eG Foodblog: tejon - Pepper Steak and Power Tools

[tejon]

After shopping, Arden and I walked over to the Sweets and Spices store:

They have desserts, crunchy snacks available by the pound, pani puri and sev sold by the bag, and freshly made vegetarian dishes of all kinds. The dosas are excellent, though the bhel puri calls my name far more often. Today I grabbed a samosa filled with potatoes, peas, fennel seed, ginger, and chiles. Cilantro and tamarind chutneys studiously applied, of course.

Then we picked Ryan up from school. Snack time for the boys (whole wheat crackers, apple slices, peanut butter and juice), then homework. Ryan decided today's apple was worth a thumb's up .

Time to get dinner ready!

Edited March 3, 2006 by tejon (log)

[Timh]

You've got good eats there. I find myself staring at the viet and Indian foods, and wishing i had some now.

[snowangel]

Kathy, I have my very own Makita!

Back to the kitchen and selling the house. The day we sold the house was the day I decided to do the braised bacon from Zuni Cafe cookbook. I had to pull it out a bit early and stash it in the garage (cold in there in January!) as I cleaned up the spills. At the closing, the people mentioned that the smell of the house and garage was just divine. So, phooey on filling the house with smells of baking and cinnamon. Bacon did it for us!

[tryingsomethingnew]

i see cloves!

[TongoRad]

Great photos, Kathy. It would seem that you and I like the very same things so I am happy to tell you that you will LOVE Portland. I have friends who moved there in '91 and have visited many times- what a wonderful city! I wish your family the best as you resettle.

Per the spice drawer: am I correct that the only open item is Row 2, #4? My guess would be ground coriander just because you have to have that on hand at all times. Looks like it, too

[tejon]

Cloves and ground coriander it is! And the mystery spice, 2nd from the left on the top row is....Spanish saffron. Not great quality, but it's fine for rice with many other flavors and that's how I usually use it.

Bacon as way to entice buyers - I love it! That's certainly more likely to be cooking than something with cinnamon (unless it's a braise of some sort).

Just finished dinner with Dan and the boys. I made pepper steak, smashed red potatoes with butter and a little bit of cream, and steamed broccoli. Ryan had some broccoli (his favorite vegetable) and steak without the peppercorns and declared that he'd be having meat for dessert, thank you. Arden stuck with white foods as he's been doing lately. At least he tried a little broccoli. Dan and I just smiled at what the boys were missing .

[Pan]

You've got good eats there. I find myself staring at the viet and Indian foods, and wishing i had some now.

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They don't have any of those in Absurdistan?

Kathy, which shop or restaurant do you think you'll miss most when you leave?

[tejon]

I think I'll miss the diversity here the most. There are Indian and asian communities close by, and I've learned so much by having such a wide mix of people and cultures around to learn from. This also means that ingredients are easy to find, an area in which I've gotten a bit spoiled. There's an Indian restaurant called the Peacock Gardens that I will sorely miss. Wonderful food, and I'm making sure to go there at least a few times before we leave.

Edited March 3, 2006 by tejon (log)

[kitchenmage]

Bacon as way to entice buyers - I love it! That's certainly more likely to be cooking than something with cinnamon (unless it's a braise of some sort).

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When we had our house on the market, I froze a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies, all portioned out and ready to bake. It was wonderful to be able to pull out a handful half an hour before each showing and always have a house that smelled of warm cookies. It's a very primal association for lots of people: cookies = home. At least for a certain fortunate group.

[Rebecca263]

Wow, a move, renovations, kids AND a blog. Color me very impressed! Your kids are gorgeous. Those smiles are beautiful! I always find that the buyers arrived at our homes just as I was doing piles of laundry. Well, at least the place smelled fresh! Once, the realtor just seemingly showed up, buyers in tow, one morning when we were in the bath, um, together! They had telephoned, but we were busy, and hadn't heard the ringing. Oops. And, since we didn't answer the telephone or the door, yep, you guessed it, they assumed that we must not be home, and they came right in to see the house! Those folks ended up buying the place, too. So, I might suggest having someone ready to get into the tub at all times, it was a real icebreaker for us!

[tejon]

Hmmm....I do have chocolate chips that need using up....

Like I need any kind of excuse to make chocolate chip cookies

[tejon]

So, I might suggest having someone ready to get into the tub at all times, it was a real icebreaker for us!

Now, would you suggest adults or children here?

[Rebecca263]

Now, would you suggest adults or children here? 

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Oh, dear, you know I'm a bit naughty, don't ask ME! However, it's the most fun to take those baths when the little ones are at school! And yet, having the kids in the tub with some of their toys, laughing and playing, how homey and charming is THAT? of course, being an eGulleteer, you'll also have something cooking to waft those lovely aromas throughout the house, as well. May as well cover all the bases!

[mizducky]

Hi Kathy--looks like your blog is off to a great start!

