World's Best Cook Book

I found it. The world's best cook book (or at least the best one on my bookshelf):

Cooking with Vegetables and Fruits IN SEASON by Sarah Raven

The book takes you through the seasons by month, highlighting which fruits and veggies are at their prime when. Um - brilliant. I guess the downside is, if your recipe doesn't turn out, you can't blame it on your veggies being bad... another thing some people might view as a downside is, the author is clearly a dump and pour cook and writes her directions that way, so if you're looking for step by step and very specific instructions, you might be a little frustrated. But, as a fellow dump and pour cook, I'd like to focus on why this book rocks: 

- Beautiful pictures! Which, come on, everyone knows a cook book is really all about the pictures anyway. Daydreaming about what your meal COULD look like. It's like flipping through Glamour magazine - you can read all the articles you want, but really you're just looking at the models in the ads thinking, "this is what I COULD be if I read this article." I don't think anyone every really believes this, but I guess it's just our instinct that says we have to imagine it's true. I digress

- Awesomely unique recipes. I just tried one out on my brave husband and it turned out really good:

Orange Pasta (I know, right?)

8 Ounces Tagliatelle (aka linguine - I used bowtie pasta)

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (how can anything not be good with this?)

1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled but left whole

Juice and grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp Brandy (I left this out)

3 Tbsp Butter

5 Ounces Parmesan cheese, grated plus a little extra for garnishing

- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just al dente

- When it is cooking, heat the cream with the garlic and bring to a boil for a minute. Remove the garlic and add the orange and lemon zest, some salt and plenty of pepper, then remove the pan from the heat to allow the cream to steep in these flavors for about 10 minutes 

- Add the orange juice, brandy, butter, and Parmesan, and toss with the drained hot pasta

- Garnish with a little more Parmesan cheese and add salt and plenty of pepper. 

It was tasty and really really easy! Next time, I'm going to add some greens in there - maybe some asparagus and peas or something. mmm

I made a rhubarb tart from the book too, but we haven't tried it yet and I'd be lying if I said I was a great baker (refer to "dump and pour" title... doesn't work with baking so much), so we'll see how it works out!

The Salt Lake Roasting Company

Every time I'm in Salt Lake, I make it a point to stop at the Salt Lake Roasting Company because it is the epitome of what a locally owned shop could be.

Here's the skinny:
The owners travel all over the world in search of the perfect cup of joe and then bring their findings back to stick up on their menu. From third world countries, to renowned coffee meccas. Meaning, if you're into the order-a-cup-of-"specialty"-coffee-but-it-still-tastes-like-all-the-other-available-coffees-on-the-menu type of experience, you might not be keen on the SLRC. BUT, if you are looking for a caffeine experience, this is your place.

I say "experience" because it's a little bit of a crapshoot when you go in. At a place like Starbucks, you know exactly what the coffee's going to taste like. Here, you choose from a menu that's not neccessarily the most user-friendly thing (this is my favorite thing about local stores...they don't quite have it all figured out the way chains do. and it's wonderful). Feel free to ask the staff questions, but I have heard them say "I don't know" more than is comforting... So, you kind-of choose blindly. Which is fun. If you're not afraid to end up with a cup of coffee that's so strong it stains the cup (and your teeth) black immediately. I mean, with a slogan like "coffee without compromise," you're kind-of sacrificing yourself to the bean gods when you go in.

And now, the atmosphere:
My next favorite thing about locally owned stores is that they don't have much conformity. The dishes don't match, the chairs and tables don't match, the food menu's written on a blackboard that could change at the drop of a hat (p.s. you don't go to the SLRC for food. Just a heads-up. Eat beforehand. Or bring a granola bar). The building is incredible. An old warehouse type of place with a great main level, an awesome staircase right in the middle that every girl wishes she had in her house during high school when she walked downstairs in her prom dress to make her dates knees buckle, and the perfect amount of loft space above. I'd bet money that anyone who has ever walked in there for the first (or hundreth) time has thought, "wow, I've never wanted to be a writer before, but suddenly I have this urge to start a novel just so I can come in here every morning, nest up, and let this java aura help me create a masterpiece." That's the type of atmosphere it is.

And finally, the people:
I don't get the impression that the SLRC is meant for large social gatherings... I might be wrong. I've noticed it more as a place where the SLC introverts can all get together to be alone. So, if you're looking for a place to cozy up to your neighbor, you might want to skip this one. But, if you're looking for a place to write that masterpiece, you might want to take a few writing classes first, but then maybe try your luck at the SLRC.

Kaki King

I have not been able to pull away from my radio since Saturday because of this little discovery (thanks for the intro, Terry!). If you haven't heard Kaki King - stop EVERYTHING you're doing and turn it up. 

This woman is incredible! I've always been partial to the using-a-guitar-for-percussion, but I'm pretty sure I only dreamt about how cool that could really be. 

Her playing and style is highlighted in the movie "August Rush," which I remember totally digging when I saw that flick (even though the story line was ridiculously hokey). 

I can't even write anymore because every word I type is distracting me from squeezing every drop of good listening out of this ear nectar. You're doing yourself a serious disservice by still reading this. Stop it and go listen!

Tasty Little Rimini

After a long journey snowshoeing in Beaver Creek, we stumbled upon this confectionary heaven: Rimini Chocolate. If the fresh, untouched snow on the mountains does it for you, just wait till you see the fresh mounds of gelato displayed to artistic perfection in this little shop. 

I love love love the creativity they use to strut their stuff - I mean hello? Why wouldn't you want to see an entire pineapple cascading down it, or a cute little mug full of pistachios nestled amongst it staring at you saying "you see that glorious gelato right here? I'm a feature in it!" It definitely helps make your decision easy to get gelato (not necessarily which flavor to get though..)

 

Of course you immediately get distracted when the staff brings out a fresh batch of their handmade chocolates, each handled like they were little diamonds right off the smoothing belt. I needed one of each of them, and I don't even like chocolate that much! Thank goodness for the boy, who insisted that I only needed one flavor. 

Now maybe it is because I don't love chocolate, but I do have to admit, it looked way too good for how it tasted. Don't get me wrong, it tasted fine, but when you see the classiest lady you've ever seen before in your life, and then she burps just like everybody else... you just can't help but be a little bit disappointed. I expected/hoped this chocolate to be universes above any other chocolate out there. I mean, it had glitter on it for Pete's sake! 

But don't even get me started on their hot chocolate. If your goal is to sing The Beatles' "Baby You're a Rich Man" with every sip of your choc, this is for you. I couldn't get past the first verse it was so creamy. 

So, even with a slight chocolate deceit, you get a thumbs up, Rimini