On the birthday of one Adam (my brother) I am posting an ode to another Adam: Adam’s Steak Rub.  Not that my brother isn’t all that he is quite the Adam.  It’s just that this other Adam is fairly essential to my cooking, and not available in very many places.  I first came across this essential commodity where all essentially great things seem to be able to be acquired, the SF Ferry Building.  I bought it mainly for the name, one for the aforementioned Adam and one for me.  I used it on all sorts of things, steaks, chicken, pork loin and other meats.  It is a really, really good all-purpose rub.  Now I am out, and very distraught.  Thank goodness for online ordering.  This stuff turns normal meat into a really great piece of meat with very little work.  I don’t know why it is so much better than normal meat seasoning, or something I have made myself, but it is.  So if you run across it buy it!  Or order it from their handy, dandy online store….

(And if you follow them on facebook there are sometimes specials.)

Well this was supposed to be published on my brother’s birthday… so much for technology.  Oh well, better late than never.

Related posts:

1. Wedding Wedneseday: Adam and Rita Long time no post, I know.  Sorry Peeps!  But I...

When I was little I had an Amish nanny.  My Mom would drop me off at her house in the morning as she dashed to work with seconds to spare.  Ida would brush and braid my hair, get me into clothes and feed me breakfast.  Then we would be off to do some tasks of the day.

Ida had a daughter of her own, Glenda, she was younger than I.  She was a bit of a trouble maker, but in the best way, the way that you know someone has character.  And together I am sure we made quite the duo.  We would go with Ida everywhere she went the two of us bobbling along behind her.  Often Ida would put us in a little wagon attached to a small tractor of some sort to take us to a back farm to pick fruits or vegetables.  We would bump along jiggling over the ruts and paths until we reached a particular field.

Glenda and I were good at picking vegetables, our little bodies so much closer to the ground, so fresh and new that we didn’t even feel the hours of being hunched over.  Although I am sure our patience at times waned.   Strawberry picking was Glenda and I’s favorite.  They would be so fresh and crisp right off the vine, and so pretty glistening in the sun.  We would spend a few hours going down row after row picking sweet, red berries and putting them into mouths and pales.

On the bumpy ride back, Glenda and I would sneak strawberries as Ida drove back along the bumpy fields and farm paths that connected one parcel to another. Our clothes stained pink, just like our guilty mouths, the tell tale sign of our indulgences.  Ida would yell from the tractor, “Don’t eat all those strawberries!”  We would giggle.  I now try to picture her “serious” face that she would give us to try to convince us not to give into temptation.  I am sure it was hard to suppress the laughter that would come from looking back, seeing two little bundles bobbing along in that wagon eating strawberries and laughing.  And then seeing us at the end, covered in pink stains.  I am sure it ached to hold in how funny that must have been.  Ida has a wonderful sense of humor and a laugh that is easy and joyful.

I know we didn’t eat all the strawberries, as there were plenty for freezing, making into pies, and eating sugared and syrupy for dessert, but my did our dresses look like it.  It’s hard to fathom how sweet those strawberries were, warmed by the sun, so fresh and new in life, never seeing a plastic carton, just bursting with color and flavor.  And in Garrett County you waited so long for them to finally appear, and then they went so fast it was like a burst of exuberance.  A burst of our giggling youth summed up in a taste that came and went too fast.

No related posts.

Very excited to have won the Kilman Washingtonian Food Chat writing challenge yesterday, and get a copy of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything: The Basics.  See my entry here.

No related posts.

People always comment that Max has an extraordinary soft and white coat.  Part of that is the Bichon/Maltese mix, and that I keep him brushed.  The other part is Buddy Wash.  I found it at my local pet store when he was little.  I use not just the shampoo, but also conditioner, which is a good conditioner.  If you have a dog with a longer coat the conditioner is really important, it helps brush them out after and keep their coat from drying out.  Max gets a bath often- he likes to swim, romp and none of that fairs well with pure white, but Buddy Wash returns him to good as new.

