>First of the Season

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OK, I can’t be in denial any longer…well I can, I suppose, about many things, but not about the seasonal change. Today I lit my wood stove for the first time this season…for about an hour or so, just to take the chill off the house. Still haven’t turned on the furnace though. The summer seemed so short so I’ve been in denial about the coming cold months…and in Western New York that is something serious to consider. But I have to admit it sure did seem cozy with the stove going.

Challah Bread French Toast with Caramelized Pear and Blueberry Syrup

This morning I made French Toast (pain purdu for my Francophile readers) for my teenage son; his favorite breakfast of all time. This is a variation of a recipe I’ve made for him before (click here for additional and more explicit pictures). This time I used challah bread which I carried home on my bike yesterday. I made the syrup using fruit juice, a little sugar, blueberries which I had in the freezer, and some fresh pear. Did he like it…well, you’ll see in the last photo. For a very basic recipe for French Toast from the Food Network, click here. To see better step-by-step directions for making the syrup from a previous post, click here.


>Challah Bread French Toast with Caramelized Pear and Blueberry Syrup

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This morning I made French Toast (pain purdu for my Francophile readers) for my teenage son; his favorite breakfast of all time. This is a variation of a recipe I’ve made for him before (click here for additional and more explicit pictures). This time I used challah bread which I carried home on my bike yesterday. I made the syrup using fruit juice, a little sugar, blueberries which I had in the freezer, and some fresh pear. Did he like it…well, you’ll see in the last photo. For a very basic recipe for French Toast from the Food Network, click here. To see better step-by-step directions for making the syrup from a previous post, click here.


Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#221)…and a recipe

A freshly baked loaf of challah bread. Here’s a simple and delicious recipe.
Challah Bread
Makes 1 loaf

1/3 cup water               
1/3 cup milk
  1 package active dry yeast
  1 tablespoon sugar
  3 cups bread flour  
  2 large eggs
  3 tablespoon melted butter
  2 teaspoons kosher salt
  1 tablespoon cornmeal
  1 lightly beaten egg
  1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine the water, milk, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of flour; stir to form a batter. Allow to ferment for 1 hour. Stir in the 2 large eggs and melted butter, then add the remaining 2 cups of flour along with the salt. Mix then knead the dough for 10-12 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl at room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into 10-inch lengths and braid the bread. Place the braided loaf onto a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. Cover the bread loosely with a towel and allow it to rise for about an hour. Pre-heat an oven to 350F.

Brush the bread with the beaten egg and sprinkle it with poppy seeds. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes. Remove the Challah from the oven and place it on a wire rack or towel to cool before slicing.

>Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#221)…and a recipe

>

A freshly baked loaf of challah bread. Here’s a simple and delicious recipe.
Challah Bread
Makes 1 loaf

1/3 cup water               
1/3 cup milk
  1 package active dry yeast
  1 tablespoon sugar
  3 cups bread flour  
  2 large eggs
  3 tablespoon melted butter
  2 teaspoons kosher salt
  1 tablespoon cornmeal
  1 lightly beaten egg
  1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine the water, milk, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of flour; stir to form a batter. Allow to ferment for 1 hour. Stir in the 2 large eggs and melted butter, then add the remaining 2 cups of flour along with the salt. Mix then knead the dough for 10-12 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl at room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into 10-inch lengths and braid the bread. Place the braided loaf onto a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. Cover the bread loosely with a towel and allow it to rise for about an hour. Pre-heat an oven to 350F.

Brush the bread with the beaten egg and sprinkle it with poppy seeds. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes. Remove the Challah from the oven and place it on a wire rack or towel to cool before slicing.

Bicycles in Amsterdam, circa 1986

I just purchased a new printer (was in very desperate need) and it is also equipped with a scanner which I’ve been playing around with. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures of bikes I took on a trip to Amsterdam in the mid-1980’s…and yes, I was interested in bikes even back then, my entire life actually. I found it interesting looking through these old photos…when I took them I had never heard of a digital camera, scanner, or the Internet.

