Kitten Adventures!

Stars and the soil

"You have to write the book that wants to be 
written.  And if the book will be too difficult 
for grown-ups, then you write it for children."

I kept forgetting to write about how I felt to learn that Madeleine L'Engle died.  Her books were such a part of my child and young adulthood that I think I kept avoiding acknowledging that there would be no more books from her.  It reminded me of how I feel when I learn that someone I don't see much anymore has died, it doesn't affect your day to day too much, you just bump up against it at odd moments.  I feel such a debt to her, for giving me a protagonist in Meg Murray that blows Potter out of the water, and for setting the stage for being able to hold contradictions and the unknown, and allowing a context for feelings to have value even if sometimes they are inexplicable.  I'll never forget the witches in A Wind in the Door telling Meg; "Love is not how you feel, it's what you do."  I find it fascinating that some of the most imaginative authors for children have been religious Christians: L"Engle, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien.  I may not subscribe to their particular definition of how faith is practiced, but I can still hold the contradiction of how one chooses to operate in a world that doesn't often affirm holding onto the value of love.
She never let you forget that, even while valuing all the beauty that science holds:

"The scientists think it likely that there may be other planets out there, but this far nobody's been able to communicate with anybody else. Maybe we'd better learn to communicate with each other first."
Thank you Mado.

Happy Birthday

to two of my favorite people, my pouter and Martini, born today!

Hashert

A while back, longer than I'd like to admit, I was in one of my favorite places, a bookstore. A good one, I should be more specific. Call me old-fashioned, but much as I love all the assistance and knowing that the internets have brought me, there is little that could replace the thrill of being in a bookstore. Such a sexy place, full of possibility. But I digress. I was buying something, perhaps a magazine, and saw copies of Michael Chabon's (at that time) new book The Yiddish Policeman's Union. I thought to myself, I'll get that for my dad, for his birthday, and that way I can read it first! I was reading it the next day, on Bart, and this woman stopped me, dying to know how I got a copy of the book before it was published. I explained the store and how it was already signed, perhaps advance copies? I read the book and loved it, and decided that it would be great to also get to for my grandfather's birthday as well. I meant to send him that copy, but was lazy about getting to the post office the next day, and instead wound up on 4th st in Berkeley. I went by Cody's and thought that I would stop in there and get him another copy. I saw that they were setting up chairs and I asked what for, and was told that Michael Chabon would be doing a reading in about half an hour! I stayed for the reading talk, and as usual, loved what he had to say. It is not necessarily true that the writers you love make for good speakers, but he said he was in his favorite bookstore, and it seemed to be true, he was relaxed and funny. One concept that he discussed when asked was about the dedication of the book to his wife, he says for Ayalet, Hashert. He explained that hashert is a Yiddish word for meant to be, and that he had been thinking about that concept a lot when writing this book, it can mean something romantic, but it can also mean something more along the lines of responsibility, meaning what could go along with being chosen, as the Jews thinking of themselves as chosen people, which could be onerous. At that point, Ayelet, who was in the audience, raised her hand and asked, "well, which is it?", "what?", "which meaning did you mean in the dedication?" And he replied very quickly, "meant to be, the romantic one of course!" Smart man. After waiting in line to have my book signed, I told him about how I had just been coming in to buy his book for my Yiddish scholar grandfather, and foind him here, and he gave me a very charismatic smile and said. "Ah, it was hashert!"

Baby g is a girl!

Fruit class

Mie and I took a baking class in seasonal fruits from Shuna Lydon and we had a fabulous time. It was facinating to learn all about ways to cook with two fruits (strawberries and rhubarb) that I feel really familiar with, and to learn that there is so much more! She was a great teacher for us because she clearly loves the details of things (could you be a pastry chef otherwise?) and loves sharing what she has learned. I could see some more literal people getting frustrated with the circular way she explained things, stopping to tell an anecdote or memory, but Mie and reveled in it-we felt like we were taken on this special strawberry rhubarb magic carpet ride! That ended with a dessert orgy (see Mie's pictures) at the end, what could be better?!? We knew we were amoung those of like mind, while during that orgy mostly what you could hear when there wasn't this silence of enjoyment, people exclaiming things like " Have you tasted the poached rhubarb on the lemon verbena ice cream, it really brings up the herbal flavors?" Or "Try the roasted strawberries on the Pavlova, the textural contrast shows each other off so well!" But best of all it was really great to be able to share that with Mie, thanks for coming along on the ride sis!

