Early Lessons in Consumerism

Last night I was explaining to Lucia that in a consumerist society you go out and buy yourself some things that you want on payday. She didn’t quite understand what I was talking about because she’s still a baby, so I thought to actually take her out and show her what I meant.







We made our way across the Burnside Bridge and to our first stop, Powell’s City of Books. I told her that we were looking for the latest volume of the Canal House Cooking series. She thought we should ask for help, but I told her that I already new what section it was in, and we headed right for it. As you can see in the picture, she was a little hesitant, still trying to grasp the idea of buying something. Usually people just set things down in front of her and she just takes whatever she wants. You could see that she was starting to get it, though.







Lucia really loves the Sleigh Bells album Treats, so next we headed back to the east side, and stopped at Everyday Music. Maybe it was because it was something she really wanted, but this whole concept definitely clicked once I presented her with the record.







As anyone who has extra money knows, buying things can stir up a pretty vicious hunger, so next we headed over to Dove Vive to pick up a par-packed pizza to take home for dinner. While we were waiting, I drank an Old German, and Lucia charmed the diners, dancing to some Fela Kuti, and asking people how they liked their wine. (Lucia likes it when Mommy drinks wine, especially when she drinks Willamette Valley Pinot’s.)







We were both borderline starving by the time we got home, Lucia so much so that she was prepared to dig right in, baking be damned!







The whole family loves Dove Vivi! They make their pizzas on a cornmeal based crust, and you can order as little as a slice of any pie on offer. We usually get two halves. Our favorite standard menu item is the House Sausage made with mozzarella, house-made fennel sausage, caramelized onions, marinated green peppers, and tomato sauce. So we got half of one of those, and half of the daily special, Tasso Ham made with mozzarella, fontina, spice-rubbed hot smoked ham, sautéed greens, and caramelized onion, this being one of the best tasting pizzas I’ve eaten in a while. Some of their experimental pizza specials can be a bit of a stretch, but this one is an absolute winner in my book.







Anyway, Lucia ate way too much, and after all that shopping, the fourth slice put this little Noodle straight to bed!

Saturday with Lucia

Before we left the house I managed to give her a nice big bottle which knocked her out for a little while. She was getting a kind of fussy as I was preparing for us to leave, but then she fell asleep on my shoulder. When she’s asleep is the best time to sneak a bottle in. Otherwise, she rejects it outright.







After we hit the bank and the post office we walked past a cool mural at FAB PDX down on Distillery Row. I tried to talk her into a few distillery tours, but she told me she only likes tequila, and none of those guys are making that yet.







So we headed down to the water front and checked out the Hawthorne Bridge. You can get right down on the water via these little mini-piers they have set up. They are pretty cool spots, pleasantly undulating in the currents of the water. There were two other guys down there. One was reading and the other was fishing and enjoying a cold one.







After that we headed over to Pioneer Courthouse Square to check out this protest the Radical Left was having this afternoon. The theme was ‘How is the War Economy Working for You?’ Lucia thought it was a bore, and decided to sleep through it. But, you can’t expect a little noodle to understand these kinds of things yet. Her dad wanted to go down because he has a few strong feelings and opinions about what is going on in this country. Unfortunately, I was turned off by the scene. There is a reason these folks are on the fringe. Stoned, disheveled, and crazy isn’t a good look for anybody (except maybe really hot babes, of which there was decidedly none here), let alone folks who are trying to save the world. It just comes off as amateurish, and basically laughable, which is how most people I overheard passing by on the street read the event.







I’m sure this could sway a few minds, though:







After that we headed over to Powell’s to pick up a few books. Bringing a stroller into that place is not advisable, but we stopped giving a damn about people’s opinions of stroller pushers a few months ago. People melt when they see this baby, anyway, lol! She slept through this particular nightmare shopping experience. We bought the Ottolenghi cookbook Plenty. We love Ottolenghi around here these days. Fabulous, fresh and and easy seasonal recipes abound! Highly recommended!! We also got a copy of the latest GRANTA, this quarters theme being ALIENS (the illegal or otherwise immigrant kind, mainly) then got the hell out of there, and back down to the water-front. Lucia was getting antsy for a bottle by this point, but she has a pretty sophisticated palette, and scoffed when I offered her a bottle of cold milk. We were lamping in front of the Steel Bridge as she rejected my meager offering.







On our way back to the house Daddy decided to check this bombed-out warehouse in the SE Industrial District.







Lucia thought it would be funny to re-enact the scene from Tropic Thunder where Tugg Speedman gets riddled with bullets running back to the helicopter. Not really sure what brought that on, but we went with it. She’s a funny bird.







Speaking of funny, Lucia couldn’t get enough of the Sunshine Room, even after I told her that this is where heroin-chic junkies ascend to the outer-realms. I made her promise she’d never wear neon-orange lipstick, unless she grew up to be eccentric and rich.







This is when it finally dawned on her where daddy had taken her:

I Bought a Cookbook: Canal House Cooking Vol. 2

There’s a huge box of walnuts in my kitchen at the moment. Having gotten it into my head that it was high-time I use these walnuts, I began consulting my cookbook shelf for recipes and inspiration. I found a good number that I liked, but nothing that sent me to the moon, so i took a stroll down to the flagship Powell’s and did a browse, hoping to find the ultimate walnut blow-out recipe. Instead, I found the Canal House Cooking series. I said to myself: well look at that filthy dutch oven on the cover there, it looks just like mine doesn’t it? With all manner of crusted braises from, perhaps, years gone by. The image immediately struck a nerve, so I leaned up against the bookshelf there and started to peruse. What I discovered touched me in that special place that is responsible for me always being ravenously hungry: page after page of simple accessible recipes with gorgeous photography (helps, don’t it!?)



The authors are Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, both former editors for Saveur magazine, among other publications, and a food styling and cookbook production team. The Canal House Cooking series compiles recipes that they cook for themselves; recipes that are seasonal traditions, and heirlooms passed down from family and friends. The books publications, and indeed the trajectory of the content within each volume, follow the sequence of seasonality. This edition was published last fall, and as such features recipes celebrating the autumn harvest, and the holiday season. They run the gamut from the easy Fennel Gratin, which I’ve featured in this post, to the borderline-ridiculous Crown Roast of Pork, which is two center-cut rib roasts, tied together rib-side-out in order to resemble an immense crown. (If I could count on enough people over for dinner this Xmas, I’d promise it to the blog.) I expect to get a lot of use out of these volumes, and I urge everyone to check them out. I understand Volume 5 is due out later this month. Keep an eye out for it.







Fennel Gratin



• 2 bulbs of fennel, trimmed and halved lengthwise, the outer-most layer removed
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove of garlic
• s&p
• 3 Tbl butter, soft
• Parmigiano-reggiano
• fresh grated nutmeg



Lay the halved fennel bulbs in a medium saucepan in a single layer with the milk, bay leaf, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer on medium low, and poach the fennel, turning occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes.







Preheat the broiler. Butter a gratin dish, then add the fennel in a single layer, cut side up. Shred some Parmigiano over the top, along with a few gratings of nutmeg, and black pepper. Dot the bulbs randomly with small pats of the butter, and add to the broiler. Broil until the cheese browns, 1-2 minutes.







http://www.thecanalhouse.com/