It keeps him cute, white and soft.  It also is natural and safe.  And it smells so good, of course I am a lavender fiend.

Related posts:

1. The Perfect Guest Bathroom As I look at my half-way demolished master bathroom and...

No related posts.

I love my DSLR.  I don’t love many camera bags.  Even the cute ones look, well like camera or diaper bags.  I have found a couple on Etsy that are pretty cute, but why buy another bag when you could buy an insert, for less money, that will fit into: oh say a Louis Vuitton tote, or a simple leather bag, or whatever your favorite tote or shoulder bag is, or one that you like, but isn’t your everyday bag anymore.  Thanks to Darby Mack you can!  (She also has the cutest camera bags on Etsy.)

Related posts:

1. A Bag to Remember I don’t have many purses, except if you count the...
2. Saltbox I thought with all this advice on long weekend traveling...

Related posts:

1. How to Use a Whole Ham With Two People Sometimes I find buying big huge pieces of meat in...
2. 1 peruvian chicken= 4 meals Peeps, I am utterly exhausted.  All this wedding stuff has...

With absolutely everyone, their Mother and Brother having stainless steel appliances it is fairly important to find a great cleaning product.  Especially for those stovetops which are well used.  Inevitably there is oil, cooked on tomato sauce, and other things lurking on my stove top that just don’t want to come off with a quick spray and wipe.  For these jobs I really like Bar Keeper’s Friend.

I personally like the powder which I think works better for caked on things, but there is a liquid I am now trying out because my regular source didn’t have the powder, it works well too, but takes a little more time for really messy things.  Bar Keeper’s Friend works on stainless steel, cooper, ceramic, porcelain, etc.  It removes rust, minerals, and other stains without harming some delicate surfaces, like your stainless steel stove top, knives or Le Crueset dutch oven.  While I haven’t found it at my local Wegman’s or Giant, they claim to sell at those places, but William Sonoma and Bed, Bath and Beyond seem to always carry it, so just keep your eye out for it at most hardware, home or grocery stores.  This is one of my favorite all purpose cleaners, especially for things that need a good scrub that you generally are not supposed to scrub.

Related posts:

1. New Cookware Coming to My Door I love me some food gadgets and cookware.  I don’t...
2. Snack Set for the Cabinet Challenged I would say a little birdie told me this, but...

I love me some food gadgets and cookware.  I don’t need many of them because basically I am a home cook that barely has enough time between work and other obligations to cook dinner most nights and throw some parties when I can.  AND the two bedroom condo with limited cabinetry really keeps me in check.  If I had a kitchen the size of my Mother in Laws, oh man, I’d go nuts.  I would have so many awesome wonders of food geekery.

BUT today I did buy some new things to make life a little better in the kitchen from a very reliable source I have touted in the past Cutlery and More.  First up was the isi Stainless Steel Creative Whip, for whip cream, mousse, foam, sauces and other fun projects.  I am especially interested in recreating some Ferran Adria recipes from his cookbook The Family Meal (which is a spectacular cookbook).  For the small price difference I went with the 1 pint.  I really can’t wait for this to arrive!  And of all the whip makers I could find in the usual places this was the best deal I found at $93.95.

 I got the Calaphon Unison Slide Nonstick Skillet set for $59.95, 8 and 10 inch respectively.  These will replace my well worn skillets that have fared well, but are now not meeting the challenges put in front of them.  Reviews on these have said they are very sturdy and reliable which is good, they will be worn hard in this house.

A while back the lid to our steamer pot broke, when thinking about replacing it, I decided instead to get this silicone steamer insert.  There was also a metal oxo good grips brand one, and although that brand normally has excellent gadgets, the silicone won’t scratch my pans, is adjustable and should be very durable, all at $10.95, and it should take up very little room in my pantry and is cheaper than lid or pot replacement.  Next up was a sturdy bread knife.  I have a beautiful one from Simon Pierce, but it is a bit complicated and our relationship just hasn’t gelled.  It isn’t your normal knife and is just a bit funky.  So I ordered a simple but durable Henkel’s Gourmet Bread Knife, I could probably have found something cheaper, but at $24.95 it isn’t too expensive and should be really durable.

