Friday, November 28, 2008

The Kitchen

I'm finally getting around to detailing our meal at The Kitchen in Boulder. While both were excellent, I preferred our meal at Black Cat.

The Kitchen had a very warm atmosphere with lots of wood and high ceilings. I got the corresponding wine flight with our meal, which was delicous too. We shared all of the food in our courses and had:

First Course:
Roasted Bone Marrow with parsley & caper salad - yep, I tried it! It was very rich and I loved the parsley/capers that went with it. But it was probably a bit much for someone who doesn't really eat beef to jump back on the cow with.
Celeriac Soup with Truffled Mushrooms - this was good, but didn't really excite me. I wasn't a fan of the grainy texture. B loved it though, especially the mushrooms.

Second Course:
Roasted Heirloom Squash with Chickpeas, spelt, Cilantro, Tahini Yogurt: Again, B really loved this. I thought it was good, but it was a bit too much like the mexican goulashes I made in my vegetarian days.
Grilled Mackerel with Mashed Potatoes, Spinach, capers & Lemon: This was decent, but didn't excite me or B. The mackerel was quite oily.

Third Course:
Pot O' Chocolate with cream- how can you go wrong? This was amazing, of course. It came with a little pitcher of cream, but it definitely wasn't needed. After putting it on my first bite, I didn't use the cream again.
Yogurt panna cotta with grapefruit - Absolutely delicious! It went fantastically with the dessert wine I had.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Recipe Reviews

We like to try new recipes in our house, and have been particularly busy with them this last week--particularly last weekend. Some were a hit, some not so much. So here's what we tried (click on the recipe title for the link to the recipe):

Bouchon Simple Roast Chicken: This was the BEST roast chicken I've ever had! Actually it might even be better than the roast chicken I had at Bouchon. Three ingredients, that's right! It was so amazingly easy. We did not truss the chicken, because we didn't have any kitchen twine. The chicken was so flavorful and moist and we picked at that carcass for a long time.

Cheese Ravioli: We got this recipe from a Family Fun cookbook and let Miles pick the recipe out. The boys loved making it. However, I would highly advise against making it, unless you have a pasta machine. We did not and it was incredibly difficult to roll out and I still didn't get it rolled out enough. The boys thought the ravioli were great (which is all that counted in this case), but they were really thick and the pasta was tough. I won't try this recipe again, unless I get a pasta maker someday.

Pumpkin Cupcakes: I finally got around to making the pumpkin cupcakes that I posted about ages ago. The icing on these was really unique and tangy, made from buttermilk and apple cider vinegar. If I made them again, I'd definitely cut the cloves by at least half--it was way too strong. It makes a lot of cupcakes and they aren't as good later. The frosting kind of "wept" overnight. I think I'll try a new recipe next time.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi: These were pretty tasty. J loved them. M thought they looked "weird." Go figure. They'll definitely stay in occasional rotation. We served them with chicken and apple sausage, which was a good combo. A very hearty meal.

Black Cat Review

Shit, who am I kidding, I don't know how to review a restaurant. But I like to remember meals and this is the best place to get it down for posterity.

Black Cat is a tiny little place with a cool atmosphere. We were seated right by the kitchen, which is open so you can watch the cooks cooking. I liked that (especially since one of the yunguns was hot!), but the temperature was pretty hot too and I got bumped by servers a couple of times, plus had to listen in while one server conveyed some complaints to the chef. The chef was friendly, which was cool. I don't get to say hello to the chef often.

We started off with a beer for B and some kind of lemon martini for me. I had the
apple and lovage soup with duck confit, which was amazing. Just a little sweet and yummy yummy duck. It was my favorite dish of the evening. B had the seafood quenelle with buttered lentils and chardonnay, which he liked very much. We shared all of the dishes and we both liked both of these, but I preferred the soup and he preferred the seafood, so I guess we ordered correctly.

