Skillz

L'Arte de Cappuccino.











This Santa Barbara July-Gloom has me sitting under my down comforter, eating oatmeal with warm apricots, and blogging about hot cappuccinos......Ah, summertime in California.

Transport

I just took my first long train ride in the US. I spent 24 hours on the Amtrack from Portland, Oregon to Santa Barbara, California.

Now mind you, I have endured my fair share of public transportation on this planet: I've exercised a Eurorail pass on damp, un-air-conditioned trains from Calabria, Italy through Oberstoff, Germany. I've mastered the New York Metro. I've yogicly curled myself into the fetal position on the coach window seat of many a 10+ hour flight. I've burned my shins on the hot tail pipe of a Balinese motorbike. I've shared a minivan with 27 Cambodians, when only 17 seats were available. And I recently took a train from the lush and sunny landscape of Oregon through the Summertime coastal fog of Northern California.

I actually love overnight transportation because how else are you going to sit front row and witness the sun fall into pink clouds, then rise again over a beautifully foreign landscape? And all without the need of controlled substances, and loud techno on the beach of an island in Spain!..... not that I've ever endured such chaos for a blissful sunrise and a freshly baked Spanish pastry or anything. But I really do love watching the trek from point A to point B pass by me. When I told my friends and family that I was taking a 24 hour train ride home versus a 2 hour flight, the reactions were that of shock and discomfort. My experience was everything but shocking- quite nice actually. I made friends with strangers, read my book, watched the beautiful landscape pass, and stretched out in a seat that can fully accommodate a 5'11" girl. Far from some past traveling escapades I've endured.



It all reminded me of the many travel experiences I have had over the years- A special 13 hour bus ride in Vietnam this past September, in particular. I typed up this email to a friend on my phone while on that little venture....

It's 6:40 pm on Sunday- I have just boarded a sleeper bus from Hué to Hanoi. 13 hours, with 1 stop for dinner. We bought this ticket this morning from our hotel that we stayed one night in (Hué is pretty damn boring.) for $10 we get a nice sleeper bus, individual seats with blanket, pillow and complimentary water. The pictures in the add show a lovely seat, fully reclined with a soft red blanket, and a white sheet turned down at the corner. Another image of the bathroom on board, clean, big with pretty light fixtures. The whole thing screams "Smooth Sailing!" and for only $10!!!

So as a smart traveler, you ask all the right questions, look the receptionist dead in the eye with serious intent to get what your about to pay for, check out on time, etc.... And somehow you still get totally screwed over!!!
I'm currently laying on a half reclined, vinyl bed ( that's right, vinyl...) of an old bus- probably built in the 80's. The window drapes are a fowl yellow color, stained and torn. The pillow provided was probably white at one point, now it shows little reminders of all it's past visitors. What blanket? What bathroom? The aircon only works on my side (window side) so Julie has her arm draped over my stomach to keep something cool. It smells like chicken feet and lemon dish soap. If there was padding in this seat at one time, it's gone now. The woman in front of me has been playing the same Vietnamese slow rap song (think LLcool J, circa 1998) on her cell phone speaker over and over again There isn't enough light to read (and therefore i write email drafts, and daydream about a shower...) our bathroom stops will most likely include: popping a squat in a bush, or popping a squat in a hole in the dirt. The creaks, squeaks and over use of horn & brakes are all subtle reminders that you are in fact.... on a shitty bus for 13 hours in the middle of Vietnam.

{Oh, We just got a flat tire. We're pulling over.}

:: 1hour later ::
Other than the really cool lightning show outside the left window- my night is gonna suck!! There is no way that I am taking off my shoes. I'm sure I'll contract some creepy ringworm from sweating and sleeping on this chair. And thank Buddha that I actually bought a tiny neck pillow. At least Julie and I fully stocked up on coconut crackers and banana chips before departing tonight....sustaining happiness by means of coconut.

Other than this present moment, I'm doing great! And I'm sure Hanoi and all its delicious street food offerings will be awesome, and worth the journey.

More soon,
- Ash

P.S. The trip took a total of 16.5 hours. We got another flat tire around 3 am. Then they dropped us off in the rain at the wrong station in Hanoi- we had to then take 2 crazy motos to our hotel, in the pouring rain. Ah, the joys of being a filthy backpacker! I'm currently looking into flights for the remainder of my trip.... And maybe some Vietnamese Valium ;)

Sent from my iPhone


(view from my window in Hanoi, September 2009)

But for a moment with a proper Bahn mi sandwhich from lady in the old quarter of Hanoi, or that rocket fuel-like Vietnamese iced coffee I had every morning, or a glass of warm house beer with an ice cube on a crowded street corner of such a fabulous city - Yes, I would gladly choose that bus over the fancy leg room of an American train any day.