And any order over $49 gets free UPS Ground Shipping, so… it should all arrive within 2-5 business days.  I am very excited!  I can’t wait to make lots of desserts, with my whipper, from The Family Meal and test them out on Hubby for a future party!

Related posts:

1. Loose Leaf So I  know earlier this week I posted a tea...
2. Penguin Soda Maker So if you don’t know by now I am a...

Hubby and I went with his family to the Chic-fil-a Bowl in Atlanta to support UVA.  It was my first time in Atlanta, but Hubby grew up there.  It was a fun filled trip with a lot of fun things to do and good places to shop and eat.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

123456►

We stayed at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.  Although it is a new hotel, and they need to figure some things out- towels in the pool area, more items in the gift shop (like a brush), etc.  Generally it was a really nice hotel, well appointed rooms with a nice size pool and whirlpool and fitness center.  It had a central location that you could walk during the day down to some of the main attractions.  Within about two blocks were a Starbucks, restaurants, CVS, nail salon and other essentials.

When we got in I was hungry, hungry.  Luckily right around the corner was Tin Drum Asia Cafe.  A fast food style American Asian style eatery, with fantastic things like spicy spaghetti, noodles with a great broth, peppers and chicken, or mango chicken in a faux General TSO style.  Everything was really good, I wish there was one of these in this area (like right here in Arlington, hint, hint).  Everything was fresh, crispy and had great flavor.

Next up was the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola.  The Aquarium was really cool; however, I think I have seen so many aquariums I have a pretty high bar.  It was met by the beautiful and huge whale sharks drifting above your head.  It was amazing to see that large of a tank with these beautiful creatures along with mantas, sharks and other fish.  The World of Coca-Cola was another winner.  I loved the vintage Coke, the pop culture Coke, the folk art and all the international coke products that you get to taste!  I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed the World of Coke!

That night we had dinner at Hugh Acheson’s Empire State South.  This was a delectible.  A great mix of contemporary Southern food, with fun, interesting ingredients making it new.  The space was buzzing with energy, but was large, open and spacious.

The nest day we had a trip to the High Art Museum.  This is a nicely curated collection laid out in a way that makes it more walkable and seeable then other big art museums.  They also had a lot of fun exhibits that really made you enjoy the whole trip.  The special exhibits were very unique, there was an exhibit of work by Grainger McKoy that I adored, wooden carvings that were stunning, but very natural.

We had a nice lunch closeby at Table 1280.  The bread from Bakeshop was delectable.  The Cuban was a little rich, but the Warm Green Salad was an exciting and flavorful salad, and the chicken salad looked amazing.  That afternoon I got in a good workout at the pool, then it was off to dinner with the in-laws.

The next day we drove around my Hubby’s old neighborhood and had lunch at his favorite BBQ joint, Slopes.  It was just so good, smokey, flavorful meat with awesome sauce.  And the sides weren’t an afterthought.  It was real, deal BBQ.  We shopped at Lenox Square- which is sort of like Tyson’s but better.  Then it was off to the bowl!

The next day Hubby and I ventured to Phipp’s Plaza for a bit more shopping (the Tyson’s II of Atlanta).  That evening before we came home we went to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to see the Garden Lights exhibit, the whole of the gardens outdoor and indoor was decked out with interesting festive lights, with a train exhibit and lights that danced to music.  It was so much fun, the gardens themselves are so well done, it was a great stop.

Last but not least we had a quick dinner at Cypress Street Pint and Plate.  A great bar, with good food.  The soft pretzels were really good, as were the meatball sliders.  This was bar food done right, satisfying, but in a new way, an interesting way.

Related posts:

1. San Francisco Report: 2011 The Grand Adventure Days 3 and 4 Day Three started with a Mini winding across the Bay...
2. Chicago Report: Chicago is My Kind of Town It just so happens that one of my absolute favorite...