I had planned on ordering the gnocchi for my entree, but luckily my server warned me that it had beef in it. Guess I should have realized since it was a bolognaise. And I'm not much of a beef eater. So I had the crisp potato rosti with spaghetti squash, apples and riesling. I thought it was a little greasy and too "hashbrown-y," not necessarily in the good way. It was good, but my least favorite dish of the night. B had the confit pork shoulder with goat cheese polenta, black pepper, and pumpkin. It was good too, but also not the best I've had. We both decided that we could have eaten just apps and desserts that night and been happier without the entrees. I had a glass of Cara Mia Prosecco with dinner. I recently got a bottle of this stuff. Affordable and delicious! So I was happy to get a glass of it.


For dessert I had chocolate pot de crème with citron and whipped cream. Heavenly! But then chocolate pot de crème is one of my absolute favorite desserts (I recently got one from Whole Foods and it was awesome too). B had the Shaker pear cake with caramel ice cream and nutmeg, which was also delicious. With dessert I had a French dessert wine. I wish I knew what it was, but it was not listed on their wine list and our server was not very knowledgeable about wines. I should have asked her to write the name down. Something with "lapin" or "les pins"/"lepin" in the name?

Afterwards we stopped at a Scottish bar, which turned out to be quite cheesy, but I had a yummy glass of scotch (I think it was Balvenie) and had fun watching an older woman there by herself hit on the hot, young bartender.

It was a fun evening. And tonight we'll do it again at The Kitchen! And guess what the dessert offering is? Pot O'Chocolate! Yippee!

Just In Time for the Holidays

So not only is it going to be the start of "The Holidays" in 1 week, when I eat like a pig and gain at LEAST 5 pounds. But my gym also doesn't offer any more noon time classes for a month. Then on top of that, I go to my endocrinologist this week, only to find out that my thyroid levels are too high and I need to lower my dosage, which means I will gain weight from that.

Can a girl getting a fucking break?

So I'm thinking about not lowering my dosage until after the holidays. Would that be terrible? What do you think?

Monday, November 17, 2008

I'm Gonna Be HUGE

I'll report back later on our trip to Black Cat. We just got another opportunity for a sitter on Friday night and are headed back to Boulder for First Bite Boulder. This time we're headed to The Kitchen, another place I've been wanting to try. They not only feature a seasonal menu, but go above and beyond with their "eco practices."

Here is the prix fixe menu for the night. We'll be going to the regular Kitchen (not "upstairs"). I think I'm going to have to try the bone marrow. I've heard so many times about how wonderful it is. But that's a big step for a former vegetarian, who still eats almost no beef! Time to expand my horizons.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Finally!

I finally got a chance to work on the layout of this blog and added some widgets and gadgets to the side bar. I'm quite pleased with what I've done so far!

Conversations with a 4 Year Old

Bitchilla: You sure have a cute butt.
CuteKid: And I have a cute pen is.
CuteKid: Because it's so little.
CuteKid: And sticky.
Bitchilla: Well...(suppressing laughter) It must be sweaty.
CuteKid: Yes, I'm sweaty ALL over.

Note: a key word has been changed to hopefully avoid internet perverts.

Holiday Book Give Away!

What's the perfect gift to give this holiday season? Books, of course! Enter to win a box full of books-- all signed by the authors, so they make for a fabulous holiday present! (Or you can just keep them all for yourself-- we won't tell!)

The winner will get signed copies of all of these fabulous reads:

SCOT ON THE ROCKS
by Brenda Janowitz

JACK WITH A TWIST
by Brenda Janowitz

MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL
by Mindy Klasky

WIFE GOES ON
by Leslie Lehr

CITY DOG
by Alison Pace

THE MEMORIST
by M.J. Rose

To enter, just email brenda@brendajanowitz.com and write “Holiday book giveaway” in the subject line. You must be a subscriber of the www.brendajanowitz.com mailing list to enter.

Want extra entries? Post a blog entry about this giveaway and/or email five friends about it. For each blog entry and each email you send out, you'll get another entry to win!

Winners will be announced on November 25. So what are you waiting for? Enter today!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Joe Strummer

We watched "The Future is Unwritten" the documentary about Joe Strummer last night. It was well done and brought back fond memories of my youth (although I was a little kid when The Clash was at its best).

