sprinklefingers

we interrupt this string of blogless days with an update AND a suggested reading list. how lucky!

actually, let’s start with the reading list:

first. the new york times’ most recent review of thomas keller’s per se. it’s no secret i love the man. it’s also no secret that i was lucky enough to dine at per se last year. this review puts into words so perfectly the per se experience. it’s more than a meal - much, much more. 

second. mark bittman’s take on apples. get yourself to the market!

third. eric ripert is not a jerk.

fourth. getting back to basics with chef-types.

fifth. let’s check in with lawrence/julie & julia, shall we?

sixth. i spent eleven hours yesterday shooting an episode of this.

and, finally, a real life update.
i’m working. a lot. developing delicious recipes and doing plain ol’ bakery production. in the past few weeks i’ve put some pretty yummy stuff in our pastry case: roasted apple & oat scones, scratch hot chocolate with caramel marshmallows, pear bars scented with ginger, cardamom and cinnamon - all really comforting treats for these first few weeks of fall.

at home i’m obsessing over kindergarten (which, yes, doesn’t start until next september.) i’ve been touring various schools and have been SHOCKED to find that quite a few of them have reduced their lunch times to FIFTEEN MINUTES. on top of that, schools are requiring lunches that are convenient - meaning, the children should not have to ask for help from a teacher in opening containers or bottles. so, basically, kids have fifteen minutes to eat. which is good because they are required to bring easy-open food - which, more often than not, means processed foods that come in kid-friendly packaging. LOVELY. 

but then, then! i found it. lunchtime paradise at a local school featuring a japanese language immersion program. not only do the kids have time for a morning snack AND lunch, but lunch itself is catered three days a week by chef naoko - portland’s own organic (and delicious) bento spot! in addition to the bento, the school also invites parent volunteers to prepare pizza for the kids each monday. screw academics and whatever else is important about choosing a school! we’re picking one based on food and food alone! just kidding. kind of.