Like the last bite of summer: Our neighbor Marina gave us a second bag of the tiny sweet-tart figs from her tree. Squished with my thumb, and drizzled over a little honey from the Yucatan. And Greek yogurt, naturally. (Hazelnuts were a bonus, just hanging out, already toasted, in the freezer.)
Author: zora
Look at This Fucking Bacon
I don’t have time to do it, but I feel like someone should (and credit me with the brilliant, so-au-courant idea):
Look at This Fucking Bacon, the blog.
First entry could be this.
Except, of course, I really like MEM’s blog. And I think I would be very happy to eat bacon jam. (I realize it’s not his original idea, but I am too lazy to track down the source. But the photo is very pretty. Which makes it perfect LATFB material.)
Another problem: my very own cookbook has a recipe for candied bacon. To be put on top of a cake, even.
I do wonder if people will look back and think of bacon as a food fad, like sun-dried tomatoes….
PS: Someone I know said the first time she looked at LATFH, she scrolled down and saw her ex-boyfriend. In a love connection, no less. Oh, and wielding a knife.
OK, I’m on it.
Not that I’ve tweeted anything. But when I do–watch out, kids! It’s gonna be trenchant.
Cook to Bang
I may be complaining bitterly on a daily basis about how much freakin’ work I have to do before the cookbook comes out, and how I am crushed under pesky admin and promotion tasks, etc., etc.
But one of those tasks was trawling the tubes for like-minded bloggers. What fun! I found some bitchin’ gals in St. Louis and a charming fellow traveler in Seattle, among others.
And then I found Cook to Bang. Recipes to get you laid! Duh! Of course! I mean, that’s really the whole point, on a Darwinian level, no? And the best part is: the food is great! This is not your standard bachelor angle, talking down to you and telling you how to transform Doritos.
I had the pleasure of meeting Spencer while he was visiting New York. While I sucked down a Bistro burger, he told me about his upcoming book (spring, St. Martin’s!) and his plans for world domination. Totally wunderbar. Trust me, come spring, you will be thinking what a fabulous coolhunter I am, already knowing about this guy. (Except, er, his blog has been going for quite some time…)
Very much looking forward to meeting other bloggers as we traipse around the country in October!
We are live!
The Forking Fantastic! website is here!
Check it out for funny photos, more about the book and our events schedule in October. And you can even download the introduction to the book!
Oct 6, kids. Oct 6. Getting closer…
It’s Not Just Me–Judith Jones Agrees!
Judith Jones, who’s just about the queen of cookbook editors, has written a little book I’m very much looking forward to picking up. It’s called The Pleasures of Cooking for One.
I’ve been preaching this pleasure for years, but since I am not the queen of cookbook editors, I haven’t had quite the same impact this book will likely have. But truly, truly, truly, take mine and Judith’s word for it: cooking for yourself is one of the simplest ways of improving your day.
And you’re probably thinking, “But you’re married! It doesn’t count!”
Oh, but it does. Yes, there is someone else in my house, who often eats what I cook. And, to be honest, I have never lived completely alone. But I have enjoyed many, many solitary dinners, where I’ve had the satisfaction of cooking just exactly what I was hungry for. Developing the ability, and the inclination, to do this has been one of my great accomplishments. A good meal gives a perfect calm point to my day, and I suspect my life would be a shambles without it.
If you’re not sold on the book, you can listen to the eminently sensible Ms. Jones in a podcast here, at The City Cook. She shares a bunch of good tips for setting up a solo kitchen and the like.
Rosie Rocks!
Bitchin’ in the Kitchen with Rosie: A new tome for the archives: Forking Fantastic
An actual review from an actual stranger! I feel so proud! And relieved that more of “our kind of people” really exist out there, and get our jokes.
Seriously, I was faintly worried that we were writing for an audience that we had just conjured up in our imaginations. “Who’s coming to dinner? Well, Mr. Fox–he loves to swear. And Barney Squidgems–he loves ham. And Miss Violet–she lives in a tiny apartment, but actually does want to cook for people, even though she doesn’t know it yet.”
(I think I had an imaginary friend who was a fox when I was little–the others, I just made up on the spot. I swear.)
Mental Note: Must Cook
I could just bookmark this, as it might be the answer to an elusive Irish-pub stew from my grad school era. But it’s a hilarious post, and if you’re even vaguely considering a slow-cooker, this might put you over the edge. Robot-monkey-arm, indeed.
Read:My:Back: Fear Not the Slow Cooker
(PS: I do not have a slow-cooker. Does this worry me? Not in the least.)
Rizzo’s Pizza
Oh, sweet Jesus, how much do I love Queens?! I am getting all my pizza (like, one a year, but still…) from Rizzo’s from now on. (Except for tonight, because it’s too late, and it’s closed.)
Go to the Rizzo’s website, wait for it to load (be patient!), click on “staff” and scroll to “Sal.”
(Thanks, Peter, my pizza-researching dear.)
DIY Cairo
Lonely Planet just posted a portion of the guidebook I worked on a couple of summers ago: DIY Cairo: streets to stroll.
We were told to add more “DIY” travel–places to wander, rather than specific sites to see. I was really happy with my writing on that book, and this section was one of the pieces I liked best–so it’s nice to see it posted. (Although they cut my advice to accept tea or soda from someone, at some point, in one of your strolls. I stand by it!)
(And that’s one of my own photos from Cairo wandering.)