Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#416)

A cardboard box containing 4 pints of homemade dog food for the pugs (chopped leftover beef scraps), two pints of brown rice and lentils (for me), a couple cooked tilapia fillets (also for me), and a pound of coffee straight from Coast Rica (thanks Nicole!). A canvas bag containing a magazine, a book, a journal, and an extra camera.

Urban Simplicity.

Five Photos of Plants

Like many cities, Buffalo has a lot of urban gardens and flower beds (we, in fact, host the largest garden tour in America each summer), and the neighborhood in which I live seems to have a large proportion. Anyhow, the reason I’m mentioning this is that I am lucky enough to work in a place that has a lovely garden, and sometimes after a stressful day–like today–when no one is around I’ll meander through it and take a few photos as a form of decompression. That’s what I did today and I thought I’d share. Click any for a larger view.

 

Urban Simplicity.

When I Grow Up…

This photo is a manipulated version of a photo I borrowed from Sustrans.

I’m not sure if it is the fact that I turned the big five-oh this past fall, or maybe that my son is approaching college age, but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately (as if I didn’t think enough already)…mainly on what I want to do with the second half of my life; what I want to be when I grow up. And it’s interesting how your views change as you get a bit older (mine did). For me at least, I don’t want to be defined as something. For so many years I was (and still am) a chef, among other titles. Everyone has their own personal labels, I suppose. It’s like when you are at a cocktail party and uncomfortable conversation often starts with…what do you do? As if what you do defines who you are. I’ve mentioned this somewhat recently but I think I finally figured it out. When I grow up I want to be an old man. A really nice and considerate old man (to himself, others, and the climate); an old man who is full of inner peace…and sill rides a bike. This, I think, is a lofty aspiration that is achievable. It’ll take some work (there’;s always work to do, often inner-work), but I think I can do it.

Urban Simplicity. 

Homemade Whole-Wheat Tortillas and Other Good Things

I didn’t intend on making homemade tortillas tonight but I did…and here’s a quick story why. Last night I made my son and I tacos for dinner (using store-bought tortillas). I filled them with homemade carnitas de pollo (click here for the recipe and pics), salsa pico de gallo (recipe below), lettuce, and cheese. They were delicious, to say the least. Anyhow, I knew I was going to be home alone tonight and that there were leftover pollo and salsa…all I needed was a few tortillas (we ate the last of them last night). I was going to the health club for a steam and swim and figured I’d pick up the tortillas on the way home. I was/am tight on cash and had just a few dollars with me; enough to purchase the tortillas. Lap swimming often makes me hungry, and all I was thinking about was these tacos when I came home (they were that delicious last night). So on my way home I stopped at a local grocer…no tortillas, he told me. Sorry, all out. Not even the white flour variety. So I went to another store, this time a chain store…the same issue. Huh? After unlocking my bike for the third time, I stood on it for a moment contemplating as to whether I should go to the supermarket (I really dislike large supermarkets). To make a long story short, as I stood there straddling my bike, I thought to myself a few things. One was that I had the few meager ingredients home to make tortillas; the second was that I knew they were easy to make because I’ve made them in the past; and three was that being a professional cook I could make these in just a few minutes. So that’s just what I did…and they were so good I wondered I was going to purchase them in the first place. Recipes are below.

Whole Wheat Tortillas
Makes 12 tortillas
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups warm water
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salttogether in a small bowl. Add the oil, and using your fingers, rubthe ingredients together until it resembles course cornmeal. Add thewater; stir to form a dough. Knead the dough by hand for a fewminutes, then allow it to rest for ten minutes. Cut the dough into 12pieces. Using a small rolling pin or wooden dowel, roll the tortillasout very thin on a lightly floured surface. Heat a large skillet andcook the tortillas one at a time on both sides until lightlyblistered and browned.
 (For a recipe for the Carnitas de Pollo pictured above, click here.)
SalsaPico de Gallo
Makesabout 2 cups
2ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
½medium onion, diced
2cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
2tablespoons olive oil
1tablespoon lime juice
½teaspoon sea salt
afew leaves cilantro
Mixall ingredients together. Use straight away or refrigerate for up to3 days.
 

Red Red

It’s been raining, sleeting, and hailing for most of the day today. Maybe that’s why these flowers caught my eye…their bright colors in the midst of a drab and grey day. Beautiful aren’t they. I took a couple of these this morning as I left my house for work, and a few more on my way home during a minor hail storm. The one above I find especially incredible…so red and juicy it almost looks like raw meat. As usual, click any for a larger view.

Urban Simplicity.

