You don't know what you want 'til it's got.

I did some highly rewarding work for some friends recently. Afterward, they surprised me with a gift -- the handsome lunch box pictured above. I am in love with it, if one can be in love with partially-transparent molded plastic.

The "Box Appetit" is by black + blum. It features a little divot in the lid for soy sauce, a sauce container, a separate (microwavable) compartment for other foods, a plastic fork/knife, a holster for chopsticks, and a really sleek design. Why, there's a whole 5-minute video online about how stylish it is.



Okay, the video's a little silly. But this lunch box is seriously sweet. It slips right into my purse and makes my leftovers look beautiful. Why, it gets compliments just sitting quietly in the work refrigerator. I love it!

I'd like to be paid in lunch boxes from now on, please.

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There was this one time?

This one time? We had a fairly new baby? And Rusty brought us muffins from Variety?

Much appreciated!  Especially pumpkin cream cheese.

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My compliments

We did nothing to deserve a complimentary Lemon-Brown Butter Mochi Cake with kumquat sauce, black sesame streusel, and Il Laboratorio Buttermilk Ice Cream, but were thrilled when it was brought to us at one of our favorite neighborhood spots, Five Leaves.

Thankfully, our relative unworthiness did not sour its flavor.  Delicious!

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Photo Essay: Our Baby Shower (February)

Host: Rachel





Spread: Cheese Fondue with fruit and vegetables, pickles, spice cake. I enjoyed the food so much I didn't get any photos of myself, and very few photos of any of the guests!




Decorations: Tissue paper garland (made by me), flowers and butterflies (made and donated by FEAST organizers).  Flowers.




Activity: Draw a picture for our homemade alphabet book!



Thanks, friends!
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"We'll eat you up, we love you so."

Here's to the people and restaurants who provided special snacks and meals in the first several weeks after I gave birth to my son (three weeks ago today).

• My smarty-pants husband had Thai delivered from Cheers for the two of us, our doula, and the midwife, an hour or two after our home birth.
   
• Moss, Rachel, and Hero brought fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, and slices of pie from Pies 'n' Thighs for dinner that first night.  Turns out that two pieces of fried chicken was EXACTLY what I wanted after 8 1/2 hours of labor.
  
  
• Nick came by with dark beer (good for milk production, they say) and ice cream and chips and...numerous other good things.  Matthew C. also brought beer (which turned out to be more for my husband than for me).
  
  
• Tim and Holly made lasagna and fennel salad, and delivered it with chocolate cake (and brought their gorgeous 6-month old daughter).
  
  
• David and Molly donated homemade chicken pot pies, ready to cook, and chocolate-coconut hand pies (pictured above).  Oh, yum!
  
  
• Carmine's was the first place we "ate out" with the baby.  We only purchased two slices of pizza at the counter, but they still let us sit in the back (which is usually reserved for people ordering from the menu), away from the construction noise on the street.

Inedible but Lovely "special mention" goes to Willow and August's cherry blossoms and two bunches of flowers from Matt C. -- not to mention all the other friends who stopped by or mailed cards and gifts of rattles, blankets, onesies, books, lullabies, and more.  Sorry I haven't named you all here!

I feel really, truly blessed. 

Poetry Tuesday: The Patient Muffin

Pepitas don't look like
Pepitas taste nice but
A pumpkin muffin is soft and waits
Solidly on your desk, and waits
Warm flavor pausing, waits
For you to remember.


OR


A Noiseless, Patient Muffin

A NOISELESS, patient muffin,
I mark’d, where, on a little office desk, it stood, isolated;
Mark’d how, to adorn the cluttered, flat surrounding,
It launch’d forth fragrance, fragrance, fragrance, out of itself;
Ever unreeling it—ever tirelessly speeding scent.	5
And you, O my Stomach, where you sit,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of work,
Ceaselessly eating, nibbling, snacking,—seeking the foods, to ingest them;
Till the hunger you still have be fill’d—till your breakfast's anchor holds;
Till the pumpkin-y muffin's strings catch somewhere, O my Soul.

 


[Pumpkin muffin from Whole Foods, via Kevin.  Thanks, Kevin.  Sorry, Whitman.]

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Marriage Vows

"I promise not to finish your chocolate bar while you are off watching a soccer game."

Dan and I received some fancy chocolates for Christmas.  I think both of these bars were from Eva and Ben.  And since Dan is the coffee-lover in our house, it would be unfair of me to finish off the Seattle Chocolates Pike Place Espresso Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar With Espresso Infusion.



But the B.T. McElrath Chocolatier Salty Dog Chocolate Bar (Butter toffee with sea salt) is fair game.

They're both quite good, BTW.  I wish the B.T.M bar had a little more toffee, but the salt level is perfect.

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Grownups get married; I feel like a kid again.

I attended Steph's luau-themed bridal shower last weekend, out on Long Island.  Steph's mom is a Snackreligious-approved hostess, by virtue of the event's charming backyard setting and resplendent repast (not to mention the tiki napkins).









I never turn down an ice cream sundae bar.  I even requested (and was granted) a brownie sundae bar for my own wedding shower, back in 2001.  This one was primo, with two types of ice cream and many toppings available, including fresh and maraschino cherries, marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate chips, gummy worms, and more. 

Thanks, Mrs. Steph's Mom!


p.s. I know her name.  ;)

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O hai.

Ian gave me a cookie.

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In Darkness All Colors Agree

These two dark chocolate bars (both with almond, made in France and Switzerland), were a gift from Nicole after a recent trip to France.   I ate them before she got a chance to tell me how well they pair with red wine.




Almonds and chocolate work together so well.  I really feel I can trust Lindt to do chocolate flavors beautifully, and this did not disappoint.