Holy Curd

Ahhhhh.....

The sigh of relief, as I finally settle down from a chaotic month. I catered a handful of parties, cooked for a large family for 5 days, a wedding of over a hundred guests, work at the restaurant, preparations for Spain and Morocco, and somehow gathered in a few "cool points" with friends whom have already forgotten that I live here. And I ask you this- who in their right mind would offer to cater a wedding for 100 people, outside, on Solstice Saturday, when I don't have any space in my volvo (due to all of my belongings still residing in the trunk.....minor detail), and I have no kitchen...? Thankfully I have good chef friends and family that let me rent equipment and kitchen space to make the day possible. I am forever in debt to them, I swear.

So I've retreated up to Bend and Portland for the next week to hike, play, eat and breathe before going back down to Santa Barbara to do it all over again. I am a HUGE fan of taking time out of life to re-charge. I think I'm even starting to figure out the balance of working hard and playing hard in life. The Pacific Northwest summer is the perfect escape for me to plug in my cord- strong coffee, dry sunshine, scenic utopia, endless trails and bike paths, a pastry by the name of Ocean Roll, and a plethora of ruggedly handsome Mountain men. Yeah, you can just hook me up to an I.V of that, thank you!

The last time I retreated was when I was in Big Sur in early March. My mom and I met there to celebrate our 25 years together (my birthday.) I am obsessed with Big Sur. I have been for a while now. I rented a friend's shack in the woods, way up above Highway 1. A potbelly fireplace, lofted bed, creaky wood floors, and a bathtub buried in the dirt under the redwoods. I took 4 bubble baths in 2 days.... The best part though was Clovis, the owner of my little shack. Clovis has lived in Big Sur for 50 years and she sent me home with stories of the California coast, an appreciation for bathing outside in winter, and a bag full of her limes with a recipe for Clovis's lime curd. It's now July, and I still can't stop making this curd. Just to dip summer strawberries and peaches in it, or fill a tart crust and top it with meringue, or just do as my mother and I do and ladle spoonfuls of this tangy-Goddess-of-a-dip directly into your mouth. God bless the curd!



Clovis's Citrus Curd
1 1/2 cups fresh lime or lemon juice
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
whisk together all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
I love that this recipe is with heavy cream and not butter (as most curds are). I think it gives the curd a unique richness and milky coloring.

At the moment, I am strongly considering making a large batch of lemon curd, setting up a table in the sunshine, on a street corner here, and selling it by the cupfuls to these Oregon Mountain men. That's my kind of holiday vacation. Happy fourth!

Kumquat

The culinary chaos is flowing full steam now. I have booked up most of my summer with catering, private chef gigs, restaurant jobs, and fundays with friends. I have also booked my ticket out of here- a fundamental ingredient for happiness in my life. I am truly ONLY happy when I have a flight booked to take me out of California to somewhere new. This flight is taking me back to Europe, to a fresh and new adventure that will begin on August 31st.

But in between now and then, I am fully dedicated to getting completely blissed-out on Santa Barbara sunshine and finally attacking my ever growing list of "must cook" recipes.

I was housesitting a few weeks back in this gorgeous house near the old Mission in Santa Barbara. I drank tea every morning in the courtyard, read my book next to the fireplace in the kitchen, and ate with friends in the garden. I grazed the fruit trees for what was left over from citrus season. I found a tiny kumquat tree that was tucked in the shade out back. I gathered a hefty handful with plans to make kumquat ginger marmalade. I changed my mind when I got word from my momma that she was coming up on her day off for a picnic. Our night was consumed with cheese, date cake, a bowl of local cherries, 2 bottles of Sancerre and Rose, and a couscous salad with kumquats and lemon basil.





Summer Couscous with kumquats and lemon basil
1 cup Hand-rolled couscous or Israeli couscous, cooked according to directions.
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 c green beans, blanched and cut in thirds
6-8 kumquats, thinly sliced
1 1/2 T Meyer lemon juice
1 T rice wine vinegar
6 T Olive oil (try to use a strong, green olive oil)
2 T chopped lemon basil
1 T chopped mint
1 T chopped Italian parsley

Mix first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk lemon juice, vinegar and herbs in a small bowl and slowly add olive oil while whisking. Pour vinaigrette over couscous mixture and season well with salt and pepper. Eat it in the garden- highly recommended!




I worked for a few years as a cheese monger here in Santa Barbara at one of my favorite little gourmet markets downtown- C'est Cheese. I owe so much of my awareness to quality ingredients such as olive oil, charcuterie, chocolate, salt, olives, and of course cheese, to this sweet little place. And that is where I found this couscous with red peppers, by Les Moulins Mahjoub. It was fantastic! If you can't get this specific couscous, then just use Israeli couscous and cook it with a Chile de Arbol in the water. I'm thinking that a sprinkling of French feta over the top would have been perfect for it too.