R.I.P. K.V.

And so it goes...
And he went. So many will miss you.

Requiem

When the last living thing

has died on account of us,

how poetical it would be

if Earth could say,

in a voice floating up

perhaps

from the floor

of the Grand Canyon,

“It is done.”

People did not like it here.

~Kurt Vonnegut

Curry in a hurry (sort of)

This weekend I was craving some curry, but not the southeast asian type of curry I usually make these days with thai curry paste, but the old school yellow powder curries of my youth.  I had bought a big bag of parsnips at the farmer's market, and vaguely remembered seeing a recipe in Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  Sure enough, there is was.  It was great, tangy and tasty, exactly what I needed for the overcast day.  It reminded me a little of my favorite brunch dish at rick and ann's, their yukon gold hash, so I might try it next time with fried eggs on top.  I changed the recipe a little to include tofu to make it a more complete dish, and added peas, because I love peas in curry, and it needed something to break up the monotone color.  She also advised steaming the parsnips first, but I just sauteed them in the pan first.  She also advised thinly slicing the apples, but I left them chunky.  I didn't have the cilantro on hand, so I left it out.  This is such a great cookbook to have on hand.

Curried Parsnips adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped into even sized pieces

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion thinly sliced

1 apple (I used granny smith) cored and cut into chunky pieces

6 oz firm tofu, cubed

1 teaspoon curry powder

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup yogurt

1/4 fruit chutney (I used tamarind, but mango would work really well)

2 TBSPS chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat the oil in a medium skillet until medium-hot, then add the parsnips and the tofu and saute for about 5 mins.  Add the remaining TBSP of oil, the onion, apple, and curry powder, and cook for 10 mins, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper, add the peas, and continue to cook and stir for 5 mins more.  Turn off the heat and stir in the yogurt, chutney, and cilantro if using, and serve.   

sharing

I went to the ferry building farmer's market with Mie and Tesla yesterday, and had a great time.  It certainly was a success, I bought parsnips, levain bread, pea shoots, shortbread squares, jam, cheese, and had chilaquiles and a pumpkin seed tamale with a pineapple cucumber agua fresca for lunch!  I woke up thinking about it this morning, and realized it wasn't just the fabulous sunny t-shirt weather, or that I found many of the things that I had been hoping to find, or that everything we ate tasted so good.  Well actually that last part definitely was part of it.  I realized in thinking about it, that so much of what made everything so enjoyable was that as we went along, Mie and I shared just about everything we ate.  This may seem like a small thing to you, but I realized this morning how much that means to me. 

One of  the things I loved about C soon after getting together with him, was that he was willing to split dishes with me while out for brunch.  I have long had the conundrum of when out for brunch of being torn between savory and sweet and having a lot of difficulty with having to choose one.  There was never an option in my mind, especially in college, of ordering more than one thing, both for cost and portion purposes, and here was a solution!  But it also was about sharing the experience. 

Food to me has always been more enjoyed when  with others, much much more than alone, so much so that I will often irritate my friends by irritating them by insisting they try something I have, regardless if they want to or not.  When I woke up this morning thinking about it, I just realized that with Mie, it's not just that we often like the same things, or are equally excited about trying new things, or are equally excited at the prospect of discovering something good, it's that all of that happened without even thinking or talking about it, it is just part of the flow, the experience.  When we needed lunch we each automatically suggested what to share, and when she needed something sweet I suggested that we try the bakery stand I like, and we bought something we both were interested in.  I loved the rhubarb gallette we ate, but not just because it's one of my favorite fruit desserts, and not just because I didn't have to commit to the whole thing to get some, but because as we ambled along the market, passing it back and forth it was so much more than just the pastry.  Thank you sis.

