Embarassable Craving

Why is it that sometimes we crave something, that was never any good? This is where I find myself this morning. For me, this is that whole idea of a comfort food. Not that it's really that comforting to think of a time in college when you never sleep and wake up at about noon for breakfast. The worst part about it all is that somehow, I feel I have re-entered this era. However, I am missing those friends of mine that would be on the same schedule as me and also want to make the Sunday trip to Monterray's. Sadly, these were the days before digital cameras. At least, for me they were. I might try to copy in an old photo, but I will have to do it later (meaning, it probably wont't happen) as I am at work. What's that you ask, "Do I know it's a national holiday, and above all, Labor day?". Yes, I know, I think that might be part of the problem.

The sad thing about all of this is that their food was never so great, but man was it cheap. That, and the fact that it was oh about a mile outside of the campus gate made it a place of constant frequenting. The only thing silly about it was that we would practically roll out of bed and go there, yet there was always someone there you knew, so you often would find yourself in that embarrassing situation of should I go say, "hi"/I'm embarassed because I'm still wearing the shirt I slept in.

Today, in remembrance of those times, I will be searching for some soggy pintos, a tortilla, lame red sauce, and the hardest I think might be that creamy white flavorless cheese. Mmm, ... I can almost taste it.

Searching for an Amazing Yeastless Pizza Dough Recipe

QUICK AND EASY PIZZA DOUGH

2 1/2 c. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 - 1 c. water

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir with fork until blended and forms a soft ball. If dough is too stiff, add more water, a tablespoon at a time. It should be soft, but not sticky. Knead about 3 minutes on lightly floured surface until smooth.















Don't get too excited. I lifted this recipe from Cooks.com, and found it to be less than amazing. Quick and easy yes, but light and refreshing, not so much. sAlthough, this recipe will work if you're in dire need of some dough, but I've made pizzas on all sorts of weird bread-products, and this was not one of the best. It's just really thick. I tried to spread it as thin as possible, but I still found it to be quite bready in taste. Not bad, but I'm thinking it could be improved. I just don't know how.

What I'm looking for is a pizza dough recipe that doesn't require yeast. Now, maybe it is impossible to find a good recipe for pizza dough that doesn't require yeast. However, I feel that to be an incorrect assumption. After trying this one though, maybe it is a correct assessment.

My thought was this, who doesn't like pizza and want it in an easy pinch, without paying or waiting for delivery? I find myself in this situation quite often. I also seem to have most things on stock for an easy pizza. That is, minus the yeast. As I don't have a bread-maker or an addiction to brewing my own beer, it's just not something I would normally pick up at the store.
Being a yeast novice, maybe I shouldn't be scared. Maybe it could keep in the fridge. However, this item has still never made it into my basket. My question is this- is yeast easy, and is this the answer I am looking for or does someone, anyone please!, have a recipe for a good pizza dough that doesn't require such a specialized ingredient?

Thanks for listening,
-A

Update on Tropical Storm Ernesto

Okay, okay, I know, everyone was greatly concerned about tropical storm Ernesto. I mean, why wouldn't you be; it made National News. I am sorry I took so long to update, but I just recieved the pictures. I hope it's nothing too upsetting for anyone. The picture was taken in my parents yard in Florida. They told me to not get too upset, that they would "be OK".

And please, do not look below if you do not think you can handle such devastating images















It's a good thing the story made National coverage.

You know, we have cold rain here in Boulder just now. It's supposed to be very strange this time of year.

Best Florida Beaches (as per the Travel Channel)

Tonight there was a special on the Travel Channel highlighting the 10 "best" beaches in FL. Firstly, it was supposedly based off some guy's book that I can't even find on Amazon.com. Secondly, it didn't even list our local favorite, not that I am surprised. New Symrna (pictured at left) is probably nothing out of this world, but it is a quick and easy place to get to from central Florida (~ 45 min.) that does typify the classic casual slow-paced lifestyle that is beach life.