>Bicycles in Amsterdam, circa 1986

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I just purchased a new printer (was in very desperate need) and it is also equipped with a scanner which I’ve been playing around with. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures of bikes I took on a trip to Amsterdam in the mid-1980’s…and yes, I was interested in bikes even back then, my entire life actually. I found it interesting looking through these old photos…when I took them I had never heard of a digital camera, scanner, or the Internet.

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#220)…with a few comments

$103.84 of groceries from two separate stores in two plastic soda crates.

I had a crazy-busy and super stressful day at work today and really wanted to go for a steam and a quick power swim at the JCC but to my dismay I discovered that the center closed at 6pm for the holiday (it was 5:45 when I arrived). I was in an exhausted, grumpy mood, and had a headache…this only made it worse. At any rate, I did my grocery shopping, which I had planned on doing anyhow. And as I came out of the second store and began loading the stuff into the crates on the Mundo I was amazed at the incredible beauty and hue of the sky…the below photo does not do it justice (it was taken about 20 minutes later when I arrived home). The sky above and all around was a gentle pastel pink and seemed as if it were glowing. To my right (west) it was bright yellow where the sun was setting. There were wispy clouds high up that gave the sky, for lack of better words, a three dimensional look. Looking around it looked as if there were a gentle pink light illuminating the city. As I got on my bike and began to ride I noticed other people looking, and some even pointing at the sky. When I stopped at an intersection there was a guy there looking up and I commented on the sky (and it’s very unlike me to strike up a conversation with a stranger)…he looked at me and said simply “Amazing.” I rode slowly home looking mostly at the sky (I’m sure I looked pretty odd), and I thought–as I often do–how this would not be nearly as nice if I were in a car (and I am not totally anti-cars–I have, in fact recently driven more than I’d like to admit–but I am pro-bike). As I pedaled slowly and coasted I really tried to be present in the moment and enjoy this perfectly beautiful fall evening. And as I did this I could feel the stress dissolving and melt away. By the time I arrived home the light had changed and it was almost dark…and I felt like a new person.

>Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#220)…with a few comments

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$103.84 of groceries from two separate stores in two plastic soda crates.

I had a crazy-busy and super stressful day at work today and really wanted to go for a steam and a quick power swim at the JCC but to my dismay I discovered that the center closed at 6pm for the holiday (it was 5:45 when I arrived). I was in an exhausted, grumpy mood, and had a headache…this only made it worse. At any rate, I did my grocery shopping, which I had planned on doing anyhow. And as I came out of the second store and began loading the stuff into the crates on the Mundo I was amazed at the incredible beauty and hue of the sky…the below photo does not do it justice (it was taken about 20 minutes later when I arrived home). The sky above and all around was a gentle pastel pink and seemed as if it were glowing. To my right (west) it was bright yellow where the sun was setting. There were wispy clouds high up that gave the sky, for lack of better words, a three dimensional look. Looking around it looked as if there were a gentle pink light illuminating the city. As I got on my bike and began to ride I noticed other people looking, and some even pointing at the sky. When I stopped at an intersection there was a guy there looking up and I commented on the sky (and it’s very unlike me to strike up a conversation with a stranger)…he looked at me and said simply “Amazing.” I rode slowly home looking mostly at the sky (I’m sure I looked pretty odd), and I thought–as I often do–how this would not be nearly as nice if I were in a car (and I am not totally anti-cars–I have, in fact recently driven more than I’d like to admit–but I am pro-bike). As I pedaled slowly and coasted I really tried to be present in the moment and enjoy this perfectly beautiful fall evening. And as I did this I could feel the stress dissolving and melt away. By the time I arrived home the light had changed and it was almost dark…and I felt like a new person.

