Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Geek out

Hello Internet.  Did you miss me?  Believe it or not I was doing homework.  I was in Oregon and Washington working on my MA paper and visiting my little sis with my research assistant, my mom.  The original documents of the two missionaries I am writing my finest work as a graduate student are housed at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA so I kidnapped my mom for the week.  We spent a fair amount of time in the archives of the library.  We visited some wineries.  We gawked at the people and the vegetables at the farmer's market.  We had a jolly good time.

If I may geek out a bit . . . I've been enamored by these women since my first semester as a grad student.  To hold their journals -- the ones they wrote in 1836 -- in my hot little hands was such an experience.  We sifted through letters written on onionskin that was so thin they looked as if they might disintegrate.  We touched these documents -- without gloves!  My mom brought a stack of magazines to read while we were there thinking she would be bored.  The woman has been equipped with her pencil elucidating illegible words and filling in gaps of the story since we left the library.  I dare say she enjoyed the research more than I.

One of Eliza's letters. Sigh.

Comparing my stenographer's copy of the journal with the original.  No person has ever been this excited to be in the basement archives of a library. Ever.

This is the site of the Whitman Mission where they lived and where they were eventually murdered.

Walking the permitter of the Mission house and site of the massacre.

Oregon Trail.

Name says it all. This is where they buried all those killed by the Cayuse Indians in 1847.  Narcissa was the only woman killed.

After our time spent in Walla Walla, we headed West to see Jules!
 
She is quite the tour guide -- wineries seem to be her specialty.  It's no wonder we're related.  

The girls talking about ice crystals and pinot noir.  They're so savvy. 


Lovely. Can I take one of you home?

After the tour we had lunch on the patio.  The cute little waiter boy tucked my research assistant in extra tight.  Snug. As. A. Bug. In. A. Rug.

The next night we packed a picnic and listened to live music at another winery.  Oh, and drank more wine.

The only thing missing was Heather. 

Something I might love more than wine: FARMER'S MARKETS!  

We had a fresh, vegetarian meal beginning with radish toasts (these were the Easter egg variety -- cute, eh?!).  They were both skeptical in the beginning, but no radish toasts remained.

Romanesco.  Looks like a Thai temple. 

Clockwise from the temple: roasted romanesco, new potatoes and peas with fresh dill, baby squash with parmesan, radish toast fit for the Easter Bunny, garlic scapes (or whistles as they call them in Oregon), and quinoa. A meal worthy of some sort of temple.  

Last but certainly not least, sexy Rexy.  Don't hate her 'cause she's beautiful.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

For your viewing pleasure

First thing's first, Happy Father's Day to my number one fan, my dad.  I love you very much!  I hope the morels are plentiful today -- wish I were with you!

This week I have been on the river honing my server skills.  We had a menu tasting where I was asked to photograph the items for the website.  My skills do not warrant a place on a commercial website, but it sure was a treat to shoot properly plated food in a setting that blows my setup out of the water -- literally.  

The menu is one that I am really proud of (not that I can take any credit for designing it).  Our chef is committed to using locally raised and grown products. Hooray for eating locally!  I am thrilled to work for a restaurant that supports our local farmers and producers, plus, every chance I get I am gawking on the line, asking questions, watching our chefs work their magic.  This food really is magic, people.  Magic!

House-made spinach raviolis with ricotta cheese and spicy marina sauce; 
fried to perfection!

Beef carpaccio with Dijon sour cream.

Cheese plate with cheeses from Rollinstone Chevre in Boise and Ballard Farms in Gooding.  

Smoked Rainbow trout salad.

 
Prosciutto wrapped sturgeon with horseradish citrus cream sauce.

Escarole stuffed Rainbow trout.

Black Canyon elk chop with brandy demi glace.

Creme caramel and chocolate decadent cake.  Yes, please.  I'll have both.

In my free time I should have my nose in the books working on my master's thesis, but alas, I can't focus.    The river is still raging at 17,000 CSF and is too cloudy for any productive fishing.  Instead of my fly rod,  I am equipped with my camera.

Below is wildlife photography part deux for your viewing pleasure.  I am off to diligently attempt to read about pioneer women and their relationship to Indians. Diligently. Attempt. To read.  

 The South Fork corridor is the largest nesting ground for bald eagles in the contiguous US.