Just for anyone interested, here is the list they presented on the show with the specialty for each:

10 - Daytona Beach: activities and driving up and down the beach
9 - Sanibel Island (Gulf side): sea shell collecting
8 - Panama City: Spring Break
7 - Sandspur Beach (Bahia Honda): Nature preserve
6 - Smathers Beach (Key West): island-style
5 - Clearwater Beach: boating, even a pirate cruise
4 - Lover's Key Beach (outside Ft. Myers): seclusion/couples (Lover's Key Beach Club Resort)
3 - Palm Beach: living the high life, shopping (The Breakers Hotel)
2 - Siesta Key Beach: soft sand (Sand Sculpture Contest)
1 - South Beach (Miami): international scene (latin influence), winter fashion, non-stop nightlife

Now my question is- are you really a Floridian if you've only been to 3 or 4? I know I've been to Daytona numerous times, as it probably is the second-closest beach to where I was raised. If I went to Sanibel, I think I was in the single digits, so I'm not too sure about that one. Panama City- nope. Sandspur- nope. Key West for sure-- the Smathers Beach- not so sure. So I'm halfway through the list, and I've definitely been to one. I think I've been to Clearwater beach as the area is huge and I think includes Flaglar. Lover's Key- nope. Palm Beach- definitely not the beach. Siesta? - nope. South Beach- I think I burned myself laying out there when I was 12 for about 20 minutes. Maybe I'm more like a 2-3 then. Anyway, I apparently need to visit more, as I'm sure we all do! That's why I thought this was a good suggestion list, just in case anyone has some time to lie around and do nothing, and wasn't sure of where to do it.

"Oh Give Me a Home..."

 









... where the who? ... the what? ... Yes, where the "buffalo" roam.

Apparently some people have a problem with this song. Okay, not really the song, but they lyrics. That's the song, right? Anyway, see these guys in the picture. They're buffalo. Or are they? Technically Bison bison to the scientific world. To the average North American, however, this is a Buffalo. So where did this misnomer start? Who knows? I'm ceratainly not looking it up for the sake of this blog. Let's just say it's been around for quite some time. As this is true, someone says, "Mommy, look at the Buffalo", everyone turns around expecting to see a large beautiful brown wooly animal. No one turns around expecting to see the true Buffalo, the Water Buffalo (what an ugly creature). I mean, do we even have those over here on our continent? I kind of doubt it. So yes bison = buffalo and buffalo = bison, if you're speakin' Amerrican (which, ya well, most of us are, whether we want to admit to it or not).

Okay, so they're not really equal, but the point is there's nothing lost in the translation. We're all on the same page here. So before we go claiming all the museums and songs should have to change their nomenclature, let's think about this. Which sounds cooler? Buffalo, definitely. Besides, what would we be then, the Colorado Bison? It just sounds so technical, so unequivocal. I propose, as long as we can keep the Cleveland Indians, we can certainly keep the CU Buffalo. Go Ralphie! Which if you want to get into even larger issues. Ya, Ralphie. Not so much a "Ralphie". Not even a Ralph. What am I talking about you ask? Our bison, our buffalo, only the largest event, well, in my opinion at least, at the football games, is ... can you take this? a Girl! Clearly we have more issues going on that whether or not a bison can be called a buffalo, even if we know it's really technically not one.

This is just one example of how scientific language is different from local language. It is true the differences between scientific names and common names can be quite confusing, much more than the buffalo/bison issue. Here are two others for you to hem and haw about, the dolphin fish and the mosquito eater. The dolphin fish or sometimes even just called dolphin (which can be quite confusing if you're unfamiliar with this local terminology and you see it on a menu), is otherwise known as mahi mahi or scientifically as Coryphaena hippurus. The commonly named Mosquito Eater (Family: Tipulidae) in the US, which not only does not eat mosquitoes, but is also known as a Crane Fly or a Daddy Long Legs in the UK. A Daddy Long Legs in the US is in fact a spider (Family: Pholcidae). Interestingly enough, both of which seem to seek haven in my apartment. Other miscommunications arise when two different things have the same common name in different locations, which also occurs more often than you would think.