1919 Mechanic’s Shop

I love old photos…they are truly a glimpse to the past. I found this one at Shorpy.com.They call this photo Bike Shop:1919, but I renamed the post 1919 Mechanic’s Shop because of it’s content. Around 1919 automobiles and motorbikes were gaining popularity, but what many don’t know is that the first auto mechanics were bicycle mechanics; it was a logical transition. Look at the mechanics in the background…are they standing proudly in front of a new shiny bike? Nope. They’re huddled around a car and a motorcycle. In fact even the Wright Brothers, famous for their aeronautical feats, where originally bicycle mechanics and used many bicycle parts on their original airplane (click here). At that time the mechanics were probably enthralled by the new engines they were learning about and working on (and who could blame them). According to the clock and calendar on the wall it was about 2:50pm (14:50) on a December afternoon in Washington DC. Interestingly, it was about this same time period (maybe a decade or so earlier) that the Wright brothers had their bicycle shop and were members of League of American Wheelmen, which later became the League of American Bicyclists. The league, ironically, relocated to Washington and still exists today (click here). While the bicycle, at the time of this photo…or shortly thereafter, was on a bit of the wane for a while, it has thankfully been making a resurgence, not just as a recreational toy, but as a mode of transport…they are once again being seen (by some but not all) as a serious machine that may in fact outlive the car (at least what we now know as a car). Our planet now needs bikes and other human transport more than ever; we as a population need them more than ever…it has taken us a little more than a hundred years to realize this. Now is a great time to be a bicyclist…for many reasons.

>1919 Mechanic’s Shop

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I love old photos…they are truly a glimpse to the past. I found this one at Shorpy.com.They call this photo Bike Shop:1919, but I renamed the post 1919 Mechanic’s Shop because of it’s content. Around 1919 automobiles and motorbikes were gaining popularity, but what many don’t know is that the first auto mechanics were bicycle mechanics; it was a logical transition. Look at the mechanics in the background…are they standing proudly in front of a new shiny bike? Nope. They’re huddled around a car and a motorcycle. In fact even the Wright Brothers, famous for their aeronautical feats, where originally bicycle mechanics and used many bicycle parts on their original airplane (click here). At that time the mechanics were probably enthralled by the new engines they were learning about and working on (and who could blame them). According to the clock and calendar on the wall it was about 2:50pm (14:50) on a December afternoon in Washington DC. Interestingly, it was about this same time period (maybe a decade or so earlier) that the Wright brothers had their bicycle shop and were members of League of American Wheelmen, which later became the League of American Bicyclists. The league, ironically, relocated to Washington and still exists today (click here). While the bicycle, at the time of this photo…or shortly thereafter, was on a bit of the wane for a while, it has thankfully been making a resurgence, not just as a recreational toy, but as a mode of transport…they are once again being seen (by some but not all) as a serious machine that may in fact outlive the car (at least what we now know as a car). Our planet now needs bikes and other human transport more than ever; we as a population need them more than ever…it has taken us a little more than a hundred years to realize this. Now is a great time to be a bicyclist…for many reasons.

Bicyclists Behaving Badly

This image found here.

This subject is disheartening to me but sometimes I just have to highlight it. If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know that I am a bicyclist that promotes not only bicycling as a viable form of transportation but I am also an advocate of bicyclist’s rights and equality. For this reason it pains me when I see bicyclists behaving badly. Now please let me qualify this by saying that I do not think that I am the perfect law-abiding cyclist, far from it…I’m not even the perfect auto driver (but then again who is?). But, on the other hand, I try to ride in a way that meshes and blends with traffic rather than interrupts it (which puts more than the cyclist in harms way). While I am aware that many cyclists feel safer riding against traffic so they can see on-coming traffic it is really confusing to everyone. I have seen a great deal of this lately thus this post. I have witnessed it as a driver while behind the wheel of my vehicle, and even worse, I think, is when I’ve been on a bicycle (going with the flow of traffic) and a cyclist is coming at me; on a busy street it is like playing a deadly form of chicken…one eventually has to yield to the other. On one recent occasion I was coming back from an outdoor event I went to see downtown and was please to see so many cyclists out on a beautiful fall evening. I happened to be riding a young couple on my way home and to my dismay they began weaving back-and-forth in-and-out of traffic…at one point the young woman, who was trying to cross the street (to meet her friend who was going against the flow on the other side) actually rode the center line in between traffic going to-and-fro. It’s no wonder motorists get mad at us. And recently, while having a conversation with a non-cyclist (but a serious walker) I felt ashamed and somewhat defensive as she spoke of the countless times she’s nearly been hit by a cyclist whizzing down the sidewalk at a high rate of speed (my other peeve). This I’ve witnessed a lot lately also. There is a trendy section Elmwood Avenue in our city fair city, which is home to not only nice shops and restaurants…it is also prolific with fixies.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been walking on the sidewalk and have heard someone say quickly, “behind you,” or “on your right” (or worse yet no warning at all). Before you even understand what the person says a bike zips by, often so close they brush against you (and no, they are not all fixie hepcats). And I say again: It’s no wonder non-cyclists get mad at us. At the very least all of these things (including simply riding a bicycle on the sidewalk) are illegal…what makes us, as cyclists think that we are above the law?

