Duck Fat

Duck Fat
43 Middle St.
Portland, ME

One time my family went to San Francisco for Thanksgiving. My mom and her husband ran into a restaurant and grabbed a bird, came back to the car, and handed my sisters and me forks. Already suspicious of the crazy idea of eating Thanksgiving in the car, we were kind of confused when the turkey didn't taste like turkey.

Needless to say, the turkey was not turkey. It was an entire duck, neck and everything still intact. This was my first experience with duck and it scared me so much that I didn't go back.

I spent last summer raising ducks at a summer camp near Asheville. We had sixteen of them, cute and fuzzy, we got them when they were only a day or two old. They grew up quickly, loosing their down and growing beautiful water-resistant feathers. Similar to mallards, these ducks were heavier so they couldn't fly at all. We kept them in a coop next to the chickens and hens at night. When we let them out in the morning, they all went their separate ways, the roosters scaring the ducks away to the creek.

tomato sauce

When I was little I used to eat apples like crazy. I had to eat the middle first, creating a ring of all the easy-to-eat parts. After that I would move to the outside round, a little harder to get at, but still relatively easy; only a few nasty parts. You know, only a few parts to make me realize that I was actually eating something that grew. After the second round, finally, I would eat the part that is around the bottom belly-button of the apple. I thought this was the grossest part. It was yucky.

Rabelais

Rabelais: Thought for Food
86 Middle Street
Portland, ME


I was standing outside Rabelais looking in., not even realizing what I was looking at.  The books were all about food. After Mom pointed out what was really going on, I asked out loud, "What the hell are we doing out here?" and entered with kiddie enthusiasm.

Inside was a foodie's dream: books categorized by what kind of food they are about. From coffee to snacks to French cooking, this place has it all, including a selection of used books and collectors' items. 

at jfk

Mom and I have traveled from RDU to JFK and damn, RDU is lacking. Not only was there no WIFI (except offered by the gracious ATT for a low price of $8/24 hours), but the flight was delayed for two hours.

We did happen to find some great airport food at Gordon Biersch, albeit unhealthy crap. Oh, it was wonderful. We had garlic french fries and a huge spinach salad with bacon and chicken. It also had some tomatoes that didn't taste too bad and yummy bits of red onion. Mom put it wonderfully when she said that it wasn't over flavored or under flavored.

my trip to maine

I am going to Kennebunkport for a few days, hopefully trying new food while I'm there. My boss has told me that I must try a Maine lobster, but due to an extreme aversion to seafood (meaning I won't even eat something that might have touched fish, and seaweed?) it's a no go. Eek. Gross. 

But coffee? I would love to go to Portland and try some coffee. And there is a coffeeshop in Wells (four miles south of Kennebunk) is super animal friendly. And I can't wait to get some chocolate and bread. And I've heard a lot about this locally brewed beer. They have beautiful bottles (sadly, that's all I know) and I've read that their beer is tasty, too. Oh yeah, it's barrel aged. 

flowers

One thing that some people probably forget is that food comes from flowers. It might not seem like it.  And the garden is so green. I WANT COLOR! 

a little off topic

You know, people amaze me. I love how people think. I've just finished reading 29 Gifts and am in the middle of reading Eat Pray Love, yes, a little late. I've always believed that human beings are capable of amazing things and that we should hold each other to a pretty high standard because, well, we're just that great. If we have the ability to be great, shouldn't we be? 

Cami Walker gave 29 gifts away in 29 days to help her get over the serious emotional drain of living with multiple sclerosis. It seems amazing to give 29 gifts just because. What she found out, though, is that  by viewing little things (like doing the dishes) as gifts, we start to redefine what it means to give. Little things count, too, damnit! We just have to consciously view them as giving. We have to make a, excuse me, neuro-statement and think about how we might effect someone else's life.

Wait...shouldn't we be doing that anyway? 

what the hell?

After spending five hours inside, it is really nice to sit outside for a quick lunch. The problem is there aren't that many places to eat outside if you bring your own lunch to work. I have to decide between eating on the lonely landing deck outside the office or going to the park, a super easy decision. 

Parks are known to be filled with kids and laughing, especially when the park is connected to a development. 

I went to the park a few weeks ago. It was a Monday and I had my ENO hammock and my book ready for 45 minutes of super relaxation time before going into work. Off to the park! 

Gibson park is really cute. Who wouldn't want to go there? There is a lake and two fields, plus walking trails and shelters that are perfect for hanging a hammock. 

oh-my-garden and other cool things

So much can happen in a few days. I have no idea what happened. I have no idea what happened. There are squash! Baby green tomatoes! the nasturtium flowered! There are plenty of zinnias flowering. The sunflowers have buds. And -- oh my gosh -- the beans have begun to trellis themselves!

Don't believe me? Let me show you.

the best tomato sauce ever

We used to eat a lot of pasta when I was in high school. We would spend a few hours making the sauce and letting it sit on the stove, stirring it whenever we remember to or when we were in the kitchen. The sauce was thin and the onions in it reduced to nothing, like it was this homogenously awesome sauce. It was so good that everyone would sneak a spoonful of it when they were alone in the kitchen. It was definitely not as gross as I just made that sound. Hmm. 

Lovey's Market and Café

Lovey's Market and Café
1319 Military Cutoff 
Wilmington, NC


We were looking for breakfast. Simple breakfast. Eggs, an omelette would have been nice. Maybe potatoes. Definitely onions. Maybe a slice of tomato. 


Although a good veggie breakfast turned out not to be an option at 2 pm on Sunday while it is seriously 90 degrees outside, Lovey's Market was there with a huge hot bar/salad bar and a huge board of made-to-order items. 

that growing garden

I don't know how plants can grow so fast. It's kind of amazing. 

Only part of the huge garden. 

Sunflowers and beans are bigger than I ever thought they would get in just a few days. They have probably shot up a foot in one week!