Broader problems come in to play when the common name for a whole class is completely erroneous, such as the starfish. Although they are actually shaped like a star, they're not even a fish, try echinoderm (yes, I have been schooled in the ways of Biology, as if you couldn't tell already). As this has caused quite a commotion, there is a movement to change the common name to "sea star", like that is easy to do. We struggle with this name issue everywhere. The largest in my specialty (chemistry) is that whole Molecular Weight thing. If you went to school anytime around when I did or before, you know what I am talking about. However, this is one of the most erroneous names out there. There are once again, some bright bold people trying to change this term to one that is more accurately descriptive of the actual definition, and it has even been corrected in some of the newer textbooks to the more accurately named new term: Molecular Mass. Now, why has it taken hundreds of years for us to change the term for the mass (yes, Mass!) of a molecule to an actual name of mass and not weight. Anyone who has studied physics knows these terms are not even close to being equivocal.

To end my name game, I have one thing to say. A name is nothing but a means to communicate with someone else. If the reciever of your name-calling is privy to the naming technique to which you are using, you have achieved communication. If not, well then, maybe you need to resort to the scientific language, but until then, I'm going to common it up as I've heard I'm not the only one who's a little rusty with the Latin. 

Most Memorable Bike Ride Home

I believe this story needs a little background. About eight years ago there was a girl entering college, and her parents decided to spring for a bike for her. As she did not know anything about bikes at the time (afterall, she was raised in an age when helmets were only worn by the dorky kids), $219 seemed extremely expensive (to her) for a bike. The good thing was that the cheapest model was a bright blue, and so she was happy with her decision to try to choose an inexpensive model (once again, the cheapest, although, it was at an actual bike shop so this was no Huffy: The Great Escape in Greenville, SC) to be nice to her parents as they were being nice to her.

Freshman and sophomore year went by and the bike saw more of the rack than anything else. And, it usually was a (gasp!) uncovered one at that. I suppose Junior year was not much better. By Senior year the bike was seeing a little more of the road and even some trails, however, it had already become quite bruised an beaten, mainly from the abrasive metal racks and the oxidative elements on an aluminum shell. Needless to say, when graduation time came around, the bike was a little less than pristine, but still in perfect running condition.

After a short vacation in sunny Florida, the bike made the long trek out to the West, on the back of the car that is. Now instead of the humid heat, the bike was forced to endure dry and dusty conditions. Yes, it was out on the rack again. However, by this time, the bike and the girl had developed a bond. The bike was going everywhere and doing everything, from commuting to work to trail riding (although, it was soon found out that mountain biking out West seemed to be a little more serious than back in the South so this didn't really take hold quite as well as the others) to triathlons. That's right, the little blue bike had become was a racer. Really, this was the best time for the bike.

About a year later, when recreational riding became a little more serious, the bike was downgraded to the commuter, but faithful none-the-less. I'm not really sure what the average bike lifespan is, but this one has seen some good years. As it is coming upon it's 8th year, things have started to go wrong, and quite quickly I might add. Some say it is awaiting its days of rest as it has surely seen at least one or two thousand miles beneath it's tread, and has even changed and upgraded (okay, so it really hasn't been upgraded much, if it had it just might not be falling apart at present).

Now that I mention the present, let's venture back to it. A couple of weeks ago (I promise not to divert too much), the right twist shifter broke, but only superficially (the plastic exterior). This would be after the issues of the uneven brakes, rotting grips that flake off in your hand, and the possible loose or broken front hub. As this seemed to be a minor issue, I balked at buying a new mountain bike during the past couple of weeks, despite countless hours of research. One issue being, a new mountain bike would not be best for commuting, yet I wasn't ready to leave the old guy by the waste side. As a common result, my decision was to make no decision. I even toyed with the idea of fixing up the old bike. In this fashion, I bought it some urban pedals (one side for clipless pedaling and the other for my most-used sandal style approach). Only one ride in to work was needed to convince me that this was the route to go. All of a sudden my slow hot ride in had become much more enjoyable. That is, until today.