In order for cyclists to be taken seriously we have to ride in a responsible manner. Sometimes, like many things, it may seem daunting (how can I effect what others do?), but every little action each of us does matters and makes a difference. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, Be the change you want to see in the world.

‘Nuff said…I’ll get off my little soapbox now.

Photo found at Treehugger.

>Bicyclists Behaving Badly

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This image found here.

This subject is disheartening to me but sometimes I just have to highlight it. If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know that I am a bicyclist that promotes not only bicycling as a viable form of transportation but I am also an advocate of bicyclist’s rights and equality. For this reason it pains me when I see bicyclists behaving badly. Now please let me qualify this by saying that I do not think that I am the perfect law-abiding cyclist, far from it…I’m not even the perfect auto driver (but then again who is?). But, on the other hand, I try to ride in a way that meshes and blends with traffic rather than interrupts it (which puts more than the cyclist in harms way). While I am aware that many cyclists feel safer riding against traffic so they can see on-coming traffic it is really confusing to everyone. I have seen a great deal of this lately thus this post. I have witnessed it as a driver while behind the wheel of my vehicle, and even worse, I think, is when I’ve been on a bicycle (going with the flow of traffic) and a cyclist is coming at me; on a busy street it is like playing a deadly form of chicken…one eventually has to yield to the other. On one recent occasion I was coming back from an outdoor event I went to see downtown and was please to see so many cyclists out on a beautiful fall evening. I happened to be riding a young couple on my way home and to my dismay they began weaving back-and-forth in-and-out of traffic…at one point the young woman, who was trying to cross the street (to meet her friend who was going against the flow on the other side) actually rode the center line in between traffic going to-and-fro. It’s no wonder motorists get mad at us. And recently, while having a conversation with a non-cyclist (but a serious walker) I felt ashamed and somewhat defensive as she spoke of the countless times she’s nearly been hit by a cyclist whizzing down the sidewalk at a high rate of speed (my other peeve). This I’ve witnessed a lot lately also. There is a trendy section Elmwood Avenue in our city fair city, which is home to not only nice shops and restaurants…it is also prolific with fixies.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been walking on the sidewalk and have heard someone say quickly, “behind you,” or “on your right” (or worse yet no warning at all). Before you even understand what the person says a bike zips by, often so close they brush against you (and no, they are not all fixie hepcats). And I say again: It’s no wonder non-cyclists get mad at us. At the very least all of these things (including simply riding a bicycle on the sidewalk) are illegal…what makes us, as cyclists think that we are above the law?

In order for cyclists to be taken seriously we have to ride in a responsible manner. Sometimes, like many things, it may seem daunting (how can I effect what others do?), but every little action each of us does matters and makes a difference. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, Be the change you want to see in the world.

‘Nuff said…I’ll get off my little soapbox now.

Photo found at Treehugger.

