Fresh Approach Cooking

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The saga. Continues. Pause. For dramatic effect. (It’s effect right, not affect? Well, you paused, right? Then we are good. Okeedokee.)

To recap, I moved. I piled all my assorted things (mostly cooking gear and cookbooks as fate would have it) into large cardboard boxes, paid some burly men with seemingly boundless energy and brute strength to haul it all to a glorious new apartment. With AC. And a disposal (the last place didn’t have one, and the landlord threatened my life if I installed one. Did I mention she was a nutter?) which, turns out, is like, a really important thing to me. And a washer/dryer. Which is a rare thing in an apt in this city, lemme tell ya. And I have been there for nine days. Then yesterday, I gave my notice to move out.

Seems I failed to notice this spacious, hardwood-floored jewel is located dead center in the hood. The H-double OH (MY) - D, HOOD. As in gang bangers in the alley way and a general crack-chic look to the whole block.

Seriously, what the heck was I thinking? I must have been dazzled by the shiny chrome fridge with an ice maker in the door (which, doesn’t make ice, since the fridge is like, no where near the sink, which it needs to be hooked up to freaking work. Oh, and despite the fact my landlord said it was new, I noticed it was moldy, -- wanna see the pictures? -- and the filter inside prominently proclaims it should be changed in 2002. But I digress) and the great 1930’s touches. Yup, I was awed enough not to notice that the landlord lives upstairs, with her brood of 8. Yes, eight. Something I neglected to register while peering into the vast closets, eyes bugged out, oohing and ahhing. But the damage is done, and thankfully, since she, uh, FORGOT to have me sign a lease (no, really, she did) I am oh-so-very out of there. I swear kids, it could not be more dramatic. (Actually, in fairness, the place really is cute and the landlord is a dear woman. I just can’t deal with the hood.)

BUT, all that said, it didn’t stop me from having my girls over for a night of wine and cheese and giggles and scandal and ringtone downloading and boy-talk and more drinking and well, you get the idea.

As a "joke" The Queen of The Valley (formerly known on this site as Ms. LaRue, but now that it has come to my attention that is also Tori Spellings dogs name, well, you can understand me changing it for my friend, cant you?) brought over a bottle of Romania’s finest wine…Vampire. According to their site, the vineyards are old, the grapes, renowned, and the contents, not at all a joke.

Well, I am here to testify, that while I feel as if the blood has been unceremoniously sucked from my neck, lately, it has nothing to do with the wine. The wine (a $10 bottle) was actually…pretty terrific. It’s a Cabernet, but more in the vein (hardee har har) of a Beaujolais. There were notes of dark fruit flavors, and yet, it was light, not too sweet, or too dry, it has a certain clarity to it that we loved. Really, its a fun wine, easy to drink, goes well with spicy, (dried Trader Joe’s chile-mangos), chocolately (cookies) and hearty (beef satay). I recommend it, and not just for Halloween.

So run out and get your own fine self a bottle. And if while you are dashing round town, if you see a For Rent sign, think of me.

xoxox,
Rachael


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Blood sausage consists of pig's blood and fat that's cooked and seasoned, then stuffed into a natural casing, like a pig intestine. The blood may also come from a calf, sheep, or ox. Fillers like oats and apples are sometimes used, as well. Hallway.net

Sarmale: rice mixed with ground beef , wrapped on cabbage leaves is the (one of the) national dish(s) of Romania

ConAgra has sold its cheese business to Fairmount Food Group to focus on higher-margin branded products. The sale of its Swissrose International cheese franchise for an undisclosed sum to Dallas-based Fairmount caps ConAgra's strategy to focus on more profitable brands like Healthy Choice, Egg Beaters and Hebrew National. So far this year, the brands the Omaha-based ConAgra has sold off include Butterball (turkeys), Armour, Decker (both processed meats), Cook's (hams), Ready Crisp (bacon) and Margherita (Italian-style processed meats). - Technology Marketing.com