I decided at about six that I would venture home. Mainly, as it was looking like it was going to storm, but I also wanted a change of venue. As I grabbed the bike from the lab, where it had been hiding out ever since the last-minute Costco trip, I headed home in the oddly humid air. Just when it started to sprinkle, I started to pick up the pace a little, as no one likes to be caught in the rain (especially while on a commuter where the owner has routinely forgotten to purchase a rear fender and when wearing fashionable leather sandals; I told you about the sandals before). Just as I was about to go under a second underpass, the unthinkable happened. I hammered down (okay, so I didn't hammer down, but it was a good thing) on the left pedal as I was veering right around a corner. This was when it happened. The pedal shot across the path, followed soon by my aforementioned left sandal. It was quite a funny sight to behold, but probably not as funny as me attempting to "bike" home with one pedal and a crank arm, that I have to admit is a little hard to grip while trying to not lose your sandal, that has definitely now gotten wet. Okay, I was glad there were no first-hand witnesses, which is maybe what has allowed me to re-create the scene.

Just like that, my last-minute "upgrade" just might be the straw on my so-called steed's (technically, that would be camel's) back. It appears the nice, new fancy pedal has stripped the inner rings of the crank arm. Yes, yes, I will check it all out again (when it is NOT raining). Alright, so I did manage to venture back outside for the picture, yes, I know. Sadly, the bike has been left out on the rack again, instead of being brought inside the comfy (to a bike, why not?) apartment for a little seat upgrade.

Am I forced now to come to terms with the end of our times together? Has all of the bike searching become a vision into the future? Should I mtn. bike it or replace the nice little commuter? Feel free to comment if you have a bike you love!

World Cup Finals

Do you like soccer? Well, even if you don't, I can bet you would have had fun at the gathering at my place. I will start in the top left-hand corner. We have honeydew, olives, prosciutto-wrapped honeydew, genoa salami rolls, three types of crackers, bread, and the cheeses: irish aged cheddar, herb-encrusted brie, aged gouda, and a very nice blue cheese wrapped in sage leaves. We also had italian sparkling wine, champagne, chianti, cabernet, and sauvignon blanc. Okay, there were a lot of people! Sorry to Landis, we didn't have this much of a celebration for the final stage of the tour. We did have mimosas and some cheese and crackers- but 6 am is a little early for anything too exciting. Check out Pete's blog for our tasty dinner at the baseball game from last night. See, we're versatile.

Canoeing the Green River

I realize I've been a bad blogger, but hey, that's what I do! The question is- is it hotter than hot wherever you are? It is here, and well, everywhere else I've visted recently. As I am late, this picture is from a few weeks ago, when we for some reason decided to go to southwestern Utah in July. I don't know what that was about, but at least we were on the river. I believe it was about 105 there, which sounds like nothing now that we've gotten that hot in Boulder even. Well, it was very pretty, and we did have fun eventhough we did have more of a paddling adventure than a relaxing float. And Winnie only jumped out twice (plus a fall ;) ). For more pictures see Pete's and Nicole's pictures.

Ahh, the magnificence of the perfect corn dog

As I promised, here is a tantalizing corn dog picture. Okay, so maybe the picture doesn't do it justice, but it was quite good. I was actually worried with all the hype I had given, online and to myself, but the corn dog delivered. Now all I need is a schedule of events when the wagon will be cookin'! Maybe, ... they'll be at SOBO fest this weekend?! :) I did limit myself to only one. Yes, I thought about a second, no! not right then, but maybe going back on Sunday, but I will have you know I controlled myself. And it's a good thing too with all the cooking I've been doing, and plans for Il Pastaio tonight. Now we only have to have our own corn dog- cookin' party. Don't worry, we're planning! 

