The answer lady: in which I ponder your demands.

Okay, so I don't have all the answers. But checking out the data on traffic to this site is a thought-provoking pastime. Here are some puzzlers for you.

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I couldn't help but notice someone found this blog during a Google search using the query:

"how many stalks in 1 pound kale"

And...right away, I'm stumped. I don't know! I've only gotten kale once so far, and I didn't count. But there were 21 stalks in one pound of chard when I picked up my CSA share today. So...there you go. Not much of an answer when you're thinking about kale, but my kale seemed lighter, stalk-for-stalk, than my chard, so it's probably more than 21.

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Another wandering internet explorer (maybe the same person?) searched for

"storing onions from my csa"

This one I can help with. I did a little research and discovered that big, round onions are well-stored in a cool, dry place. If it's really hot in my apartment I put them in the refrigerator. Once cut, store wrapped in a little foil or plastic wrap. Or if you have half an onion, store it cut-side down on a small plate in the fridge.

Fresh or spring onions with bulbs and green tops (which is what I get from my csa) I put (unwashed) in a partially-open zipper-top bag in the refrigerator and try to use within the next few days.

I also know you should never keep onions in the same drawer/bag/bin/box as potatoes. It causes rotting much quicker than storing the two separately.

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Now, I'd like to say hello to the two people who searched for variations on this theme:

"leftover beet water"

I hope you found this post (see #7).

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There must be some other people out there dealing with too much lettuce, for someone else wondered about

"non salad lettuce"

Make lettuce soup, people (#4)! It sounds weird, but it's good!

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Finally, I should thank the person who reminded me of a project on which I've fallen behind. I needed this reminder:

"how to make a Nutella milk"

Thank you, gentle searcher. That information will be coming soon.

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And thank you all -- even those of you who made my brain hurt a little. I'll keep watching the search term statistics, so feel free to keep me on my toes, internet detectives.

Menu Curation: First Birthday

(photo by Dan)

My best baby friend is one! I met up with her and some other admirers in the park Wednesday night to celebrate. I thought I could tempt her with some snacks, so I toted blueberries, healthy crispy rice cupcakes, gelled-juice jigglers, and homemade soft pretzels.

Hero seemed happy I was there. My menu wasn't such a hit, though.

• Blueberries (which at other times she has adored) got smushed between thumb and forefinger, then rejected. A plus: she loved smushing them.
  
• We'll speak more of the disastrous crisped rice cakes when I post this week's CSA wrapup. Though Hero actually did eat some, they were a mess.
  
• The jello didn't interest her at all, texturally speaking. She just shook her head at me. [Aside: I went home and absent-mindedly stuck the jello in the freezer, creating something amazing.]

It's not like the girl didn't have anything to eat. Her mom and grandma made a delicious carrot cake, which Hero really enjoyed. She also tried and seemed to like bites of my soft pretzels. We adults loved them even more, and they didn't last the evening. You might want to make some yourself.





Soft Pretzels
Recipe from The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler by Lisa Barnes
Makes 48 2-3 inch pretzels

This recipe is milk free, nut free, and vegetarian. 2 pretzels have 80 calories, if you're interested. It's a good to make with older kids who can roll and shape dough, paint on egg, or sprinkle salt!

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
coarse salt, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 F. I used a baking sheet with a silicone mat, but you could also use parchment paper on the baking sheet.

Put the yeast in a large bowl with the warm water. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Add the sugar, salt, flours, and one of the eggs. Stir with a fork to combine into a dough. Turn out onto a floury surface and knead until it is elastic (maybe 2-3 minutes), adding a little more flour if it's very sticky.

Tear off small pieces of the dough and roll into any shape you want (classic pretzels, circles, hearts, twists). You know what would be cute? Xs and Os -- they stand for "hugs and kisses" AND you can play edible tic-tac-toe!

Place an inch or two apart on your baking sheet. Brush with the second egg (beaten) and sprinkle with whatever you want to sprinkle them with.

Bake 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite mustard.

Shortcake again, please.

I took my shortcake biscuit leftovers and swapped out blueberries for the strawberries of earlier this week. Yumwow.

Shortcake top tip: crush a little of your fruit with sugar in a bowl. Use this and whole fruit together to top your shortcake. This makes everything juicier and gives textural interest.

Quick! Someone give me a Genius Grant!

Hey, MacArthur Foundation! I just invented frozen, vegan jello. With organic juice.

Hey, Eddie Cochran! I think I found the cure for the summertime blues. And you said there "ain't no." You pessimist, you.

Hey, everybody else! This was an accident. But a very happy one.

To make:

1. Grease your jello mold(s) of choice with a little cooking spray.
2. Heat 2 cups organic juice or nectar to boiling. Remove from heat.
   
3. Add one packet Natural Desserts' (all natural, vegan, gluten free, and kosher) Unflavored Jel Dessert to heated juice. Whisk until combined. I found the Jel Dessert powder at Whole Foods.
4. Pour mixture immediately into molds (I used a lightly greased silicone muffin pan).
5. Chill in fridge until set.
6. Remove from mold(s) (I used a plastic knife to loosen one edge and they slid right out) and cut shapes if desired (I cut mine into half circles)
7. Store in tupperware (I would put waxed paper between layers), and freeze.
8. Gobble.

Next time, I'm putting it in the popsicle mold!

Drinks at Ryan's

(photo by Dan)

Dear Ryan,

Thank you for inviting me (an old friend) to your New Friends Dinner Party. I'm sorry I wasn't able to photograph your impressive mussels, bread with figs, or the succulent chicken you made in the chiminea. It was simply too dark.

Dan did get this photo by candlelight. I loved the watermelon drink. Did you know it mixed quite well with the white wine we brought? The minty lemonade was so nice, too.

Thanks again,

Jennette

Beach Me.

(grapes by Tony)

Another beach trip, another sunburn. I'm working on the not burning, for sure.

However, it was an amazing day with friends, waves, shells, cat's cradle, goldfish crackers, hummus and carrots, Oreo milkshake, Vitamin Water, and grapes.

That night I was happy, starving and exhausted. I ate spaghetti, pizza, and ice cream and was asleep by 10.

A No-Cone Snow Cone

Since I work just a few blocks from there, I hustled over to Num Pang, a Cambodian sandwich shop, to try their Pineapple Ginger Snow Cone with Toasted Coconut.

The flavors were great. The ginger was quite strong and I've always appreciated the tropical edge that coconut gives to other fruit. However, the snow cone was much bigger (and more expensive) than necessary. It started out too hard to eat (with the coconut on top un-incorporated and threatening to blow away as I walked back to the office) and ended up so melted I had to drink it. A softer texture would have made this snow cone even better.

I'd have one again, if I had a friend alongside with which to share it, on a hot day.