A Book, A Bike Ride, and Four Loaves of Bread

It is the beginning of the busy season at my place of employment and today is/was my only day off this week, sandwiched between a series of busy and stressful days. But as usual–being the doer that I am–I had a series of things that I planned on accomplishing today. My man-cave is in desperate need of cleaning, I need groceries, laundry needs to be done, and I had an appointment to keep. To make a long story short, I didn’t do any of those things…I needed a break–a sort of personal retreat day–so instead I did what I wanted to do; things that would nourish me. I canceled my appointment and hopped on a bike. I took the bike on the subway to shorten the trip a suburban bookstore (the bike is pictured above on the subway platform). The suburban bike ride was not my most pleasant ride but I still enjoyed it. But before I left I started two batches of bread; sourdough and oatmeal (actually the sourdough was started last night). I also stopped for lunch and coffee and read a little of my new book. Later, after the breads were baked I took my dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. I had a sandwich for dinner (pictured below: caramelized vegetable frittata with kimchi on still-warm sourdough) and am currently sipping a glass of wine. While I still did a lot and seemed to accomplish a lot, they were things that I wanted to do–what I find enjoyable–and I have to remember that sometimes that is the most important thing. The chores, work, and appointments will still be there tomorrow, but sometimes I really have to remember to take care of myself first. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a movie to watch.

WholeWheat Honey-Oatmeal Bread
Makes2 loaves
6cups whole wheat flour, divided
21/4 cups water, divided
1cup oatmeal, plus additional for coating
1cup plain yogurt
2teaspoons kosher salt
1/4cup olive oil
1/4cup honey
3teaspoons instant yeast, divided

Separatethe ingredients in two bowls using this ratio: In one bowl combine 4cups of flour, 1 1/4 cups water, along with all of the yogurt andsalt. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and setaside. In a second bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour and 1 cupwater with 1 cup oatmeal, the olive oil, honey, and 2 teaspoons ofyeast. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and setaside. Allow the bowls to rest for at least an hour, but up to 12.

Addthe remaining teaspoon yeast and the contents of both bowls to anupright electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead the dough onmedium speed for about 8 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap andallow to rise for one hour.

Transferthe dough to a work surface, cut it into two pieces, gently shape itinto loaves. Dust the counter with extra oatmeal and roll the loavesin it, gently pressing oatmeal into the surface of the raw dough.Place the loaves into oiled loaf pans, cover with plastic wrap, andallow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat an oven to 400F.

Bakethe bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and soundshollow when tapped on. Remove the bread from their pans and allow tocool for 10 minutes before slicing.

A Couple More Things (about the new bike)…

While I really haven’t had a chance to ride the new Cargo-T that often in the past week (since receiving it), nor have I carried much on it, I think it will be a good all-around weather bike (aka, next year’s winter bike). When I came out of work this evening–after working a double shift–it was snowing. More of a wet-sleeting snow; it wasn’t sticking too much but the ground was slick, and I really liked how this bike handled. Given its weight–it is heavy, almost as heavy as the Mundo–its short wheel base, low gearing, front drum and rear coaster brakes, this will likely be a good bike in the snow…real snow. But I’ll have to wait until next year to find out.

Urban Simplicity.

Planet Walker

I came across an article on John Francis today and was intrigued…and still am. I had never heard of this inspirational person. In 1971, after a collision of two oil tankers under the Golden Gate bridge which resulted in a disastrous oil spill, he decided not to ride in motorized vehicles…and he didn’t for 22 years. A few years later, after feeling he wasn’t listening enough, and that what he had to say wasn’t important enough, he voluntarily stopped talking…for 17 years. All the while walking across the continent (and elsewhere) and obtaining degrees. Anyhow, I found this below video (of him speaking) inspirational and thought I’d share. It’s 19 minutes long, which is a longer video than I usually post on this blog, but I found it interesting…I hope you do as well (he also wrote a couple books that seem interesting as well).

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#415)

A cardboard box containing 10lbs/4.5kg of whole wheat flour; a canvas bag containing two books, a magazine, and a spare camera; a pair of Levi’s jeans.

Urban Simplicity.

Macaroni-and-Cheese with Ham and Shrimp (recipe)

Macaroni-and-Cheese with Ham and Shrimp
1 small onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 or 2slices of ham, 8-12 ounces cooked or raw shrimp, 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, 2 or 3 tablespoons flour, 1-1/2 cups milk, 1-1/2cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, saltand pepper, breadcrumbs, 8 ounces macaroni
Peel and dice the onion; peel and mincethe garlic; dice the ham; peel and de-vein the shrimp. Heat thebutter over medium heat in a large skillet then stir in the onion,garlic, and ham. Cook these ingredients until the onions aretranslucent but not browned then stir in the flour. Cook the flourfor a few minutes over medium heat, stirring almost constantly. Whiskin the milk, making sure there are no lumps. Bring the milk to aboil—it will thicken—then lower it to a simmer. Cook the saucefor about 5 minutes then stir in the cheddar and Parmesan cheese.Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Once the cheese has meltedinto the sauce, stir in the shrimp and remove the pan from the heat.Boil the pasta, drain it thoroughly, and then add it to the sauce.Stir the pasta, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.Lightly butter a casserole dish or oven-proof skillet that is justbig enough to hold everything. Transfer the macaroni to the dish orskillet and dust its surface with breadcrumbs. Place the pan in apreheated 375 degree oven and bake it for about 25 minutes, or untilit is bubbling and the surface has begun to brown. Serve four. 

