| Tue, Feb 26, 2008 |
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| Help Miss Meredith Decide |
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My spunky and beautiful sister is trying to choose a name for her new baby boy that is on the way. I figure that an anonymous poll might help her make the decision. I personally, am voting for Eoghan Walsh (which should totally count for like 10 votes). Eoghan is an old Irish name that is pronounced "Owen" and Walsh is one of our families surnames. She said she is a little worried about making him go through life having to explain how to say his name but to me that isn't really the worst thing that could happen to someone, considering that I am constantly having to tell people that my name is pronounced Meeeeeeeegan. Which as it so happens, is the Irish pronounciation of Megan.
Here are the three choices she has it narrowed down to. |
| Oh, and if you choose other be sure to leave your idea in the comment section. Smart A**es will be deleted! |
| Tue, Feb 26, 2008 |
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| Here Comes the Sun |
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| Looks like there will be no more of this: |
| Because it is time for a lot more of this: |
| Tue, Feb 19, 2008 |
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| Kids in the Kitchen |
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I went to snap a few pics of the executive chef of Kids Unlimited for the press release that was in the newspaper today. Instead of explaining exactly what Kids in the Kitchen is, I decided to just go the lazy route and post that press release here:
Child obesity is an ongoing epidemic, afflicting one in four children in Oregon (Statesman Journal); however, studies have shown that low-income children may be at an even greater risk. Obesity can lead to a number of health issues including diabetes, increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and heart disease. According to MSNBC, the life expectancy for this generation is expected to drop for the first time in over a century. In an effort to raise awareness and initiate change for this critical issue, Junior League of Jackson County (JLJC) has joined the third annual Kids in the Kitchen event developed by the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. Kids in the Kitchen is an interactive program that empowers its participants to make healthy eating decisions.
On February 20th a group of McLaughlin Middle School students, who currently participate in the cooking club at Kids Unlimited of Oregon, will begin learning more about healthy eating. Interactive activities will include making healthy international meals, planning meals, and learning to serve appropriate food portions. Daniel Edwards, executive chef at Kids Unlimited of Oregon, will enable each participant to safely expand their culinary skills each Wednesday during the course of five-week Kids in the Kitchen event.
The program is subsidized by several generous businesses. On the third week of the program, Dinners Done Right, on Delta Waters Road, will close their facility to the public and allow the Kids in the Kitchen participants to prepare a meal for themselves and their families at no cost. Groceries were donated by the Ashland Food Co-Op, Safeway, and Sherm's Thunderbird Market. Aprons for the participants have been provided by Aramark, Megan Boone Photography, and the Standing Stone Brewery Company. Kinkos supplied photo copies.
The program will conclude on March 22, with an international Easter dinner that will be planned and prepared by the students. JLJC hopes to continue to raise funds so that they can offer Kids in Kitchen to a new group of children next year. |
This is Daniel, (how cute is he?) the executive chef at Kids Unlimited. I was really quite taken with his talent and creativity, not to mention his demeanor under pressure. I mean really, would you even believe that this picture was taken during a chaotic moment in the middle of preparing dinner for 50 people?
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| Daniel graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, so it wasn't too surprising to see that he had mad skills. What is impressive and singular to me is how he can seamlessly go from the chef role to the teacher role. I've waited enough tables to know that most chefs or, well, just about all people in the restaurant business, can be impatient if not downright mean. Not this guy though; if he could handle the amount of wanna-be chef questions I threw at him all night, he really is the perfect mentor for kids. |
| Seriously, I wouldn't stop bugging the poor guy about everything from rice vinegar to wine reductions and he so generously handing out his knowledge. I even sweet-talked him into giving me one of the recipes that he served that night. |
West Coast Salmon
Serves 4-6
Wild Salmon (He says he prefers west coast as opposed to Alaskan if you can get it.)
Sear salmon in pan with olive oil.
For the Beurre blanc:
1 tsp grapefruit zest
1 tsp. orange zest
(juice from both)
1 cup of white wine
5-6 tablespoons Plugra butter (COLD)
In a sauce pot, reduce wine with zest and juices until it blossoms. Or is au sec.
When that happens, throw in the cold butter (I kept mine in the freezer for a tiny bit) and stir.
Drizzle on your delicious seared salmon and serve to people you love! I made this for a house guest on his first night here and it was very well received.
Another not-so-typical chef trait Daniel had was that I found him not wearing those rubber Birkis that most chefs wear. He was all about the Oregonian moccasin.
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| My favorite shot of the night: I think that there is nothing so beautiful as catching someone in the midst of doing what they love. |
| Thu, Feb 14, 2008 |
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| Happy Valentine's Day |
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Taste and opinion is an interesting subject to me. I'm amused at how things can vary so widely from person to person. Especially when it comes to music. The fact that anyone still listens to the radio perplexes me, yet so many people out there do it. I used to think that music on the radio was only for grocery stores, dentist offices, and fifth graders. But I digress, because I was really going to talk about photography.
I took these photos earlier today and thought that they were of the polarizing sort. Brian is always good about giving an honest opinion, so I asked him his thoughts. He was not feeling them. Especially the second one (I was amused by that because I like the second one best). When I asked him to elaborate he said that he thought the cut out wasn't working and that it looked choppy and amatuerish. When I finally figured out what he was talking about, I informed him that I hadn't cut the flowers out and pasted them to a white background. In fact, there isn't any Photoshop done to these at all. I just used a wide aperture; the white is my living room curtain blown out. This info may not have changed his taste for the photos, but his opinion did. The photos went from cheesy to "arty" in a matter of seconds. |
There is so much art that this happens to. Especially in fashion. You can see the looks on girls' faces when they discover that the tacky patent leather booties someone else is wearing are actually Gucci rather than some perky off-brand from Ross. Their taste for them may not change, but their opinion sure does.
Moral of the story; If you try to create or do anything with the intention of pleasing other's tastes you will fail. |
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