Friday, July 2, 2010

Thursday's Thinking of Food (a day late)

Sorry this is late, but here is some food news, a freebie, and an upcoming foodie event in Columbia:

*The FDA has drafted guidance on "The Judicious Use of Medically Important Anti-Microbial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals."  Woohoo--finally, a step in the right direction to ending, or at least controlling, the antibiotics used in factory farms.  Questions remain about the next steps, but you can help by not waiting for the FDA to take action, but by asking your legislator to pass the Prevention of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, which would withdraw the routine use of 7 classes of antibiotics vitally important to human health from food animal production.  I read about this here.

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*Earth Fare is giving away FREE watermelons this 4th of July weekend!  Click here for a printable coupon.
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*Palmetto Palate is July 22nd, 6-9 PM, at 701 Whaley Street.  This event is sponsored by the SC Farm Bureau, and will include great local food prepared by local chefs, an open bar, and a silent auction to benefit Friends of Farm Bureau PAC.  For tickets, ($50 each), call my friend Kristin Lavender at 803.936.4219.

I hope everyone has an amazing 4th of July weekend--what are your plans?
I am leaving this evening for Boca Grande, FL, and will return hopefully well-rested,  tanned, and ready to host my 3-year old nephew's birthday party in my back yard next weekend!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A Word for Wednesday

R  


apture: ecstatic joy or delight; joyful ecstasy


As in: The USC Gamecocks and their fans were rapturous after their first-ever College World Series Championship win last night! 

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If you live anywhere in South Carolina, especially Columbia, there is no way you haven't heard the good news...the USC baseball team is National Champs.  I am a long-time USC baseball fan--my Dad used to drag me and my sister to every weekend game at Sarge Frye Field from about the time we could walk--and my family still revels in USC baseball season every year and attends close to every home game.  My 2 year old nephew has a favorite player [Bobby Haney], and can name pretty much all the starting line-up--pretty impressive, right?

image via here
 
I know my Dad was a little sad that he wasn't in Omaha last night for this momentous event, but I also know he shares in their rapture over the incredible feat!
*Dad really wanted to head to Omaha this year, but stayed in town for the birth of my sister's baby, Taylor.   I'm pretty sure he would still say it was worth sticking around for :)

Definition via dictionary.com
Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

A Word for Wednesday

I


 nduce: to bring about, produce, or cause

Today's word is in honor of my sweet sister, Catherine:

 Cat, about 7 months prego with Taylor.  Such a cute pregnant girl, don't you think?!

She will be induced to have her second baby, another boy- Taylor Smith Kirkpatrick- tomorrow morning at 7 AM!  I am an ecstatic Aunt Baba, (as dubbed by my first nephew, Ben), and can't wait to meet the sweet babe.

Pictures and details forthcoming.  What are you looking forward to this week?

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

What Are You Reading?

I have little else on my mind right now besides my upcoming trip to Boca Grande, FL, where I will be sitting on the beach all day and reading lots and lots of books.  So, today's post is about what I am reading right now, and I am eliciting your recommendations as to what I should read in 10 days when I collapse on the beach.

Here's what I'm reading now: 
(Note: I am one of those "I'm reading 4-5 books at once" kinda girls--I tire of one and start another, only to go back to the others at some point, or sometimes never, if they didn't hold my attention.)

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1. The Lovely Bones
I am almost finished with this and it has been a pretty easy, yet enjoyable read.  It's my Book Club's read of the month.  I would recommend it, and I want to see the movie once I finish reading.

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2. East of Eden
 My friend Beth lent me this book and I started it quite some time ago, but it is really long, and parts of it have lost my attention.  I do plan on finishing though.  Beth says it's her favorite book ever--and when smart friends make that claim, I feel I must push onward to finish!

image via here
 
3. Love in the Time of Cholera
Yes, I started this one (again) while I was at the beach with my family in May, but have yet to finish it.  As you may remember from this post, it is my favorite book of all-time.

image via here

4. Made From Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life
This is a quick-read.  Can't remember where I heard about it, but probably one of the green/organic food blogs I read.  It is about one girl's venture into becoming as self-sufficient as possible, including raising chickens, growing her own food, making her own clothes, etc.  It almost has me convinced that I can have egg-laying hens in my backyard someday...for real.  (And the City of Columbia just passed an ordinance making it legal to do so!)

I think that's it right now...