He could have easily snatched forty pound Tuli out of the boat.

Mama merganser.

Hey, wait up, ma.

Golden eagle.

Serendipitous shot.

Mallard hiding in the grass.


Didn't look or feel like June.

I am fairly certain I caught this exact expression on his face last summer.

Pelicans are not native to the South Fork.


Beaver fever.

Almost missed her!  Last second shot.

Nice place for a pit stop after a cold, drizzly float.  
I'll have the chocolate cake and a hot toddy please.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

No future in wildlife photography

This past weekend I was on the river enjoying fresh air, a special visit from dear friends, great food, lots of wildlife.  A momma moose and her brand new baby were spotted cruising across from the lodge.  Birds of all sorts were busy taking care of their own babies and building new nests. 

We took a quick trip to Jackson where we strolled through an art gallery.  I kept thinking -- I can do that.  I can take a picture of a bird.  Yeah, right!  Birds don't hold still.  I crept as quietly as I could, tip toeing, army crawling.  Wildlife photography is way harder than say grilled cheese photography.  

Fortunately for me, I caught one little guy who had yet to figure out the art of flying.  He looked at me. I looked at him.  We agreed that we wouldn't mess with each other.  (Bird lovers relax, I wasn't this close. I had my big honkin' lens on).

He still has a fuzzy head!

I tried my damnedest to snap a decent photo of a western tanager for my dad who loves birds, but holy hell! They were not interested in supporting my Father's Day present.

Hey girl. I see you.

Yeah, I'm not interested in your stupid photo.  See ya.

I am left cursing and army crawling in the middle of the road.  Thank God no one drove by and heckled and/or ran me over.  Stupid birds.  

Since my wee little room on the river lacks a cooking facility, when I return home I am always thrilled to get into my kitchen.  I love salmon cakes, crab cakes, savory cakes in general.  You could use fresh salmon for this, but I had canned salmon at the ready, which you would never know the difference. These little cakes were so tasty.  I served them for dinner, but you could make them a bit smaller and serve them as a lovely little appetizer.  Try these.  You won't be disappointed.

I made these pickles but instead of cutting them I used my vegetable peeler and made ribbons.  Carrots, too. 
 Lime zest, green onions and cilantro.  Next time I'll add fresh ginger.  
This salmon is from Costco. So so good!  Makes great salmon salad sandwiches, too. 
 Good thing to have in your pantry.  Lots better than any other breadcrumb. 
Humina, humina, humina.


 Here's where the meal took a turn from yummy to YUMMY!  I made coconut sticky rice for dessert, and I had about half a can of leftover coconut cream.  So in the pan that fried the cakes, I added about a cup of the coconut cream, the juice of two limes, and about a tbs of chopped of cilantro.  This was a total crapshoot. WOWIE!  This sauce had a rich coconut flavor with a hint of lime.  Wonderful sweet contrast to the salty salmon cakes.   
 I would pay for this in a restaurant.
 Easy asian salad dressing: 1 tbs wasabi sauce, 1 tbs mayo, 3 tbs olive oil, squeeze lime, 1 tbs rice wine vinegar, squeeze sriracha, salt and pepper.  Whisk until combined.  Toss greens with dressing and sesame seeds.  Fancy!

Canned asian salmon cakes
3 cans canned salmon 
2 limes, zested
2 green onions, sliced thinly
3 tbs cilantro, chopped
1-2 eggs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (more for dredging)
3 heaping tbs wasabi sauce
salt and pepper (good dose of each)
canola oil for frying

Preheat oven to 325.  In a bowl, combine zest, onions, cilantro and salmon.  Begin to combine and break up the chunks of salmon.  Next add the eggs (you'll have to feel the texture and judge whether you need 1 or 2 to hold the cakes together), breadcrumbs, wasabi and salt and pepper.  Fashion the salmon into cakes using your hands.  Dredge them in the breadcrumbs and set aside until all the salmon is used.

In a hot skillet, add about 2 tbs oil and GENTLY! add a few cakes.  You could easily bake these for healthier cakes and eliminate this tricky frying process, but they get a lovely, crispy crust.  Fry until golden brown -- only about 2 - 3 minutes total if your pan is hot.  Remove salmon cakes to a cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cakes are cooked through.

Serve with wasabi sauce, sriracha, ponzu sauce -- all would be delicious!  Enjoy!