I developed the roll of film I took this this weekend at Hotel Havana with my Yashica. These may be repeats, but I love them! And those light leaks? That’s what happens when I forget to roll up the film before I open the camera. 🙂
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A weekend getaway
This weekend we escaped the ACL crowds and drove to San Antonio.
We:
- Stayed at the lovely Hotel Havana
- Had excellent cocktails and snacks at The Esquire Tavern with Jeret, Javi and Rob (fried beets, potato tacos, house made chips, deviled eggs, along with too many unnamed and just-made-up cocktails to count)
- Had a delicious lunch at Rosario’s – thank you, Lexie! (ceviche that tasted like my dad’s, pozole with plenty of oregano, and the lengua plate – simmered beef tongue with beans, rice and tortillas)
- Walked around the King William historic district (reminded us of New Orleans)
- Had snacks at Ocho Lounge (fruta mixta and chorizo queso)
- Took naps, danced around the room, sat on the patio
- Walked through the Riverwalk, then a bit south to have snacks at The Monterey (pork egg rolls; roasted cauliflower with shaved beef cheek, goat cheese and grapes; rice bowl with kimchi, pickled vegetables, poached egg, nori, and pork belly)
- Drank cava on the patio til the wee hours of the morning
- Had breakfast at Ocho Lounge (banana nut bread smothered in peanut butter, bananas and honey; broiled grapefruit with mezcal and sugar; chorizo and eggs with plantains and beans)
- Checked out the Pearl Brewery area, and found a lovely pink scarf for me
- Drove to the Hill Country to spend some time with Justin’s folks
All in all, a lovely and much-needed getaway weekend. 🙂
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Farro Salad
I cooked again! Yay me!
I bought a cute little bag of quick-cooking farro at Central Market, and decided to try it out tonight as a salad. I started with a recipe from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, but ended up changing it a lot to fit the ingredients we had. It was seriously good, especially atop field greens, which added a fresh and bitter bite.
In other news, I moved the furniture around today. I’m still getting used to it, but I think I kinda love it.
Also, my grandma sewed a pretty green apron for me! I had mentioned that I was looking for one, and she just sewed it right up and my mom shipped it to me. It’s so much more fun to cook when you have a lovely apron. 🙂
Otherwise, all is well. I watched Amelie again, and was reinspired with home beauty (hence the moving of the furniture). I’m thinking of getting some vintage light switches and switchplates, and thrifting for lots of goodies soon. Also, I just learned that there’s a flea market in Austin! Woot!
Farro and Vegetable Salad
Dressing
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons walnut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Salad
- 1 1/2 cups farro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese, plus extra for topping
- Mixed salad greens
For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well.
Cook farro according to package directions. (I used quick-cooking farro from Central Market, which cooks in 10 minutes; I also salted the cooking water.) Drain if needed.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and zucchini, and sauté for 8 – 10 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and shallots at the end, and cook a minute or so more. Season with salt to taste.
In a large bowl, mix together the farro, vegetables, oregano and cheese. Drizzle with most of the dressing and mix well. Taste, and add more dressing if needed. Serve slightly warm atop mixed salad greens and sprinkle with more crumbled cheese.
Makes 4 entree servings.
Adapted (a lot) from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.
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Broccoli and pasta
Note to self: You made this last night, and it was so good that both you and J. said you need to write it down.
Penne with Broccoli and Shallots
- 8 ounces penne
- 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Crumbled cotija or feta cheese (about 1/3 cup)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Cook the penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, but save some of the cooking water. Steam the broccoli (I do this in the microwave in a covered dish with a bit of water, for about 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in skillet, and let sit until butter browns slightly. Toss in the garlic and shallots, and sizzle for a minute or two. Add the broccoli and sauté a bit, stirring to mix everything together. Add lemon juice, then salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the cooked pasta, then the crumbled cheese. Add a bit of the pasta cooking water to make it more saucy, then serve it up.
Makes 3 to 4 servings.
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Announcement #2!
Internets! I am so excited to announce that Aimee Wenske has agreed to do the photography for my new book! I have admired her work for a long time, and I am thrilled to be able to work with her on this project. Hooray!
Feast your eyes on these gorgeous photos by the lovely Aimee:
Fun, fun, fun! I feel so lucky and excited and grateful, all at once. Thank you, Aimee! 🙂