What are you reading currently, and what should I read next?  I would LOVE some suggestions!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday's Thinking of Food


*You all know by now my affinity for the All Local Farmer's Market--I went last Saturday and it was hoppin', y'all!  It was the busiest I've seen it ever, maybe-and I didn't get there until almost 11.  There were lots more vendors than usual, including many with fresh produce like locally-grown tomatoes.  Here's what you can expect there this Saturday:
Any child with his/her Dad will receive a FREE doughnut in honor of Father's Day--and Dad will get one too!


And, City Roots will be there with so many wonderful herbs, lettuces, and veggies, including chanterelle mushrooms, foraged from the mountains of NC!  That's pretty cool.

*And speaking of farmers markets, the Seeds of Hope markets have opened back around town--you may have noticed signs at various locations for these small markets.  Seeds of Hope invites small, local farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers, ensuring that they can earn a decent living from their farming.  "My" Seeds of Hope market is located at a small church off of Rosewood Drive; the couple who sells their produce there is from Kingstree, SC and they are so sweet.  And they grow the best cantaloupes I've ever eaten!  Seriously, I am eating their cantaloupe as I type this, and I will be back this Saturday to get another.  "My" market is open 8-12 on Saturdays.  Others around town are open different hours--there is one at Shandon Methodist Church, one at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, one at the Unitarian Universalist Church, and many more....check one out!  Click here for a list of all Columbia Seeds of Hope markets.


Angelo--he just exudes "chach," no?
image via here

*Did you watch Top Chef last night?  It was exciting, although I don't have a clear favorite yet.  Obviously, Angelo is really good, (he won both the Quick Fire and the Elimination Challenge last night), but he's a bit of a "chach."*  So far, I think I like Kenny, just because he agrees with me that Angelo is indeed a "chach," and because he was pretty bangin' at the mise en place challenge. No other stand-outs to me, so far.  What did you think?  Here's another review of the season premiere.

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*On a sweeter note, I read about a fun new candy store, Sweeteeth, in Charleston, SC here.  Isn't the packaging cool?  And they specialize in artisan chocolates like peanut butter & chipotle dark chocolate or salted caramel with dark chocolate.  I really want to try some...and, lucky me, (and all the rest of you who don't live in Charleston), you can order the bars on-line here.  The bars are also sold at various local shops in and around Charleston, for list, click here.

Happy Thursday, folks!  I think I'm going to try the new Vista restaurant, Tako Sushi, Saturday night--I'll let you know my thoughts next week.

*"Chach" is a word that I learned from my sister and her husband...not sure of the origin, but I find it is the perfect word in many cases.  Basically, it means d*bag or tool...you know, a guy who is arrogant for no reason whatsoever.  I looked it up in Urban Dictionary, and it is defined there as "a person (usually male) who attempts to exhibit a cool and popular look but generally comes across as either an asshole and/or a total loser."  (We all just brought one to mind, right)?

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A Word for Wednesday

W  


anderlust: a strong innate desire to rove or travel about


I LOVE this word.  I first was introduced to this word about 7 or so years ago by a friend who was using the word to describe how I was feeling at that moment.  He said: "So you've got a lot of wanderlust, huh?"  At the time, I had been telling him my plan to move back to San Francisco as soon as I figured out what I wanted to go back to school for- (I was a public school teacher, and though I loved it, knew I wanted to try something else).

Our last visit to San Fran, 2007.
 
I ended up going back to school to get my Masters in Social Work about a year after that conversation, and stayed in Columbia, SC to do it because it was exponentially cheaper to go to a school in-state.  I told myself, "after school, I'll move west; just 2 years more."  Well, in that 2 years I met my husband, fell in love, and then got married in 2008.  And we're still in Columbia.

Don't get me wrong, I really do love this place, and our families are both here, and I love my job...but I still have major wanderlust...especially for San Francisco.  We went to Europe for 10 days last summer on our belated honeymoon, and that took care of the wanderlust for a minute.  I'm currently thinking of another trip to cure the itch--any suggestions?

The view of the amusement park from our balcony at Gran Hotel La Florida in BarcelonaIf you've ever seen Vicky Christina Barcelona, this is the amusement park shot in that film.

Do you have wanderlust?

Definition via dictionary.com
Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Top Chef Season 7 Tomorrow Night

image via here

Besides Glee, (whose season ended last week), Top Chef is the only show I feel compelled to watch every episode.  This season is in Washington, DC, and Padma's back with Tom Colicchio.  I can't wait.

As the blog Obama Foodorama details here, next week's Back to School episode will challenge the "cheftestants" (yes, that's really what they call them), to create a healthy, kid-friendly meal for only $2.68 per child, the reimbursement rate schools receive for each child who is eligible for free lunch under the federal program.  Should be interesting--and bring awareness to our need for school lunch reform in America.

Who else loves Top Chef?