Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
November in California
Tomato season continues for the CSA box. This week we got 4 yellow heirloom tomatoes and a bunch of not quite red San Marzanos. Last week there were a lot and eventually I put them all in a pan, drizzled olive oil and salamoia bolognese over them and roasted them for about an hour. That, on an egg in a sandwich of good sour dough bread, was a yummy dinner. The roasted tomatoes keep well in the refrigerator and can be added to almost anything.
The recipe for the herb-infused salt is here:
http://awaytogarden.com/how-blogger-gayla-trail-spiced-up-my-life-an-herbal-adventure-with-you-grow-girl
The concept of such simple wonderfulness with roasted tomatoes comes from Girlsgonechild's mom:
http://www.girlsgonechild.net/2012/08/eat-well-tomatoes-la-roast.html
In addition to the tomatoes, it is still yellow rose season at the 1459.
I believe this rose is called St Patrick. In the spring the buds have a lot of green in them but by fall they are mostly dark yellow. The blooms last a long time when they are cut and even longer on the bush. It's such a nice treat to see them by the front door.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Turtle visitor
We were quite surprised to see this guy on our front porch Friday.
I talked to his owner this afternoon and found out that he is about 50 years old. Apparently there are 2 or 3 others living in the back yard 3 doors down. This might be the only one with a tag so it is a good thing it's the one who went for a walk!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Indian Food, Part Three
One of the older stand-by Indian restaurants in the area has always been Bombay Oven. It's on Stevens Creek Blvd. close to De Anza College and has been there much longer than the glitzier Panera and Peet's which are now adjacent. In the olden days (ie about a year or so ago), when you went for the buffet lunch, you seated yourself, eventually someone would nod at you and acknowledge your presence, and bring you water and MAYBE ask for a drink order; and after you had stuffed yourself, a small old Indian lady in a sari would decide what you owed and collect money from you. No signs. No menus. Just a tasty buffet.
That has all changed. A few months ago when Beth and I went for lunch the ambiance was totally different. Newly painted, fresh tablecloths, nice waiters, a bigger buffet moved to the back nook,and when we arrived at 11:30 it was not yet ready. We were brought drinks during our wait, and before the food line opened, the place started filling up! As we had been the first people in, we were sent to the buffet first, a nice gesture. And the quality of the food was much higher than it had been in the past.
Fast forward to Wednesday night. I had purchased a Groupon for dinner at Bombay Oven a few weeks ago, so we decided to give it a try. The place is very comfortable, with a pleasant dining room, painted a soft yellow and with low music playing. Several families were there but it was not crowded. Our young waiter was very friendly and helpful. We ordered an appetizer and three dishes to share, plus naan. The appetizer was something I'd never had before but highly recommend---honey cauliflower. Think slightly sweet, savory popcorn cauliflower. Yum. The main dishes were the house curry chicken, butter chicken, and bhindi masala (okra). Michael was a big fan of the curry, which I also liked, but butter chicken just makes my mouth happy. I think the only place where I've had any butter chicken that was better is at Amber India, where it is a signature dish. The quantities were large enough that we were able to bring home more than enough for lunch the next day.
Now for my Okla/Ark/Texas families: Okra. You think fried okra is the best thing on earth. Well you know I do, at least. Let me tell you, okra masala as cooked at Bombay Oven rivals any okra dish I've ever had. The okra is fresh, cut like we do to fry it, sauteed with onions, tomato, and spices. It was crisp, smooth, fresh, spicy, all at once. I promise, if any of you come to visit, this will be a stop on the food tour.
I asked our waiter if he eats okra, feeling that possibly even Indian gourmets might have mixed feelings about this vegetable. But he assured me that he did, and that in his country there is a belief that eating okra will make you smart in mathematics. I told Michael that it must not have worked on me and he replied, think how much worse you might have been in math if you HADN'T eaten it all your childhood! Touche.
That has all changed. A few months ago when Beth and I went for lunch the ambiance was totally different. Newly painted, fresh tablecloths, nice waiters, a bigger buffet moved to the back nook,and when we arrived at 11:30 it was not yet ready. We were brought drinks during our wait, and before the food line opened, the place started filling up! As we had been the first people in, we were sent to the buffet first, a nice gesture. And the quality of the food was much higher than it had been in the past.
Fast forward to Wednesday night. I had purchased a Groupon for dinner at Bombay Oven a few weeks ago, so we decided to give it a try. The place is very comfortable, with a pleasant dining room, painted a soft yellow and with low music playing. Several families were there but it was not crowded. Our young waiter was very friendly and helpful. We ordered an appetizer and three dishes to share, plus naan. The appetizer was something I'd never had before but highly recommend---honey cauliflower. Think slightly sweet, savory popcorn cauliflower. Yum. The main dishes were the house curry chicken, butter chicken, and bhindi masala (okra). Michael was a big fan of the curry, which I also liked, but butter chicken just makes my mouth happy. I think the only place where I've had any butter chicken that was better is at Amber India, where it is a signature dish. The quantities were large enough that we were able to bring home more than enough for lunch the next day.
Now for my Okla/Ark/Texas families: Okra. You think fried okra is the best thing on earth. Well you know I do, at least. Let me tell you, okra masala as cooked at Bombay Oven rivals any okra dish I've ever had. The okra is fresh, cut like we do to fry it, sauteed with onions, tomato, and spices. It was crisp, smooth, fresh, spicy, all at once. I promise, if any of you come to visit, this will be a stop on the food tour.
I asked our waiter if he eats okra, feeling that possibly even Indian gourmets might have mixed feelings about this vegetable. But he assured me that he did, and that in his country there is a belief that eating okra will make you smart in mathematics. I told Michael that it must not have worked on me and he replied, think how much worse you might have been in math if you HADN'T eaten it all your childhood! Touche.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
AHS Class of 1961 Group Photo
Susan Miller, Charlene Goss, Carrol Evans, Oras Rainer, Thomas Berryhill, Linda Presley, Darryl Hunkapillar, Mary Walters, Suzy Russell, Charlotte Brown, Joe Pap, Judy Means, Janice Barnes, Harvey Colley, Cherry Jeffrey, Karen Haston, Mike Howie, Judy Nutt, Freida Clay, Diann Thompson, Jesse Reed, Linda Briscoe, Marvin Witt, Lynn Paschall, Danny Heartsill, Shirley Lewis, Barbara O'Brien, Tanya Jackson, Trudie McCreight, Linda Collins, Dorothy Royall, Phyllis Hignight, Sharon Wiggins, Linda Painter, Linda Lanphere, John Burton, Phyllis Hamilton, Carol Carlock, Sandra Fisher, Jim Porter, Carol Daube, Bill Thomas, Midge Ledbetter, Sharon King, Jane Robbins, Carl Holliday, Karen Adams, Terry Gutshall, Charles Rice, Sharon Halstead, Doyle Williams, Lynda Jones, Bob Williams, Kenneth James, Gary Grider, Mary Beth Osborn, Carolyn Kinkade, Jan Pruitt
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Katie and Laura at Katie's wedding
http://www.wpja.com/contests/49-2011-q1-contest/06-emotion.html#10
Friends sharing happiness and joy. I love these two young women. Gorgeous photo!
Friends sharing happiness and joy. I love these two young women. Gorgeous photo!
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