies the brain cells..)
So after watching last night's game, I found myself poking around
nfl.com and reading the excerpts
from Gruden's new book "Do You Love Football?!" Excerpt
two is pretty funny and worth the read. Also, I like the part
about sharpie game superstition. It's astounding to me to think
about the game sheet with all those plays on it.
And so, you must be wondering if *I* love football? Well, i wouldn't
say love, but i think it's fun and fun to watch snail get so excited
every time the new season rolls around. At that, i leave you with
this-----
 sleepypie
"Best of" the NFL
Favorite Coach: Jon Gruden
Favorite Player Name: Gramatica
Favorite NFL Logo: Titans
Best Old School Look: The Browns
Al Michaels or John Madden? Al
Melissa Starck or Lisa Guerrero? Melissa
OCTOBER
5, 2003 : sunday
--> I watch
a damn lot of Foodtv. It's about time some of that start to really
pay off.
Tonight
I was inspired by Martha to make some fresh polenta with herbs.
When I got to the polenta aisle at the store, i got weirded out
by the european measurements on the packaging. Instead, I took a
cue from Rachel Ray and decided to try making Orzo (with fresh herbs).
It turned out delicious. Before you add any liquid, you sautee the
orzo with butter and the orzo gets all browned and nutty. I think
that's what really puts it over the edge.
I hope that orzo doesn't go the way of cous cous, in that i liked
it SO much when i first had it but now, the thought of it makes
me kinda ill.
-->
Went
to the mall today. Was disturbed to see these satin
cargo pants at Victoria's Secret. Eek.
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I have jury duty this week. Tomorrow, i call to see exactly when.
I just have to go to the part where they do the selection. Several
years ago, i was excited to be selected to be on a jury, but the
defendant pleaded guilty the morning of the trial. I can't recall
exactly, but his charge was something like stabbing his wife with
a screwdriver.
OCTOBER
2, 2003 : thursday
-->
Feeling better and better....Tonight I made some chocolate pecan
cookies just for fun. Snail and I will eat a couple or three and
I'll take the rest to work to be eaten. I admit that I enjoy the
raw batter (sans chocolate chips) more than anything. Butter, Sugar,
Flour, Eggs. Yum.
Each time I bake, I am reminded how barely adequate my baking tools
are. I am missing my 3/4 cup measuring cup, which undoubtedly ran
off with the 1/4 cup. My one white spatula is flimsy and sad (spoonula?
anyone?). I don't have any cooling racks. I line my cookie sheets
with foil, cause they're all black and crusty. I don't have any
hot mitts to take stuff out of the oven with. I have a hand mixer
but wouldn't mind a more heavy
duty one. I don't think i'm ready for a standing mixer because
of lack of space to put it. I guess you could say that when i'm
baking, i feel as though i'm just barely able to put two sticks
together. I realize my cookies takes just fine despite my amateur
set up.
 Snail's
birthday is coming up, so i may at least pick up some cooling racks
for the cake I will be baking --- the coconut
layered cake that Paula Dean made a few Saturdays ago. It's
three layers and with each layer, you poke holes and pour over a
soupy coconut sauce. (no icing between layers). You let the cake
marinate in the fridge a few days and then ice it. Sounds ok to
me, y'all.
OCTOBER
1, 2003 : wednesday
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Even though I'm still a slack-jawed mouth-breather, I went in to
work today at noon. After 3.5 days in bed, I was seriously ready
to get back into the world and behave like a normal person. On the
way there, I really didn't think i would survive half a work day,
but as the minutes went on and the nyquil hangover wore off, I felt
a little better. I am continuing my nose-blowing campaign in hopes
of ridding my head of excess mucous.
-->
I have just realized something bad bad bad. When snail reloaded
the software for my system and it went so well, i just knew that
there was going to be something terribly wrong but i just hadn't
figured it out yet. I mean, when you do something with your computer,
rare is the time when you come out ahead. So, as I was in photoshop
for the first time on my new system, contemplating the new october
header and selecting a font, i paused at the sight of that very
short list. It was then of course, i realized, like a big giant
stupid head, that i neglected to save any of my fonts. I am mad
and i hate everything.
My fonts, people. FONTS!!!! What sort of designer am I without fonts?!?!
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