I think I'll miss the diversity here the most. There are Indian and asian communities close by, and I've learned so much by having such a wide mix of people and cultures around to learn from. This also means that ingredients are easy to find, an area in which I've gotten a bit spoiled. There's an Indian restaurant called the Peacock Gardens that I will sorely miss. Wonderful food, and I'm making sure to go there at least a few times before we leave.

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While it would seem that few places can compete with the multi-cultural food riches of the LA area, my understanding is that Portland is no slouch in that regard either. I only visited that town a few times, but my Portland friends report that it's a real foodie haven. My fleeting impressions of Vancouver WA is that it's rather less cosmopolitan than Portland--but hey, it's only a short trip across the river.

Meanwhile, as a transplant to SoCal from the Pacific Northwest, I find myself smiling at the irony of your household heading in the opposite direction. Nothing against the Northwest, though--in fact, I love that area dearly, and if it weren't for my lifelong 7-year-itch to move on, I would probably still be happily ensconced up there. So--enjoy!

[MarketStEl]

Arden asked for peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate milk, and Havarti cheese - comes out more like "Havadi" when he tries to say it 

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I don't get it. Ahden pronounces it right. It's not so hahd. Yeesh.

Blog on!

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I went there!

But they never served that cheese in the dining halls.

Polynesian Meatlike Balls, on the other hand...

[MarketStEl]

Just finished dinner with Dan and the boys. I made pepper steak, smashed red potatoes with butter and a little bit of cream, and steamed broccoli. Ryan had some broccoli (his favorite vegetable) and steak without the peppercorns and declared that he'd be having meat for dessert, thank you. Arden stuck with white foods as he's been doing lately. At least he tried a little broccoli. Dan and I just smiled at what the boys were missing  .

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Nice plate there.

And Ryan has impeccable taste in veggies.

[eJulia]

Kathy:

I'm new to the Portland area, living in corporate housing... look me up when you get here! The Farmers market is awesome, the produce - well you won't miss So. Cal (Where I grew up and went to college) and the green outside is awesome (even if you have to enjoy the rain to make it so...)

We have several Trader Joes, a Whole Foods, several New Seasons (my new favorite!) plus many neighborhood stores that will knock your socks off and probably keep you out of the "big name" stores!!

I'll be looking to see you blog once you get here and discover your own favorites!

Julia

[Chufi]

Kathy, I think I completely missed your blog last summer! I'll rectify that today, it'll cheer up my boring workday

I love those pis of the markets and the spices. I also stopped labelling my spicejars some time ago. Most of the time I can tell which is which.. although I always sniff the cumin and caraway seeds before using them

[Lori in PA]

Re labeling spice jars (and other kitchen ingredients): You'll have a philosophical decision to make about this very soon, I expect. As you begin to teach your boys to cook, will you label everything to make it simpler or will you teach them to recognize and remember each spice? I teach kids' cooking classes in my kitchen every summer for our 4-H group, and find it a necessity to have everything labeled since I can't be watching every child at every moment. With my own, I've taught them to know a lot by just working side by side, but the labeling becomes convenient when they are old enough to cook when I'm away from home.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Kathy, I love the blog AND the title! Are these the spice jars Mr. Tejon gave you for your birthday, that you posted about on another thread? (Lovely!)

Cute kids, too. But you knew that.

[racheld]

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RALPH'S PRETTY GOOD GROCERY!!!

This is a lovely peek into your kitchen and life and family.

[LouisaWhite]

double double in- n- out , please????????

any chance of an egullet work party?

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Dan has nobly volunteered to get a double double tomorrow. Talk about self sacrifice! And anyone who would like to help paint or tile is more than welcome at any time - I promise both food and drink and even free entertainment in the form of small children.

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I envy your spice selection, Tejon--in Small Town, Ohio, I'm lucky to find sea salt at the grocery store, much less sumac.

Can I request Animal Style on the In-N-Out burger? I wish they WOULD become a big burger chain, extending all the way to the midwest!

[racheld]

Welcome Louisa!! Care to elaborate on that burger?

ETA: Great tagline---I didn't think of its being Melville---it read like Dinesen.

Edited March 3, 2006 by racheld (log)

[Megan Blocker]

Welcome Louisa!!  Care to elaborate on that burger?

ETA:  Great tagline---I didn't think of its being Melville---it read like Dinesen.

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Rachel, looks like "Animal Style" means that the meat is cooked and fried with mustard, topped with pickles, extra sauce and grilled onions.

Here's a link to the "secret" In-N-Out menu...

Oh, YUM! I wish they would pull a Krispy Kreme and open all over Manhattan. Buh-bye, Better Burger with your pathetic air-baked fries!!!

[tejon]

Kathy, I think I completely missed your blog last summer! I'll rectify that today, it'll cheer up my boring workday 

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Ahem. It seems like my sense of time is all screwed up (I blame this on the children). My food blog was the summer *before* last, though it feels like it was just yesterday