Le Levain

7/99, as in July 1999…this is my 13-year-old levain (sourdough starter) which I brought out of hibernation. I’ve yet to make 100% whole wheat bread with a natural starter…this is next on my list. After that, naturally leavened whole wheat Ezekiel Bread. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you want to read more about sourdough–with pictures, info, and how-to instructions–click here. For an Ezekiel Bread Recipe, click here.

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#414)…and a few comments on the new Bike

On the bike…3 liters of red wine and a gym bag containing wet clothes.

A few comments on the new bike…Well, I’ve had it nearly a week and am finally getting used to it. I haven’t introduced a new bike into the fleet in some years and it sort of feels like I brought a new pet in the house…not sure what to expect as every bike is different. Overall I really like it. I really love how smoothly it shifts (and that I can shift when I’m stopped…because of the internal shifter) but I can see how a 3-speed can be limiting. I’m still getting used to the coaster brake (haven’t had one of those since being a kid) but can see how useful it can be…it’s nice to coast to a stop slowly with my feet. I’m also still getting used to the front rack…in that it turns when the handlebars and front tire turns…my others don’t and it seems a bit more stable if the rack stays stationary. I’m enjoying it’s size (it still feels so small to me) and that it is easy to navigate in and out of places. It’s sort of exactly what I was expecting…a nice simple bike that can handle a certain amount of load carrying and will be good for day-to-day travel. In short, I love its simplicity. It is a welcome addition to my bikes but will definitely not replace the Mundo (which is far superior not only in it’s load carrying, but is still the most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden). One interesting thing I discovered tonight (about the Cargo-T) is that the spacing of the bars on the front rack is perfect for carrying 1.5 liter bottles of wine…and that may be a bit detrimental.

Spicy Cheddar Meatloaf Recipe


I am far from being a vegetarian but some days–most days–I eat far less meat than grains and vegetables…but comfort foods like this literally make my mouth water. Now I don’t expect you to make 50 lbs / 22.6 kg of the stuff (pictured above) but I hope you try the below recipe. It is simple to make, really delicious, and the leftovers are even better the second day. The recipe below calls for turkey and pork but those pictured above were made with pork and beef. You can interchange your meats or just use one. Delicious.

Spicy Turkey and Pork Meatloaf with Cheddar
Yield: 6 servings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1-1/2 pound ground turkey
1-1/2 pound ground pork
1 bunch parsley, washed and minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet then add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Sauté until translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté a minute longer. Remove the vegetables, spread them on a clean plate and place them in a refrigerator for 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked and cooled vegetables to a bowl along with the turkey, pork, chili powder, parsley, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, eggs, ketchup and hot pepper sauce. Mix thoroughly then add the cheddar and breadcrumbs and mix again until combined. Pack the meatloaf into a lightly oiled loaf pan, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake it at 350F for about 1/2 hour. Remove the foil and continue to bake it until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Allow it to cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Rural Western New York

Sometimes I forget. Or, being in the city for most of my time, I don’t remember. I don’t remember how truly beautiful the surrounding countryside is. This is only 40 miles/64 km from my home. I visited my niece and her husband yesterday at a farm they operate in North Java, NY. The lush green and rolling hills are breathtaking. Fog was just breaking as I took these photos. It felt good to stand and feel the wind on my face and not see another house or person in view…just trees, rolling hills, and pasture. Lovely. Click any photo for a larger view.

Urban Simplicity.

Asparagi Aglio e Olio (ricetta)

This is just another delicious variation of cooking vegetables in olive oil with garlic and hot pepper. It is so simple but truly delicious and you can cook nearly any vegetable in this fashion. Here’s a simple recipe; for more recipes like this click here.  (I ate this for dinner tonight with brown rice, lamb, and yogurt…yum!)

Asparagi Aglio e Olio
(Asparagus with Garlic and Oil)
                                        Yield: 4 servings

4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup water
Heat the olive oil, garlic, and hot pepper in a skillet. When the garlic begins to sizzle and brown slightly add the asparagus, salt, and water. Toss and turn the asparagus for a couple minutes until most of the water evaporates and the asparagus is just cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Middle Eastern Brown Rice with Lamb and Vermacelli

This is a variation of my recipe for Lebanese Chicken and Rice. In this version I replace the chicken with lamb and use brown rice instead of white. Beef or pork can replace the lamb but it’s not quite the same. The aroma this dish (or any of it’s variations) will permeate the house with the sweet smell of broth and spices simmering.

For additional Lebanese inspired recipes, click here.

Lebanese Lamb-and-Rice
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lamb, diced
4 ounces diced onion
2 ounces vermicelli, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups long grain brown rice
3-4 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté the lamb then remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and vermicelli to the pan and cook until golden, then add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and salt; sauté two minutes while stirring. Add the onions and pasta back to the pan along with the rice, stirring to fully coat it with with the oil and spices. Then add the lamb back to the pan along with the broth. Cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the pot from the stove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with minced parsley.



Urban Simplicity.