Giant EclairThe latest giant dessert unveiled at the Googleplex - eclair with chocolate syrup on top. Don't you just appreciate the little details?Each time Google releases a new version of its Android software, the company places a humongous dessert in front of its offices where you can also find the Android robot. The last two Andorid versions were named Cupcake and Donut. An Android dog appeared sometime after the robot, perhaps to be a companion. I recall it was placed before the donut arrived, but sadly, the Android dog is now missing from the lawn display. : -( You can see a photo of the Android dog here. I am hoping the next release will be called Frogurt or Froyo. Doesn't ...
Posted Oct 24, 2009 12:09 PM by Barnaby James
Lazy Afternoon Tea and Old CookbooksI enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with loose leaf jasmine tea and few old cookbooks that I bought from the local library sale. The jasmine tea came from Second Cup, a Canadian coffee chain where BJ and I would pass-by on our walks near his parents house.Holy jitterbugs! The jasmine tea was fragrant yet very strong. I usually drink decaf Lipton tea bags so I'm the caffeine gave me a bit of a headache. It's hard to find loose leaf decaf so I drink my batches of lose leaf tea sparingly.A 1950's Starburst Corning carafe designed for coffee. Out of all my collection, I'm growing to like the mid-century designs for Pyrex and ...
Posted Oct 24, 2009 12:05 PM by Barnaby James
Pita Pizza
I
found these locally made onion pita bread at a Middle Eastern market
and decided they would be great for making quick pizza dinners after
work. Earlier this week I made a simple pizza with tomato sauce, fontina cheese and anchovies served alongside the Bibb Salad from the Park Avenue Potluck CELEBRATIONS cookbook. I added a few olives that were also from the Middle Eastern market's deli counter.And
tonight, I'm trying brussel sprouts pizza with fontina cheese. I think
both of these pizzas turned out delicious, and the no-fuss dinners left
me time to watch the pre-recorded premiere of V this evening.
Posted Nov 15, 2009 5:10 PM by Barnaby James
Dinner off the stalkOn
our drive to Phil's Fish Marketing this weekend, we drove through
Castroville, a small town in Monterey County known as the "artichoke
center of the world" and home of an annual artichoke festival. The part
that we drove through is not as scenic as other farming intersections
in Monterey. For instance, it's hard to ignore the large power plant
stacks that loom on the horizon. Aside from unpleasantness of the
stacks, I was excited to see the little farmer stands sprouted along
the fields.There were plenty of artichokes but I was more interested in the fresh brussel sprouts on the stalks for $2.50.I
happily carried one of these stalk into the back seat and ...
Posted Nov 15, 2009 5:09 PM by Barnaby James
Foodbuzz 2009Home at last! We just drove into the garage a little after 6pm, returning to the house after a fun-filled weekend at the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco. After eating brunch this morning with the Foodubzzers, BJ
and I then drove back to the South Bay to help a friend move into a new
apartment. It's truly been a long day, but the exhaustion is worth
it. Aside from trying plenty of new foods and being introduced to
various local artisan food producers, I'm still trying to process all
that was tasted and experienced this weekend. Here's a recap of the Day 2 (Saturday Nov. 7th):Breakfast was on the second floor of the Ferry ...
Posted Nov 16, 2009 8:11 AM by Barnaby James
BlogHer Food 2009BlogHer was a one-day event, but it was packed solid with lots of
engaging and fun moments in the workshops and break activities. I'll
let the pics do most of the talking as I recap how I spent most of the
afternoon.During
a session on blogging as a vocation, some of the most successful
bloggers shared their experiences and stories of how they have been
able to turn a hobby into a full-time, successful career: My Tartlette (Helen Dujardin), Cooking With Amy (Amy Sherman) and Steamy Kitchen (Jaden Hair).Some of the key takeaways that I got from the panelists are:You are your own boss. This means you have to be more disciplined yet the ...
Posted Nov 15, 2009 5:35 PM by Barnaby James
