by Sam Tackeff | Nov 7, 2013 | Photography, Random
Staring up at that sign – pretty much the only time hearts swell for a petroleum company. Just thinking about our World Series win last week. Still feeling warm and fuzzy.
I like the stillness of this Thursday night. No different from most other Thursday nights, except:
I went for a manicure. My nails are pink, shiny, and girly. I’m not really a pink, shiny, or girly person, but I’m all over this shimmery business today.
I picked up my race packet for my half marathon on Sunday. This is my first half marathon. Not counting last weekend when I ran a 10 mile race, and then ran an extra 3.1 because I had badly coordinated with my ride home. And also, I got locked out of the house, so I paced the block several times to keep warm until I realized that I could break in and solve my own problem.
A stranger casually mentioned to me how he had found a Jawbone (step-tracking bracelet) on the ground at an establishment and taken it home without bothering to turn it in. Made me cringe. He then proceeded to animatedly tell me how much he loved the device. It’s still stealing, dude. (But yes, I love mine too.) Also made me curious as to whether or not these self trackers can be remotely shut off.
I spent a few hours looking through old photographs. So many of them made me smile. Old friends, summer meals, weekend trips, dogs now in heaven (I’m more sold on dog heaven than I am people heaven. Something about that excessive tail wagging that makes me think that if there is an afterlife, it’s inhabited by puppies.)
I turned down a sample at Trader Joe’s. Because technically I was there yesterday and they had the same sample, and thus it felt like I’d be taking seconds. And even though they let you do it, taking seconds at Trader Joe’s seems morally wrong.
I wasted several brain-stabbing minutes reading the interview on Eater with the asshat editor at Time – yes, that’d be the editor who put together the “Gods of Cooking” piece and neglected to include any women…Which, in itself, I mean, whatever. I grumbled. The interview though… yeah, wow, champion of asshattery. Here’s the link, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
And now, to bed with a book!
by Sam Tackeff | Aug 12, 2013 | Books, Fitness, Meal Planning, Random
Meal planning again – I really do look so forward to this process. Usually, the beginning of my weekends are spent curled up with a new cookbook, reading it from cover to cover by Saturday afternoon, meal planning for the week, shopping and prep cooking on Sunday. This weekend I was totally swept up reading Naomi Duguid’s fabulous Burma: Rivers of Flavor – the ultimate armchair vacation cookbook.
On Saturday I set to work making a little list of what was left in my fridge that I wanted to use up: asparagus, baby spinach, ham, cucumbers, two zucchini, coconut milk, feta, bacon, beets, basil succotash, basil oil, brussels sprouts, Anson Mills rice, eggs, carrots, avocado and tomatoes. Of course there are plenty of bits and bobs, sauces, condiments, and probably things in the way back of the fridge that I just haven’t noticed for a while – all fair game too. And then my pantry is stocked for the apocalypse, so I like to build upon the fresh stuff, but sometimes pantry goods get the starring role in the meal.
When I went to the store, I tried to pick up some meat, some fruit for the week, things to round out my lunches, pantry staples I was running out of: sardines, Red Boat fish sauce, an extra avocado. And by store, well, that’s a lie, we all know that I have a problem. “Store” is more like, three or four or five stores. By choice. For pleasure. Sometimes I stop by Trader Joe’s just for the sample first, you know, to clear my mind. Then I’ll head to Russo’s in Watertown to see if they have Chip-In eggs (they didn’t), or interesting peak produce. Then to Whole Foods for Sunday night fish and an olive sample and a little cup of bionically filtered water, and Trader Joe’s again (to see if they have the free range organic chicken thighs that I eat a lot of (they did.) And another sample.
So here’s what I came up with, accounting for a few days that we’ll likely be eating out because of our super late schedule:
:: Grilled Blue Fish, Mashed Potatoes, and Asparagus with Mustard Vinaigrette. I try to do fish every Sunday if I can because I know that I’ll be able to cook it right when I get home, and usually it’s a quick bet after an afternoon of prep cooking.