Just typing the word, couscous, has me chomping at the bit to get to Morocco. October can not come fast enough. I feel incomplete without this adventure under my belt. And until then... I'll just sit outside, eat couscous salad and stare at the details of my flight confirmation email.

Archives

Of New York City.

Green Market

Easter Glory

Grom

Brooklyn Pizza & Pilsner



Bahn Mi

Chinatown


You're just so far away, New York...

Thai Moon

I want this cappuccino in the morning.


But alas, It's in Bangkok off a small street near Koh San Road. So I'll just have to find another one that looks this good, and in my general area.... of California.

I just love how clean the line of dark espresso is around the white foam. It kinda looks like the full moon we have here tonight, huh?
This cup made me so happy when It was delivered to my table all shiny, foamy and caffeinated. I was a wreck at the time, exhausted from sweating and traveling all day. I took this photo because I had no one to share my excitement with at the moment. I remember just staring at it in Aw, for a good while. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And to take a sip was like taking its virginity. So I just stared for awhile, and then I indulged.

well, thats all I have to say- Full moons and Thai cappuccinos. I'm happy with that.

Grapefruits & Goodbyes

I spent a bit of time in the great state of Texas last year. Austin, Texas to be exact. I went out there with a friend to visit a music festival, drink sweet tea and cheap beer, and get my years fill of pulled pork. I've always fantasized about being a Southern girl- with a cute little twang, debutant stature, and family heirloom recipes for fried okra and peach cobbler. But alas, I am a Southern girl from the great state of California. San Fernando Valley, California to be exact. A SoCal girl who awkwardly can't wear high heel shoes, has an heirloom recipe for dijon chicken from her Irish Grandma, and opts for saying words like "Ciao!" "Adios!" and even "Peace Out!" (yes- an embarrassing residual from high school...) instead of Goodbye. But I do think I have some real Southern blood in my veins- I wear rustic leather boots with jean shorts, I love lard, I proudly use the word "y'all" whenever possible, and I honestly admit to enjoying a good queso dip (even though I know well, that queso dip isn't really cheese at all.) But most importantly is that some of the most genuine, inspiring, and closest relationships I have in my life, have all come from those great Southern states. So I am pretty convinced that I am attracted to these folks because I am just one of them, thats all there is to it!

I was back to Austin a few months after my first visit to dabble more deeply in the food scene. Pulled pork Sandwiches from Iron Works BBQ, Gingerbread pancakes from Magnolia Cafe, crepes and cupcakes from Airstream trailers, crawfish boils, cheap beer in personalized koozies, softball sized grapefruits and peaches, and breakfast tacos with an endless bowl of queso dip on the side. But best of all, the city is filled with the scent of smoky BBQ, and the songs of constant live music all day! And no matter how hard the humidity is weighing on your chest, or how bad it is to tame the mass of curly hair that has tripled in size- happiness is found in the city of Austin.

My friend Sean and I traveled back and forth from Santa Barbara and Austin last summer in search of live music and good eats in each others cities. We camped and hiked up the California coast, stopping at hippy bakeries and seeking out quality coffee. And I introduced him to my favorite cocktail alongside California Oysters- The Greyhound Proper. Quality Gin mixed with fresh grapefruit juice, over ice, with a candied grapefruit rind. He jumped right on board with the lovers of Greyhounds, and soon we were drinking sweet Texas grapefruit juice and gin, out of mason jars in the Austin sunshine.



Greyhound Proper-

1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin
5 oz of fresh grapefruit juice (Texas grapefruits... of course)

combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. pour over ice into a highball glass and serve with candied grapefruit peel. Enjoy!


I got to spend a day with Sean just this past weekend while he was in-between flights on his way to New Zealand. He sold his belongings, moved out of Austin, packed a backpack and is moving to New Zealand for a year of adventure and unknown. I love it when people make choices to take charge of their life and independence like that. To answer the call deep inside you that just wants to run to a far away place, filled with nothing and no one familiar, climb a mountain, sleep in a van, think, read, acknowledge, be, and just breathe in your own existence. Traveling alone is the most rewarding thing I have ever done for myself, and I know it will be for him too.



So I dedicate this post to Sean. And his adventure of a lifetime. To answering those questions, walking those trails, and creating those stories that will shape his life forever.

When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you
And if you listen
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.

May you travel safely
Arrive refreshed
And live your time
Away to its fullest
Return home
More enriched and free
To balance the gift of days
Which call you

And most importantly- May you bring me some quality farmstead cheese, and arrive back with a ferocious appetite for Barbeque and Greyhound Propers. Bon Voyage and Good Luck, Sean!