Miel means "honey," and the honey in the second bar gave it an edge, flavorwise. It's possible the chocolate quality here was not quite as fine as with the Lindt, but the almonds were well-dispersed and crackly.

Merci so much, Nicole.

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Bittersweet Bon Voyage

The other day, I had to say goodbye to Ms. Revelie, as well as to her mom and dad.  They're moving on to greener pastures (literally greener than NYC).  That they provided going-away goodies (mini chipwiches and fancied-up Two Bite brownies from Whole Foods) for our office before taking off didn't make their bittersweet farewell any more sweet than bitter.  But, as is my habit, I managed to eat through the pain.

Take care and fare well, friends!  Keep those baby pictures coming.

 
(photo taken by ?? on Rev's first visit to the office in November, 2008)

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Direct from Korea.

Though these Green Tea Kit Kats are made in Japan, Paul brought them back from Korea.

As you can read here, I quite like this flavor.  I was happy to receive more.  Thanks, Paul!

It seems that Nestlé will incorporate almost anything edible into a Kit Kat, but they seldom sell in the U.S.  The Japanese may have the most exciting choices.  Have you tried or seen any unusual ones?

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Trickle-Down Cakenomics

Caitlin made a vegan chocolate cake for a Passover/birthday dinner on Monday evening. She brought some into the office yesterday and gave a leftover slice to Jeff. Apparently knowing how I feel about cake, Jeff offered half of his slice to me. It was delicious.

If you think you don't like vegan food, you should at least make an exception for vegan chocolate cake. I love vegan food, but I wager you won't be able to tell that most vegan chocolate cakes are vegan.

Now that I've used the word vegan so many times in a row, I'm exhausted.

Another Taste of Hawaii

Along with the durian chips mentioned a few days ago, my dear friend Angela sent me these coconut and macadamia nut balls. I was afraid they'd have a texture too similar to gumdrops (which I dislike), but though they were chewy they were not as artificial, granular, or sugar-coated. They did taste like coconut, too, which is always a nice touch. I detected no macadamia nut in some of them, and just a little nut in others, but that didn't bother me much.

If you like Mounds bars, or are otherwise a sweetened coconut fan, keep an eye out for these.

Angela, I finally tried them! Here's proof!

Oh, Angela, you've been so patient. I'm sorry it took me this long to get a little tipsy and try the durian chips you sent me. Did you have some? They taste/feel like sweet french fried onions. And they smell like weirdsville. Thanks!

Presentation counts.

Here's an example of a cute package for a homemade snack. Inside? A small loaf of chocolate chip banana bread made by Melissa. I ate the payload too quickly to get a photograph, but you can take my word for it.

Is this heaven? No, it's a cookie.

Speaking of Vincent, while he and Brooke were visiting, he shared a revelation in cookies with us (in addition to the fudge sauce).

As it turns out, V's mom makes a charming, cakey banana cookie with splendid, thick banana icing each year (and a walnut on top). I was lucky enough to eat one, and am hoping he'll be able to secure the recipe for me. Please, Mrs. P., share it with the world. Please!

Hold up a sec!

Wow, I really got behind in my blog posts this holiday season, didn't I? Do you mind waiting a minute while I tell you about a doughnut from a few weeks ago?

I totally forgot to mention to you that I tried my first Tim Horton's doughnut. A T.H. opened in the neighborhood in which I work, and my coworkers (Jeremy, Dave, and Ethan) kindly picked up one of the last (!) plain doughnuts available on the afternoon they stopped by. I guess the next batch hadn't come out of the oven yet.

It was good -- simple, sweet, and not at all stale. If they get their stock back up, I'll try more.

Poetry Tuesday: Around the Office, This Time of Year

At the office, Christmas looms, Hanukkah
Lingers in the rustling
Bags of sweet or spicy crispy chocolate
Pretzels cookies bread and nuts.
They're on the table, 'round the corner,
Perched upon Reception's shelf --
Cardless or carded, whisp'ring "Merry,"
"Happy," "Best" and "Eat Me Now."

BUT my vacation days call, too.
They say, "Use us. We don't roll over anymore,"
So, even as the treats call, "Linger."
I must flee from rolling chairs.
I take my leave from keyboards, lunch breaks,
Scheduled time. I've errands of my own.
I've celebrating naps to take.
I've fairy lights to ponder.

So I am gone now, into home and respite,
thinking of those sweet remains. They're
showing up in tissue, tins and
paper sacks without me there.
I know too well,
I see so clearly -- quickly, that's how
Tasty gifts of goodies from
The friendly folk I work with
Disappear, are eaten -- thoroughly and well.
It's as it should be, in this season,
But, alas, I won't be there.

Thanksgiving, 2009

Appetizers: Assorted olives, sweet baby pickles, shrimp and spread, 2 sorts of crackers, pita chips, scallion hummus, dumplings, 4 kinds of cheese (white cheddar, blue, mustard, and I forget), cranberry cinnamon Boursin, and fresh baguettes.














Main Dishes/Sides: Grapefruit, avocado, spinach, and greens salad with citrus dressing; mattar paneer with coconut rice; shredded beets and carrots with garlic and orange juice; turkey (Weber Grilled); Mama Stamberg's horseradish cranberry dressing; orange and cranberry relish; turkey gravy; mashed sweet potatoes with buttermilk; cold green bean salad with soy-glazed almonds; and chestnut and mushroom dressing.




Potables: Wine, cider, cream soda, orange dream, diet root beer, seltzer, water, coffee, and tea.












Desserts: Pear tarte tatin, two pumpkin pies, apple pie, Tim Tams, chocolate peppermint pretzels, and freshly whipped cream.