Corn dog-like Anticipation

What's that girls? You say you want corn dogs? This weekend is the Bolder Boulder, but more importantly the Boulder Creek Festival. Some people like the music, some the dance, others the art, but me? You ask, "What am I most excited about?" "Why- it'd be the corn dogs", I'd reply. And yes, I really am serious. So much so that I looked for a nice little anticipatory picture on the web, and I'd have to say, I couldn't find any that'd do them justice. So just you wait, I'm going to have the best corn dog picture after this weekend. And, well, if that doesn't excite you, I guess you can check out the other events. We're also looking for other fun and exciting things to do on this (possibly) long weekend. Although, I've never seen the ducks dumped into the Creek, I'm not so sure that is it. There is the Bicycle Village Boulder Bike Expo... but that might not be a good idea. I'm thinkin, maybe a little ride, a little hike, with a side of bar-be-que and some batting cages. Even an addition of a movie and a nice dinner could work well. ;) 

Salumi in Seattle

Go visit Salumi (Italian for Cured Meats) if you're ever in the Seattle area. It's seriously to die for. Two can split the meat/cheese platter with olives and bread and scarcely be able to finish all the meat on the plate. Check out their website if you're interested: http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/. And it you don't believe me, although, I can't imagine how you couldn't with such a tanatlizing picture, would you believe the New York Times? As their ham just made an appearance this month (you can view it from their webpage). This salvating plate I have shown has three cheeses (mozarella, some type of blue, possibly a rochefort, and a harder white cheese similar to an asiago). You also get 5 or 6 types of salami (must be the american in me). There's a pepper, a standard, a pepperoni, possibly a rosemary, a mole, and a lamb. What a shame those olives had to taint the plate ;), oh well. Hmm, as I maybe should get some work done I should probably stop fanatasizing about salami platters for $13 with orange and lemon-flavored (the lemon is better) canned San Pellegrino's. And why does Boulder not have a place like this? ... and on the hill so I could walk there for lunch. I think the closest we've got are Greek Gyros with the traditional rotating lamb meat. Maybe I'll just have to have that for lunch. :)

Sorry my feet aren't particulary appetizing

Starting the morning with a blog sounds like a good idea to me. So- on the first camping expedition we went this weekend (6 total: Pete, Me, Sean, Katie, Kyle, and Lorainna). I've always known I've loved my Keens, well, that is for the past, oh say, two months that I've had them. Not on purpose, I got to test them out in the Lost Creek Wilderness this weekend. My trusty Lowa's apparently deciding they'd much rather stay in my apartment for the weekend, stupid shoes. I also should report that my GoLite Feather sleeping bag was "friggen sweet", not to steal a quote from the Family Guy. I can report that the Keens were quite peachy, however, I wasnt on rocky terrain, as you can see. Well, the doggies (3 of them!) liked the trip, and I think so did the rest of us. Now I have to find time to somehow clean my sandals so they might appear bluish again. Look forward to a report this weekend of me eating a fantastic fresh-dipped corn dog at the Boulder Creek Festival this weekend!!!

Huevos Rancheros a la Aiken

Although I am not usually a fan of Huevos, when you get requests you give it a go. Ok ok - so Peter made the red chili sauce, but I did all the rest, even the eggs - and to my surprise- it actually tasted quite good. I'm not sure which is better though- the picture or the taste. A decent amount of credit should definitely go to the tomatillo salsa, which is from a Santa Fe cookbook- mm mmm. I just might post the recipe the next time I get access to it. That and the red chili sauce, as well- otherwise it's just a fried egg with some black beans, chedder and monterey jack cheeses, on a warm flour tortillla. That's right damn it- flour!  

But I love cheese!

Alright, so I admit, it's another late afternoon, early evening where I really just feel I've turned into a zombie in my seat. However, I'm not attributing this to a classical "case of the Tuesday's", if I may use the line so liberally. I keep thinking about this whole dairy thing. I had this same problem last year. I get kind-of sick to sick for weeks on end to no avail, just a riding tide of ok to worse times. Last year, they recommeded me try the whole non-dairy thing. As I did it the same time as taking allergy medication, I couldn't see it having any effect. Did I mention I hate to take the allergy medication? Well, I do. I'm not so sure it was accurately prescribed. I felt they were like- this will help- and it did, but I still see it as cheating.