I had forgotten just how hot Joe was! When I think of him, I think of a cool middle aged punk rock guy, but not an object of lust. However, when he was young, YEOW! Check it out:

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Yummy.

Walmart Bingo

Check out the Walmart Bingo card on List of the Day. He's right, it IS true.

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I hate Walmart with a passion and only go there when I absolutely have to. That occurs maybe once or twice a year. And it's always worse than I expect.

My sister and I have this "Walmart speak" we do, where we make our lips cover our teeth (so we look like we're toothless) and talk with what I can only describe as a redneck accent. It's hard to describe, but I promise you it's funny. :-)

I know for sure I'll get a bingo next time I am forced to go there.

ETA: no idea why that stupid image won't shrink. I've forced a refresh a ton of times, but maybe it has and I just can't see it yet. Stupid computer.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Top Chef Home Town Heroes

As if I didn't have enough reason to watch my favorite show "Top Chef" (which starts tomorrow!)...

I just got my 5280 magazine "Table Talk" email newsletter, and it notes that this season will feature two Boulder chefs: Hosea Rosenberg, executive chef of Jax Fish House Boulder, and Melissa Harrison, sous chef at Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace.

Go, Colorado!

We're Such Dorks

God, I love my husband. What other guy would have the following IM conversation with me?

Translation: we were discussing the delivery of our order from wine.woot. We had trouble getting the wine because, of course, UPS tried to deliver it when we weren't at home and it required a signature. We ended up having it redelivered to B's office.

Note that names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Coolhusband (1:46:26 PM): icanhaswine
Bitchilla (1:46:35 PM): youhazwine?
Coolhusband (1:47:27 PM): ihasthreewinez
Bitchilla (1:47:38 PM): youz should haves 6 winez
Bitchilla (1:47:50 PM): 3 bockses?
Bitchilla (1:47:58 PM): or only threez bottlez?
Coolhusband (1:48:15 PM): oshit, icanhassixwinez!
Coolhusband (1:48:23 PM): yeah, I got 6 bottles of wine
Bitchilla (1:48:27 PM): Oh Noez! yuz has 6 winez
Bitchilla (1:48:35 PM): icanhazwinesnow?
Bitchilla (1:48:37 PM): kthxbai
Coolhusband (1:48:50 PM): winez = minez!
Bitchilla (1:48:57 PM): ohnoez!
Coolhusband (1:49:13 PM): mahofficecanhasbuzzez
Bitchilla (1:49:21 PM): noez!
Coolhusband (1:49:31 PM): ohyez
Bitchilla (1:49:39 PM): usux
Bitchilla (1:49:42 PM): kthxbai

Goat Cheese with Figs

I discovered something very evil this weekend. We joined Costco this weekend (okay, I discovered 2 evil things). I was very impressed with their cheese section. We got this goat cheese with figs in it made by Celebrity International. Go to your Costco and get some. It is nummy!

ETA: I finally found it on the internet and added links above.

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Friday, November 7, 2008

If You're Hungry...

Don't go here: Tastespotting.

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And this is a topic of conversation?

Our nation cracks me up. This morning on the news they were polling people on the street about Michelle Obama's "controversial" dress. Why is that controversial? Because it's not a traditional, boring suit?

Most said they didn't like it. I think she looks fine! And I liked the way the family coordinated.

And yes, I know I'm doing the same thing, by talking about it here.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Celebration!

What a great night! I was alerted to the fact that we had a new president-elect by fireworks in at least 2 different places in my neighborhood. B and I were switching back and forth between a recorded program on the tivo and live coverage. We weren't watching the news when the election was called, but I knew almost immediately thanks to the nearby celebrations. I'll never forget it!

Good job, America!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Get Your Ass Out There

and vote!




*But only if you vote the way I want you to. ;-)

Monday, November 3, 2008

Look at My New Baby

Isn't she adorable?

Pentax Optio M50 8MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom. I got her for $90 on woot.

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She's pink, of course.