Painting Myself Into A Corner (figuratively) And Why I Made What I Did For Dinner

This is interesting, but I have to admit I feel a little silly about it. The above photo is of my newly painted porch (lovely color isn’t it?) which I’ve been putting off but finally got around to completing. After finishing and standing admiring it I thought about dinner when I remembered that I also had to do a bit of grocery shopping…this is where things get a little problematic. The problem was not going shopping per se, but more of how I was to get there. I really didn’t want to drive my vehicle today (it was such a beautiful fall day) and in order to take the Mundo (or any of my bikes) out of the house I’d have to traverse the front porch. Yes, I probably could have taken one of them out of the rear of the house but I would have had to walk it through 3 rooms and manage a narrow rear stairway…which would have been difficult (for me) with the Mundo. At any rate–and to get to the point–I had to make due with what I had so I scrounged the garden, freezer, and pantry…and was pleasantly surprised with what I found.

I’ve often said that one of the innate abilities of a professional cook is the ability to make a really good meal out of even the most ingredients….well these were far from meager. In the garden I found a small eggplant, a hot pepper, and a stalk of broccoli (and it’s almost October!). In the fridge I came across a couple links of lamb sausage (click here to see it being made) and about a 1/2 pound of ground beef; I used both of these to make a variation of Lebanese-style rice (click here for photos on how to make this dish, and click here for a recipe). I picked a handful of grapes from the backyard (click here) and also found a bruised peach in the fridge. As for the vegetables I sauteed very slowly and basted them in olive oil with a little garlic and sea salt. The meal was delicious (and I have enough leftovers for tomorrow); I ate it with my son while we watched a Sapranos re-run. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures.

>Painting Myself Into A Corner (figuratively) And Why I Made What I Did For Dinner

>

This is interesting, but I have to admit I feel a little silly about it. The above photo is of my newly painted porch (lovely color isn’t it?) which I’ve been putting off but finally got around to completing. After finishing and standing admiring it I thought about dinner when I remembered that I also had to do a bit of grocery shopping…this is where things get a little problematic. The problem was not going shopping per se, but more of how I was to get there. I really didn’t want to drive my vehicle today (it was such a beautiful fall day) and in order to take the Mundo (or any of my bikes) out of the house I’d have to traverse the front porch. Yes, I probably could have taken one of them out of the rear of the house but I would have had to walk it through 3 rooms and manage a narrow rear stairway…which would have been difficult (for me) with the Mundo. At any rate–and to get to the point–I had to make due with what I had so I scrounged the garden, freezer, and pantry…and was pleasantly surprised with what I found.

I’ve often said that one of the innate abilities of a professional cook is the ability to make a really good meal out of even the most ingredients….well these were far from meager. In the garden I found a small eggplant, a hot pepper, and a stalk of broccoli (and it’s almost October!). In the fridge I came across a couple links of lamb sausage (click here to see it being made) and about a 1/2 pound of ground beef; I used both of these to make a variation of Lebanese-style rice (click here for photos on how to make this dish, and click here for a recipe). I picked a handful of grapes from the backyard (click here) and also found a bruised peach in the fridge. As for the vegetables I sauteed very slowly and basted them in olive oil with a little garlic and sea salt. The meal was delicious (and I have enough leftovers for tomorrow); I ate it with my son while we watched a Sapranos re-run. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures.

Recette de soupe à l’oignon gratinée (photos et mots)


French onion soup. This is such a simple soup to make and while it may have the reputation of being a “restaurant recipe” it probably began as a peasant food and is exceedingly simple to make. Look at the main ingredients: Onions, broth, and bread (cheese was a later addition). Old-time soups often contained bread to make a meager meal more substantial. In fact the English words supper and and soup both come from the Old English sup, meaning to eat (as in, did you sup today?). Anyhow, I made this at work today for a party of about 180 and thought I’d post a few pictures. There’s a recipe that is listed after the pictures and the only difference in that and the soup I made today (other than the size of the recipe) is that I also added a bit of sugar and dry sherry to the soup. Anyhow, here it is in pictures.


French Onion Soup
Yield: 5-6 cups


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large onions, peeled and sliced thinly
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
6 slices French bread, toasted
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
  Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over low heat until onions are golden brown, about 40 minutes. Stir in the beef and chicken stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the soup for 30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls and top each soup with a slice of French bread and the grated cheeses. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown.