CULINARY: Potato Press/Gnocchi

CULINARY

Potato Press/Gnocchi

On a recent trip to Chicago with my daughter I had the opportunity to eat great food--like Italian. I was reminded of all my favorites from growing up in the Midwest and found myself explaining foods to my daughter. As much as food seems to be similar at chain restaurants across the country, there are still some regional differences, particularly when looking for fresh and made from scratch examples.

However, I noticed a particular food missing from our stops--gnocchi. I don't recall eating it while I was young, either.

I've taken an interest in cooking gnocchi, if, for no other reason, it's easier to make than pasta. And I adore almost any food that involved potatoes.

My first step in attempting gnocchi was to locate a potato press, also known as a potato ricer. I don't recall my family or relatives owning such a device while I was growing up, although a forgotten potato masher at the back of a kitchen drawer was common.

Around town, I only found an expensive potato press at the local Williams-Sonoma. Luckily, a friend traveling to Denver was able to pick an inexpensive model for me at the IKEA. (I have no idea why, but I couldn't just order the ten dollar press from their website. And the closest IKEA stores are an all-day drive from Albuquerque.)

A potato press can be used to make fluffy mashed potatoes. A recipe can be found in Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating by Ari Weinzweig. And while great oils, cheeses, meats and pastas can be ordered from Zingerman's, they don't have gnocchi available.

Gnocchi, while simple, isn't easy to make taste good. A basic recipe calls for cooked potatoes, flour and some salt. Weinzweig would probably advise steaming the potatoes, although any method of boiling or baking would work. The ingredients are combined to a pizza dough consistency, then rolled into cigar shape, and cut into small pieces and dropped into boiling water. They float and stay at the top of the boiling water when they are done. That's it.

I advise keeping the gnocchi small. They swell up during cooking and are rather dense and heavy. I am beginning to experiment with adding flavor. While my recipe calls for a pesto sauce for serving, the gnocchi seems to taste better with something thick like a bacon and cream sauce. I recommend gnocchi as a small side dish. It's a bit much for the main course. While I haven't tried it in soups yet, I can recommend coating it in olive oil and adding as a unique ingredient on a meat and vegetable kabob on the grill.

CULINARY: Hand Beaters

CULINARY

Hand Beaters

I've taken a recent interest in kitchen hand tools. I cook to relax, save money, and find a meditative comfort in chopping and blending ingredients by hand. Somehow, throwing a bunch of vegetables into a food processor just isn't the same.

I once dated a Japanese chef, who demonstrated the finer art of hand chopping food. You won't find a Veg-o-matic, or other K-Tel and Ronco type devices, in top kitchens. Instead, they use very high quality knives. The chefs carry their own with them to the job, the way an artist has her own brushes for painting.

I did make a concession to kitchen gadgets, though. I was ready for hand beaters to mix liquid ingredients. Ever try to make whip cream from fresh cream with a whisk? I scouted the local Albuquerque thrift and antique stores, but couldn't locate any inexpensive models. People must be collecting them. I had better luck in an antique mall in Roswell, New Mexico on Main Street. Their selection hadn't been picked over and I found a newer model that works quite well.

Actual antique hand beaters tend to have issues, like the paint peeling off the wooden handles, rust, and wheels that don't quite crank right anymore. They seem better for display than cooking most of the time. However, the newer models work quite well and can be found inexpensively online.

CULINARY: 2 Sets to Measure

CULINARY

2 Sets to Measure

While I usually suggest simplifying the number and complexity of kitchen gadgets, there is one exception. Cooking from scratch is much easier with two sets of measuring spoons and two sets of measuring cups. Invariably recipes call for a teaspoon of this and a teaspoon of that. Stopping to wash out and dry the teaspoon can really slow the cooking process down.

If you cook regularly, treating yourself to decorative or expensive measuring devices is totally worth the cost. I would rather have great looking basic utensils than cheap plastic tools and exotic kitchen gadgets, like a sandwich press, that never get used.

If you only run your dishwasher every two or three days, you might want extras of other often used items, like garlic presses. I hand wash my good knives, so only have one each of the various sizes. Having a range of knife sizes seems more helpful than duplicates.

Having everything clean and ready to go is more inspiring for cooking meals than starting the process facing a sink of dirty dishes and having to hunt all the cabinets to find the tools.

CULINARY: One Pot Cooking

CULINARY

One Pot Cooking

One of the easiest ways to simplify cooking is to reduce a meal to a single pot. When I want a day off from cooking, I throw leftovers of a meat and veggies into a crockpot and cover it with water or sauce, letting it cook on low all day. Presto, I have instant soup or stew.

For example, I will take the leftovers from taco night--seasoned ground beef and diced tomatoes--add a can of tomato sauce, green chile, cooked potatoes or a small amount of rice, plus any other leftover veggies that might work such as peas, and simmer it on low all day. In the evening I have a delicious pot of Texas-style chili.

Another favorite one pot meal is to use my large Staub cast iron pan for baking meats and veggies together. I either coat everything in olive oil with seasonings, or cover with a cup of water and dry soup mix, and cook the dish in the oven at 350 degrees until done.

STYLE: Train Travel

STYLE

Train Travel

My favorite mode of vacation travel is by train. I like choosing a travel destination where I'm not going to need a car. There is something gratifying about railroad time, watching the countryside go by, and arriving at a new place gradually. Desert gives way to flat fields and ranches, which slowly builds into a city.

From the Albuquerque Amtrak station it's an overnight trip on the Southwest Chief to either Chicago or Los Angeles. Albuquerqueans are lucky to have a stop that boards in the middle of the day, unlike some stations, which pick up passengers at night. I would be less enthusiastic if I had to get on the train at 3 AM in the morning.

Going east, all mid-country trains head to Chicago. Unfortunately, there are no north/south Amtrak connections between Denver and El Paso. The local commuter train, the Rail Runner, does connect Albuquerque with Santa Fe, as the Amtrak train stops at Lamy, rather than Santa Fe proper.

I've been told the route through Denver, the California Zephyr, is one of the most beautiful trips.

Union Station, at the end of the line in Chicago, is located by a block just across the river from the Loop. It's a short walk to connect to the 'L' subway line. For some reason, Chicago's trains, subways, and commuter rails don't quite connect as seamlessly as most other major cities. However, it's still possible to get around, particularly when buses are added in.

The only Amtrak connection I have done in Chicago is Cleveland. When a four hour layover at the Chicago station is added in, Cleveland is more like a two day trip from Albuquerque. Some city connections, like Milwaukee, are much shorter. If you ever find yourself at the station with hours to spare, I recommend locking up your luggage and spending time walking around Chicago's Downtown. There are a bunch of great restaurants nearby.

Los Angeles, going west from Albuquerque, is a particularly notorious city for being spread out. I haven't tried to get around most of the city, preferring to stay in the Downtown area, where there are plenty of amenities and tourist attractions. The Amtrak stop, Union Station, is the regional transportation hub and connects with the commuter lines. It also links with the Amtrak west coast routes.

I particularly enjoy taking the train up the coast to Santa Barbara. A free trolley runs up and down their tourist row of restaurants and shops, with access near the train stop.

Bicycles are allowed on the Pacific Surfliner from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, and some other routes, but not the Southwest Chief, unless crated like the airlines require.

Travelers are permitted a couple pieces of luggage, which can be checked, without any additional fees I'm aware of, as long as they meet size and weight restrictions. The train is a little more generous on size than the airlines.

So far, all of the stations I've traveled to have been located in decent neighborhoods close to amenities. Albuquerque may be one of the dicier stops, as it shares facilities with the Greyhound bus, and south of the station is an abandoned rail yard that's rather rough. (If you're a fan of Breaking Bad, however, walk just outside of the station and gawk. But don't wander too far.)

Are You Ready to Start a Business?

The secret is timing, hard work and smart partners. “Using that formula, I've either founded or funded over 80 companies, and none have gone bankrupt. Most have done very well.” – Terry Matthew

1.       ARE YOU BETTER OFF WITH A JOB?

·         Over the lifetime of a business: 39% are profitable, 30% break even, and 30% lose money, 1% undetermined  --Wells Fargo/NFIB study, using U.S. Census Bureau data

·         Job hunting resources: See Richard Bolles           http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/

2.       DO YOU HAVE MASTERY OF THE SKILLS NEEDED?

·         10,000 Hours (about 5 years)      http://www.psychologytoday.com/em/85976

3.       HAVE YOU DONE YOUR RESEARCH AND DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?

·         Business plan, marketing strategy, cash flow projections, etc.

·         Have you accounted for all of the expenses of self-employment?: taxes, health insurance, short and long-term disability, double retirement contributions, etc.

4.       WILL YOU BE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION?

·         Best city, very best retail location, best web traffic

5.       QUESTION: How much does it cost to fail in business?

·         ANSWER: The sum total of your life savings and/or inheritance.

·         Figure out how much it’s going to cost to actually be financially successful in a business, not just how much it costs to set up the business.

6.       WHAT DOES A FRANCHISE COST?

·         Franchise information   http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/rankings/lowcost-115390/2012,-1.html

·         Best and worst franchises for 2012  http://www.inc.com/articles/201101/the-best-and-worst-franchises-to-own.html

7.       HOW BIG DO YOU NEED TO GROW TO BECOME PROFITABLE?

·         Number of units, locations, employees

8.       ARE YOU WILLING TO LOOK AND PLAY THE PART OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNER?

·         Industry standards of dress: see Work Wear at the Wall Street Journal http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/category/style/

9.       HAVE YOU SET ASIDE ENOUGH CASH TO FILE BANKRUPTCY, IF NEEDED?

10.   IF YOU SUCCEED, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT YOUR MARKET SHARE?

RESOURCES

ONLINE

Starting and managing a business            http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/

How-to guides                  http://www.entrepreneur.com/howto/startyourbiz.html

LOCAL

Albuquerque Small Business Resource Directory http://www.cabq.gov/econdev/pdf/BusinessResourceDirectory2010.pdf

City of Albuquerque small business support     http://www.cabq.gov/econdev/smallbusinesssupport.html

WESST Enterprise Center    http://www.wesst.org/enterprise-center/

ACCION New Mexico/Arizona/Colorado   http://www.accionnm.org/

ABQ: Postcard 1902

ALBUQUERQUE

Bridge Over Rio Grande, Barelas

Postcard 1902

Before flood control systems were put into place, the Rio Grande meandered throughout the valley. It didn't stay in one specific place. At times it flooded the villages along the river. The bridge had to be rather long to accommodate the shifting patterns of the water.

I'm told this wooden bridge eventually burned.

GARDEN: artwork/Bell

GARDEN

Bell

This is one of my very first pieces of artwork using a new method (for me) of combining black and white photography with beeswax and oil pastels.

The picture was taken at the Japanese Garden at Albuquerque's Biopark. I've added some artistic license, since the wall isn't red.

This piece hasn't been exhibited, as it is still on a large sample board for my first attempts at figuring out how to do this process.

STYLE: Ink

STYLE

Ink

While I don't think it's necessary to buy the most expensive fountain pen, I do recommend using a very high quality ink.

For many years I used a mid-range ink in my fountain pen. It worked okay. Then I ran out and went to the local art supply store for more. The place had many finer supplies--but quality pen ink wasn't one of them. So I loaded my pen with a cheap ink that appeared in quality and consistency to be closer to a thick liquid used for brush painting.

Cheap inks are a bad idea. They gum up the mechanical parts of a fountain pen and dry out too quickly. I soon found my pen wouldn't write smoothly and I was stopping frequently to try to get it flowing again. I was pressing down harder on the tip, which was okay with my steel nib, but might have ruined a gold tip.

The answer was a good quality Mont Blanc ink. The sales clerk told me they add detergents to keep the ink running smoothly. She also talked me into trying colors. At first I was skeptical, but now I'm a total fan. I wrote most of my first novel in orange, a color that apparently is be discontinued. Too bad. I love the orange and still have half a small bottle left over.

My daughter has an emerald green, which works fine, but doesn't suit me. I tend to steal ink from her other bottle--Mystery Black, which has a touch of blue. Soon I plan to try out a couple other colors, like purple and gray. When fiction writing, I find it's easier to keep a consistent point of view by assigning each character a color. Orange is my character Nancy. I'm thinking her friend Fay should be something blue or gray. For Fay, maybe I will even splurge on fine, handmade writing paper.

STYLE: Fountain Pens

STYLE

Fountain Pens

Most of my rough draft writing I do long-hand in a notebook, before retyping the text on to a computer. I've had carpal tunnel in my hands since my mid-twenties. The only way I've found that I can write for long periods is to use a fountain pen.

I've owned a Cross steel nib pen for more than a decade now. I think they still cost what I paid back then--around $80.00. I've never had to repair or replace it. But if I did, I would probably try a fountain pen with a gold tipped nib, for softer writing pressure.

Fountain pens do have some drawbacks. I prefer ink from a bottle over prefilled plastic cartridges. Which means I often make a mess when I refill the pen. But then again, I get flour everywhere when I bake. Other people may be neater than me.

Fountain pens don't travel well. Spilled ink from a bottle is always a hazard. The bottle should be sealed in a plastic bag, preferably with something absorbent like a paper towel. Sealing the lid around the edges with electrical tape would also help.

While mine hasn't, some pens are prone to leaking. Changing cabin pressure on an airplane can make it worse. A sales clerk advised me to completely fill the pen ink chamber to eliminate any air space, which gives the ink room to expand while flying. Perhaps a better solution would be to completely empty the ink before boarding. However, I have never been inclined to try flying with a fountain pen, given the issues with airport security. The same clerk told a story about having a hassle with the TSA before being allowed to board with his pen. Some other airports might not have been as accommodating.

Recently I bought my teenage daughter a LAMY fountain pen. It was recommended as an inexpensive starter pen to see if she really likes using it.

If price were no object, I would buy the Grace Kelly fountain pen by Mont Blanc. The sales staff I have encountered at the Mont Blanc stores while visiting Las Vegas and Chicago have been gracious, even letting me hold the pen, while it's clear I couldn't afford to pay valet parking, let alone buy such an expensive item.

ABQ: Old Town Chapel

 





















ALBUQUERQUE

Old Town Chapel

Capilla de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe has an "Our Lady of Guadalupe" church on Griegos road in Albuquerque. Not to be confused with the Guadalupe chapel in Old Town.

I lived in Old Town for quite awhile, starting the late 1990s, before I ever learned about the chapel. It's tucked away quietly behind the Albuquerque Museum to the east, and the Patio Escondido on San Felipe NW to the west. It's not located on a road, per se. Rather, it sits in the back of a patio area to the north of the main plaza and San Felipe church.

The small adobe chapel was built by a nun. It's been rumored to be haunted. However, many buildings in the Old Town Plaza have similar claims.

Until a recent fire, the chapel was cared for and visited by people day and night. It remained open through all seasons. At the entrance was a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Visitors left burning candles and prayers with photos of loved ones.

In the back of the chapel was a more formal shrine to Christ with candles. Along the sides of the chapel were adobe benches and carved wood panels with words.

Read one of the panels:

MY SOUL

HATH DESIRED

THEE IN THE

NIGHT AND WITH

MY SPIRIT WITHIN

ME IN THE MORN

EARLY I WILL

WATCH TO

THEE

STYLE: Shop Own Closet

STYLE

Shop Your Own Closet

The first step to dressing great is to weed out your closet.

Once you have gotten rid of the clothes that no longer work, and you have sorted your clothes down to one season, it's time to go shopping in your own closet. You're going to assemble new outfits from your existing clothes. This may sound easy--but it's actually a lot of work. Be prepared to spend some time.

The trick is to figure out which articles of clothing can be mixed and matched with the rest of the garments in your closet. Any items that are for special occasions only, such as formal wear or bridesmaid dresses, can be set aside. However, don't be too quick to judge. Could that fuchsia gown be paired with a white denim jacket and sandals for a summer dinner out? Or a suit jacket and boots in the winter?

Next, unload your closet. Yes, you've read correctly. Hopefully you have already done the first steps of weeding and sorting by season. All of your remaining clothes, and accessories like scarves, should be taken out of the closet to create outfit combinations.

You may be lucky enough to have a portable garment hanger. But, if not, the bed or the floor can work as well. I set out my clothes in the bedroom, then hang them up outfit by outfit on the shower curtain rod in the bathroom.

The clothes need to be sorted into similar types of fabrics. In most cases, a shiny polyester top isn't going to look good when worn with a natural linen skirt. There are exceptions, say white on white, where the outfit is coordinated by colors. But, in general, outfits look best when paired with similar textures and weights. Think about what goes with what. This is easy for the woman with a closet full of cottons and linens. It will be more challenging for someone who follows a lot of different trends.

There will be some transitional garments that might work with almost everything, such as denim jackets, solid tights, or a classic black tailored blazer.

I find the process of assembling outfits easier if I focus on creating a certain look, instead of trying to figure out every possible combination of clothing I could wear. Having some photos to use as a style inspiration is a big help. For example, when I stopped working in an office, I began to dress very casually. Call it the unemployed look. I realized I needed to figure out a business casual style that wasn't too dressed up. I wasn't going to be walking around in suits. But, at the same time, I was in danger of dressing so informally that I would have trouble procuring local freelance and consulting work. So I needed a new style model.

I browsed online and saved some pictures that were inspiring. They gave me new ideas of how to use my old clothes in a different way. I might add a scarf to a plain shirt to appear a little more polished. Or how to dress in ankle boots in the summer.

One you have general groupings of clothes, the fun begins. Start with an article of clothing that you will use as the base of the look. I like blazers and jackets as the foundation of business casual. Others may like to start with their pants and skirts. The main idea is to pick a category and then work through your clothes in a methodical way.

I started with a purple blazer, then took out every top in my pile, to see what combinations could be created. Each time I found a matching top, I would then go through my pile of skirts and pants to see what worked. I also checked if a scarf might be added. Once I went through every possible combination with my purple blazer, I did the same thing with the next jacket. And so on, until I had worked through every summer jacket or blazer in my closet.

TIP: Keep all the garments in order and go through them methodically each time, so you can keep track of which combinations you've tried. Otherwise, you may get hopelessly confused.

How are you going to remember which outfits work together? Stop and take a photo of each outfit combination. I like to hang the outfits on my shower curtain rod to use the white as a background. I use my cellphone for pictures, so it's easy for me to scroll through the outfits in the morning when I get dressed.

Sounds like a lot of work? Right. But it will save you tons of time digging through your closet in the morning. Not to mention you will find all kinds of new outfit combinations that you never would have considered before.

If you have an enormous amount of time, you could try each outfit on and have a friend take a photo. Not every combination will work when you try it on. However, I find it easier to photo every reasonable combination, then delete the photo later if the outfit doesn't look good.

While this process is time consuming, it's an excellent way to find dozens of new outfits from the existing garments in your closet.

STYLE: Cheap Thrills

STYLE

Cheap Thrills

Inexpensive accessories are fun. While I advocate buying high quality basic garments to create the foundation of a wardrobe, I'm equally a fan of trying out cheap and trendy accessories.

Large, sparkly earrings, extremely bright or loud scarves, over sized plastic rings and strange socks are just a few of the items that can give your outfits a wonderful kick.

I've had cheap plastic earrings that received compliments for years. I have been amazed by some of my friends' artistic creations with jewelry, unusual belts or offbeat thrift store finds. Head to toe coverage in cheapness doesn't look good. But one funky item on an outfit is a touch of whimsy.

Best of all, if you haven't spent much money on your outlandish or trendy items, there is no regret in coming to your senses the next day and getting rid of it.

GARDEN: Raspberries

GARDEN

Raspberries

I've had fairly good luck with my backyard raspberry bush. Quite by accident, I planted the bush on the north side of my house along my turtle garden. In some parts of the country the bushes can be invasive. In Albuquerque, we're just lucky to get them to grow.

The plant is rather clever and has sent up runners under my compost pile, so that I don't need to add compost myself. It also tends to send shoots anywhere in the turtle garden that gets regularly watered.

Last year when we got a lot of smoke for weeks on end from forest fires, it was rather unhappy and didn't grow much. The bush definitely prefers rain over being watered from the tap. But overall, it's done quite well.


Information about growing raspberries in New Mexico.

STYLE: Money Best Spent

STYLE

Money Best Spent

Most of us live on a limited style budget. The best investment, for the money, is spending extra on those things which you'll wear every day--a professional hair cut, professional coloring (if needed), eye glasses, everyday purses or briefcase, and shoes.

Invest in high quality and you're half way there to looking good everyday, without even having to stop and think about it.

ABQ: 1915 Postcard

ALBUQUERQUE

Postcard from 1915

Odd Fellow Building

This is a Henry C Trost building, Lodge #284. Wikipedia lists the building from 1916, although the postcard is listed as ca. 1915. It was postmarked in 1917. The building has since been demolished.

The order runs a campground 3 miles south of Torreon, NM. An Odd Fellow organization is still listed as being an active nonprofit in Albuquerque.

Odd Fellows were known to have cemeteries. A Google search linked them to the now defunct Santa Barbara Cemetery, located Downtown on the south side of Central Ave., between Third and Fourth streets. The site is now occupied by buildings.


Wikipedia has a list of Odd Fellow buildings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The site also includes Odd Fellow cemetaries with their architectural styles.

History of Odd Fellow cemetaries in Santa Fe.


Wikipedia lists the organizations as: 

Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is a global altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were far less common. In the U.S., it is a Mutual Benefit Corporation (U.S. IRS tax code 501(c)(8)).

STYLE: Clothing Upgrades

STYLE

Clothing Upgrades

Usually garments right off the rack never look quite right. One easy fix to make clothing appear better quality is to upgrade the buttons. Plastic and cheap buttons can be switched to something much better, making the entire outfit appear to be of higher quality. It can also update an older item.

You can achieve a more custom look with your clothing by having garments altered to fit your unique body type by a seamstress or tailor. This is particularly helpful as our bodies age and change. A classic dress may still be in style, but no longer fit well a decade later.