And those shortbread squares?  The ones with the caramel and dark chocolate covering?  They are, as XT would say, my new Kryptonite.  I thought I was in trouble with the chocolate ice cream bonbons from TJ's, but these things, a whole new land of trouble.  And I bought a five pack.  I am so screwed.

Today

is Kevin's birthday, completing the birthday trifecta for this week, which we used to be able to celebrate all together many years ago, in person.  I will never forget the days of you scaring the pants off me and Aurora when you snuck into the house in your ninja suit, or late night jaunts to store 24, or how IHOP was our living room, or how you, who claims not to be afraid of anyone would make me kill bugs in your room.  It is a rare and special thing to be able to say that after (oh my god) almost twenty years you can still count on someone when you need them.  I miss those days in some ways, but I am so so glad that you are still in my life, there would be such a huge hole there if you weren't in it!  Who loves ya baby?  No one like I do!

5 things

So XT tagged me for the "5 things no one knows about you" meme (and XT, I love what you wrote on your blog for me, but am having a terrible time trying to leave a comment) and actually Dav Impossible did too, quite a while ago, but I didn't know until now. I really don't feel like there's much that people don't know about me, but here goes:

1.  I have never had a cup of coffee or a cigarette.  Now the people that know me know that I am not opposed to putting contraband in my body, but I hate the taste and smell of both of these, and have only sampled them inadvertently. Funnily enough, I think anyone that I've been with was or has been a smoker.  I think it coincides with my predilection for non american men?  Hmm, this is something that most people know, so I will reveal something of my vanity, something I am usually loathe to represent.  My two most favorite compliments that I have ever received are from my cousin Alexandra, and from my friend Dave S.   Alex once said that I had the witty repartee sharp enough to be in a 40's movie with Katherine Hepburn.  (Too bad Bringing Up Baby has already been made.)  Since she is a film studies professor, and my cousin, I don't think she was trying to pick me up, but we were playing poker, so who knows.  In fact, some of my favorite memories are of the few times I have played poker, so maybe I should play more.  Although I have a lot of difficulty remembering the rules.  Dave S., who once inadvertently (uh huh.) patted me on the ass while I was going up some stairs, commented that I have a REALLY firm ass.  And he's a personal trainer, so you know, he knows.  Uh huh.    

2.  I did not graduate from high school.  It all comes down to failing an Algebra Two class (doesn't everything?), but you can mostly blame it on my need to rebel in a very stupid way, and my great ability to maintain denial despite evidence to the contrary, in high school.   The fact that I went on to get bachelor and master's degrees upholds that theory of ignoring the evidence.  Which provides a segue-way to number three...

3.  I love contradictions.  I  love when things are not as they appear on the surface, or provide a conundrum with how things usually  go.  This fascinates me, which probably why I wound up a social worker, because that is the best profession to go into to find things that don't make sense.  It's also why I am currently obsessed with the TV show House.

4.  I am a freak magnet.  XT understands this, because she is one too, which is why I am surprised that she didn't put it in her list.  I am always the one people will choose to sit next to on the subway, or single out of the crowd when they need an audience.  One time I was walking down the street in SF, (Pacific Heights, I believe) and this innocuous looking white woman felt the need to stop me and tell me that seeing me was very auspicious, she was a shaman, and now she knew she was going to have good luck for quite some time.   Need I say more?

5.  I do have a fear of needles, based in a childhood trauma I believe, but I do not have one of blood.  I am no vampire, but this is a good thing because in addition to being a freak magnet, I have had to deal many times with people getting into bad situations and helping them out of them.  People fainting on trains, having seizures in stores, being jumped and mugged, and then somehow little old me is the one next to arrive on the scene.  Perhaps I should have been an EMT.

There are not many people left to tag, but perhaps Josh, Kevin and Blaise?