At the time I had something plus my allergies, so I think treating the allergies allowed my body to fight off whatever infection it was it decided to let in that time. So ya, I could probably just take those pills again, as fun as that was, their being so killer strong I think they could knock out a horse.

My point, you ask. Well, I don't really want to try the whole non-dairy thing again, but I can't think of anything else to try. As I've been what I would deem sick for probably about 6 weeks now, and not an allergy case. I guess that's why I don't think omitting dairy would work. I suppose I could try the whole doctor thing again, but really that just gets old.

Hmm...
Do I really have to go back to trying to figure out why my code is having issues? How about a new issue- maybe like- oh say, actually looking at some data? Oh well.

Happy Tuesday to All! :) 

Afternoon Slump

I ask you, "Now, where is the beer boat when you need it?".

This week is an exciting week of paperwork, although a different kind from last week, this stuff actually involves intellectual thought.

Let's see, I only have two proposals, two abstracts, one paper, and a presentation to write. Yesterday, I totally over-caffinated myself so I hesitate to have that afternoon coffee. But man do I wish I could just take a little nappy. Or well, call that keg boat. Alas, the picture is from Venice so I don't have much hope for and afternoon delivery, but I can dream right? Here's to actually trying to accomplish something, although, I think I might have to go put the mini Bodum to work. 

Oh great, freakin' leg warmers!

On the way in to school the other day I noticed the strangest thing. Now, mind you, I know of this supposed return of 80's fashion and (gasp!) music. Being a child of this decade, I have no major gripes against it, but I do feel some things just need to be left in the past. And leg warmers are definitely one of those things. No doubt about it.

I know my picture is bad, but it was taken in motion out of a window. I'm surprised I even got a shot off quick enough. So where the photo loses efficiency, I will fill you in. This appeared to be a couple most likely in their mid-30's jogging down the college walk/bike path on Friday morning about 10 am. Both partners appeared to be wearing striped hand-stitched leg warmers that almost reached their knees. Now, I understand dorky gaiters for high snow, but as you can see, the path was clear, and well, I'm pretty sure that little cotton or wool leg warmers aren't going to help keep the wet snow out. They really just are quite funny in all respects, even without noticing the man's had a nice baby pink throughout.

As there are websites dedicated to mullet and one-piece ski suits, I really hope there won't be enough leg-warmer sightings to incite one of their own. However, if there are, I feel obligated to help right here on my own little blog.

So please America, I ask you to Just Say NO! to Leg-Warmers.

Cake Connoisseur

Unfortunately, this is my second time trying to publish this blog. I appologize for any brevity as we all know how much fun it is to try to type the same thing twice, no less remember what it was you typed the first time!

I know this is the much awaited cake debate, or better titled- Ice Cream Cake Debate. First, I would like to thank my sponsors that answer to the names of Mom and Dad for supporting and allowing this effort.

This is a picture of a Cold Stone Creamery cake. It is to be compared with the old traditional Haagen-Daz Ice cream cake. Now, the first difference you will notice is the addition of actual cake between the layers of ice cream. Haagen-Daz, the ice cream purists would probably not support this. Although, I enjoy the lighter feeling of the slices in my stomach due to the cake layers, the actual cake mix does not seem to be too moist, which maybe could be blamed on the temperature of the cake when it is served, but I kind of doubt it. The other differences are the lack of cookies in place of sprinkles, which I am a fan of as I can't ever seem to eat the Haagen-Daz cookies no matter how good they are, and the difference of the chocolate exteriors. Haagen-Daz has a hard shell, where as the Cold Stone's is creamier. I'd say the main downfall of the pictured cake from Cold Stone would be the ice cream. Haagen-Daz just trumps Cold Stone in this respect. However, I do greatly enjoy the cake layers for breaking up all that dairy.

In the end, all cakes is good, especially if it's of ice cream! So I say, "eat on", and just let those resolutions of health wait another month. ;)