PIE.

Earlier this week, I got an email from Matt over at River North Beer asking if I bake as well as cook. Ha! Of COURSE I do both. 19 April 2014 Note: River North Beer is now Lakeshore Beverage Company.

Turns out that one of RNB’s clients, Virtue Cider was hosting an apple pie bake-off in conjunction with Sheffield’s. Oh, and there’s cider too. Yeah.

Well. I have just the thing. I mean, I’m crap at pies, but I like baking them. I also like having random blog fodder. You know I’m posting this to tell you I’ll be posting more about it.

So. My plan of attack. I’m going to get a pie recipe from that cookbook and try it out. I’m going to use a tweaked pie crust recipe from Alton Brown.… Continue reading →

I’m Supposed to Make Nyama Choma on Saturday

I’ve been to Kenya twice. The first time was as a study abroad experience in undergrad (and I cannot recommend The School for Field Studies enough) and the second time was helping out with a research project and seeking my own for graduate studies.

As you can probably imagine, this means I’m a bit more aware of goings-on in Kenya than I am some other countries in the world. Not exactly that I know more, but that a news report about Kenya is more likely to catch and/or keep my attention than some other country I haven’t visited. Human nature.

Human nature also says I pay a attention to the city I live in, and place I truly love.

You all know where this is going.… Continue reading →

Three Years, Two Months and Twelve Days

On August 6th, I announced that I was changing the rules of the challenge that launched this blog.

A week ago, I bought my first cookbook since the challenge launched. (Let’s not discuss how many cookbooks I’ve gotten rid of, because I don’t know.)

No one is surprised by this purchase, I suspect. The book screams that it belongs in my kitchen. Even so, before subjecting myself to being anywhere near it (and thus potentially buying it), I made sure to consider if it was simply an impulse purchase. Basically, did it fill a hole in my collection? If not, was this a really strongly wanted cookbook, or just a passing fancy? Did it keep me under 50 total cookbooks?

The last question is the easiest to answer, because it does.… Continue reading →

The Obligations Surrounding “Scientist.”

It took sitting down to a hard cider tasting to help me figure out some of the answers to Dr. Janet Stemwedel’s questions (reproduced below) from over a week ago. I’d been contemplating it for awhile, had written some serious notes on the subject, but I hadn’t gotten it figured out completely. As I finished my night of cider and camaraderie, I had a much clearer picture.

For me, from the beginning, it all came down to communication. I suspect part of this is that I love to talk. I am not only a complete chatterbox most of the time in person, I keep a blog and many of the posts are… not short. On top of that, I love listening and reading. Stories are fascinating, whether I’m telling them or hearing them.… Continue reading →

SlapShot Brewing Beer Debut at The Beer Bistro’s 8th Anniversary

I wasn’t planning to attend SlapShot Brewing’s beer debut at The Beer Bistro’s 8th Anniversary party. In fact, I didn’t even know about the event. When I found out about it, via my friend Jeremy tweeting his disappointment that he couldn’t attend, I seriously contemplated not going. However, not having any other plans, Bill strongly encouraging me to go, and a very honest desire to support debuts and events happening south of North Avenue really put me over the edge.

I’m glad. It was a blast, and it was a at least three different kinds of evenings all packed into one.

It started as a very low-key evening. The brewers and company were tightly packed at one large table and a couple of smaller tables. I ended up at a two-top a bit removed from them and decided to grab their beer and see what it was like.… Continue reading →