:: Saucy Spiced Meat & Potato. This one is from the Burma cookbook. It’s sort of like a spiced stew with ground beef (actually, reminds me a lot of sloppy joe mix.) and I’m not quite sure what I’ll pair it with yet – a big mess of sautéed spinach, and likely a simple salad. I think it suggests an okra/shallot stir-fry in the book, which would be nice, but I don’t have okra.
:: B.L.A.T. Salad. Yep, bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato salad. The feta might go in here too. And beets on the side.
:: Burmese Grilled Chicken. Also from Burma – chicken with an exciting! marinade of ginger, turmeric, garlic, chile, and fish sauce. I’d bathe myself in Red Boat fish sauce… I’ll probably pair this with a quick pickled cucumber salad.
:: Ham & Cheese Omelette. I have leftover ham. And leftover cheddar with hatch chiles (sucker purchase after eating a sample). And eggs that are a little old, but not too old, that I really want to use up. And I like to channel my French side in the summer time. On the side some stewed zucchini, tomato, and garlic, and a side salad. Ooh la la!
:: Coconut Rice Pudding. I have rice, coconut milk, and some delicious Nielsen–Massey Organic Fairtrade Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract that was sent to me to try out for my blog. (Really good timing, P.R. folks – I usually make my own, and I’ve just run out of a large batch that had lasted for months.) I really love Thai mango sticky rice, so I might do some sort of play on that.
And fitness? There’s plenty of that too:
The three miles of walking on weekdays is my usual their and back commute walk. Our evening strolls are walks, although this week we’ve been adding in some running intervals. These aren’t always what I end up doing, but I find that if I schedule out my workouts, I’m more likely to commit to doing them.
Monday: 3 mile walk + 6 mile slow run
Tuesday: 3 mile walk + evening stroll
Wednesday: 3 mile walk, CrossFit Olympic Lifting Class
Thursday: 3 mile walk
Friday: 3 mile walk+ evening stroll
Saturday: CrossFit (or day off)
Sunday: CrossFit Class + Open Platform
What’s on your plate this week? Also, for those of you who have Burma, have you cooked from it? I have lots of notes, but I’m not sure what to tackle next…
by Sam Tackeff | May 5, 2013 | Candy, Chocolate, Pantry Staples, Random
Like that rule that I should eat wholesome foods, and eschew items with ingredients I can not pronounce. Most of the time, I wholeheartedly agree with Michael Pollan’s edict.
Occasionally, some demon from within takes over my motor functions and puts products with “chocolate flavor” in my basket, like this “Chocolate Flavor Spread with Caramel Candy Pieces”. In my defense, it seems much more wholesome in Swedish: “Chokladkrokant Bredbar“. And IKEA sells it in other English speaking countries as “Chocolate Butterscotch Spread” which, if I use my imagination, is something that Nigel Slater would recommend that I spoon on some warm snacking cake on a lazy Sunday morning. And then there is the usage suggestion: “Use when baking, in home-made ice cream, in a glass of warm milk for breakfast or enjoy as it is directly from the jar.” Directly from the jar, you say, IKEA? I do believe I will.
If you find yourself near an IKEA with a similar demon inside of you, I encourage you to let it be in control when you walk past this item. Happy Sunday!
by Sam Tackeff | Aug 13, 2012 | Random
The power went out in our neighborhood as I was cooking on Friday night. I momentarily panicked about all of the beautiful Copper River salmon that their marketing board sent me as part of the Fresh Catch Crew. Then I panicked about the many containers of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in our freezer. Then I walked outside and took this photo. Then the power came back. Thank you, freezer deities.
Lunches: 1. Fregola salad with fresh tomato and basil from Formaggio Kitchen, with a quarter of a rotisserie chicken. (Pictured). 2. A bowl of baked beans. 3. Devon made an amazing sandwich with roast beef, ripe tomatoes, melted cheese, and a chile-garlic-caesar dressing on ciabatta. It was masterful.
There was a trip to IKEA where we finally got some lighting for under our kitchen cabinets. And some fabric covered in ships. We didn’t get any Swedish Meatballs, but we did head back to Pho So 1 Boston in Randolph for the second meal there in two weeks. Their Bun Bo Thit Nuong – vermicelli noodles with grilled beef – is spectacular.
We watched Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star. The supporting cast includes members of both The Verve Pipe and Third Eye Blind. We watched several episodes of Agatha Christie’s ‘Hercule Poirot‘ with David Suchet. We watched team USA win the gold in Olympic Basketball. Were you watching? It was pretty thrilling.
I went to CrossFit and am still aching from a running WOD and lots of Curtis P’s.
We finished three out of the four containers of Ben and Jerry’s in our freezer. Do yourself a favor and find some of their new ‘Chocolate Therapy’ if you can.
Happy Monday, everyone!
by Sam Tackeff | May 3, 2012 | Random, Writing
I think my words are coming back.
They’ve been gone for a while, but I feel them trickling in.
I’ve been stuck, tired, overwhelmed – we all feel this way, at some point. Moving last summer was hard. I miss San Francisco and the wonderful people I got the chance to engage with, eat with, and play with. I didn’t feel quite ready to move on. I became stagnant. I didn’t spend nearly enough time reading or cooking. But it’s spring time, and I feel something stirring.
I’m ready to start creating again.
Here are some of the things that have helped me:
{The Well-Fed Woman Mini-Retreatshop Tour} With the beautiful, insightful, shimmery Rachel Cole: Last month I spent three powerful hours with a group of women in Providence, Rhode Island. It re-affirmed what Wellesley taught me best: Sisterhood is such an important thing. I was expecting it to be a positive, light-hearted experience. I had no idea that I would cry, feel deeply moved, and leave feeling super-charged.
{SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions} It’s a book about life by Rainn Wilson, yes, that Rainn Wilson (of The Office fame). I picked up a copy at SXSW when I had no business buying a book given I had only taken a very small carry on to Texas. Some books demand to be taken home – books that scream at me and make me slightly nervous that I’m losing it. This was one of those. There is abundant wisdom in this book – sometimes you need to start by asking the right questions, and these are them.
{My Foodzie Tasting Box Subscription} Once a month, I get to be a little kid and open the best present to myself ever. I love trying new treats, and Foodzie picks the best of the best. Some of my recent favorites have been Droga’s Put Your Money on Honey Caramels, Zingerman’s Zzang Bars, and p.o.p Buttercrunch.
{Formaggio Kitchen} Trips for perfectly brewed George Howell coffee, small sandwiches, honey, tea. This place is the larder of happiness. On Saturdays mornings, they have barbecue outside. We’ve been twice this month. Also, they have Rancho Gordo Beans, Anson Mills Grits, and Jeni’s Ice Cream in the freezer.
{Psych} We’ve been re-watching the Psych from the beginning. It’s just such good writing. On that note, because of my time-consuming start up job, I’ve stopped watching the majority of the crap I was watching on television. My next step will to be delete shows from the DVR. It’ll take some more courage to sever the cord completely.
{Spring Manifestos} Over at The Art of Seeing Things.
{An Everlasting Meal} by Tamar Adler. It’s been quite some time since I could curl up with a book and enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed this one. I picked it up at Brookline Booksmith, along with Tina Fey’s Bossypants, and (finally!) my own copy of Brillat-Savarin’s The Physiology of Taste (M.F.K. Fisher translation). I forgot how nice it was to spend lots and lots of money at an independent bookstore.
{Instagram for Android} It’s here! You can find me @alphaprep. I’m also re-purposing my tumblr into a space for my Instagram photos.
by Sam Tackeff | Nov 22, 2011 | Random
This is the window in my bedroom, and outside you see the frigid weather we woke up to three weeks ago. So cold, that the windows were fogging up. Fortunately (aside from that freak snowstorm), we have had a bit of reprieve. The snow melted. Maybe because I refused to take any pictures of it, or acknowledge it at all, it went away. Please just let me continue on with that fantasy.
Today, I want to share with you some photos that I’ve taken on my phone over the past few weeks. New England has been bracing itself for winter. We had a brief scare a few weeks ago, but I think most of us agree that we’d prefer to wait for a bit before another blizzard comes along.
We’ve been preparing. Gloves have been purchased (and one mysteriously lost already), and the coats have been taken out of storage. The heat has come on. We have these old radiators that clang and hiss and sound like tea pots. In fact, they sound so much like tea pots, that I routinely find myself running to the kitchen to turn off the burner. This has happened more than a half dozen times.
Even though fall is my favorite season, the quick descent into winter can be stressful, so I try my best to stay active and aware of my surroundings to ward off seasonal blues. Lately, I’ve been taking long walks in the afternoon, listening to RadioLab, from the beginning of season one. Even when I’m having the worst morning, the second I put in my headphones and get moving, things start looking up.
I don’t usually carry my camera with me when I go for long walks, but I do make a point to take photos with my phone. I love that I can capture moments and feelings on a whim, on the device that is always in my pocket. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Halloween in small town New Hampshire has some definite perks. I wasn’t there to trick or treat this year, but I’m sure sorry I missed it. The neighborhood has some hard core celebrators – my favorite being the orthodontist who has a police detail because he hands out super size candy bars. Dan Brown also lives down the road, and puts up a pretty good Halloween scene at the end of his half mile long driveway. Last year it was a graveyard for writers.
And here’s one of the gleeful pumpkin ghouls that popped up all over Portsmouth. This one was in front of our synagogue, screaming out Mazel Tov! Or maybe dancing the Hora? Who knows?
2. Another moment I felt the need to capture was this unicorn birthday party I attended. It also happened to be the birthday party of Raquel, my current favorite kindergartner. Her mom Ruthie is good friends with my mom, and I’ve been pretty lucky to spend time with them since moving back East.
Raquel is brilliant, and quite precocious. She’s a firecracker, and I can’t wait to see her grow up. But for now, I’m enjoying spending time with her at soccer games, and festive occasions like this one. Kids are pretty awesome.
3. I’ve been stumbling across plants that are unwilling to give up for the season. They make me smile every time. I’ve been taking a lot of pictures of my neighborhood, and am constantly surprised at the leaves, plants, and flowers that refuse to die even though the temperature has dipped down into the forties, and probably for good.
I’d also like to note that half of the time my phone captures better macro shots than my camera.
4. This is Hubble, my beloved cousin-dog. He’s a teenager – in human years – so life happens a little bit slower nowadays. In an episode of RadioLab I listened to yesterday, Jad and Robert were discussing how time likely exists at different rates for different animals. Think about how the hummingbird experiences time, versus the time sensation of a whale. Hubble was an energetic puppy, but now he spends most of his life relaxing, and I’m pretty sure that time has slowed down for him. Although, here he is on the kitchen floor, and don’t let the posture fool you, he’ll still jump up for handouts and crumbs.
5. And some more flora, still hanging on. I love these papery husks despite the fact that they look like the wings of moths. Random factoid: I’m actually terrified of butterflies and moths. I sat on one as a child, which started a mortal fear that has lasted for decades. It has gotten better over time, but I once had a legitimate panic attack on a Bloomingdales escalator due to an installation of fake white hanging butterflies. No fun, no sir-ee-bob. I’ve learned to appreciate them from afar, but they still make my adrenaline surge. Sigh.
6. And now, let the festivities begin! I’ve been watching in amusement as people have been going over to select their birds from the plastic wrapped rows at the market. It’s a different ballgame out here, and I sort of miss watching the line wrapped around Drewes’ in Noe Valley. And can I say it? I don’t really even like Turkey… well, maybe the next day in a big pot of Maneshewitz Lima Bean Soup with Barley… but I could probably do without the bird entirely. Blasphemy!
