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eG Foodblog: FabulousFoodBabe - Of Queens and Former Presidents


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And a gracious good morning to you.

We had a little discussion here chez Fabby about what to call the blog. My firstborn (18 year old son) said, "aren't you a little, well, old to be doing this?" My secondborn (16 year old son) thought "a week in the life of an underachiever" would be fitting. My husband said, "how about 'my husband really is not such a picky eater'!" Smartasses, all of 'em. :wub: I've raised them well.

Our home now is in Chappaqua, New York; we've been here since July, 2001. Prior to that we lived in Atlanta, North Jersey, Columbus OH, Modesto CA, and Cincinnati. It's been a wild ride and a good one; makes for an interesting life but not a brief resume! (How many times you think I've said that over the years ...)

I'll give bits of my past life this week as you want 'em.

And for all of you, because you are special, I will do my darnedest to get a real-time photo of President Clinton, who is our most famous Chappaquan. I know all his pre-heart attack haunts and will haunt them, as well. I was going to stalk Megan Blocker, but she guessed it was me as this week's blogger, and invited me to trek into the city and hang with her, so I guess that's out!

Ask me anything! I'll try not to ramble on. And yeah, it's good to be queen.

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Edited by FabulousFoodBabe (log)
"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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And you're off and running very early.

Hudson Foie Gras? Hey, I spelled it right (much thanks to you), that has to be nearby. The Catskills close? Jacques Pepin's home at Hunter would be a good picture. Truite Au Bleu while you are there?

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I'm looking forward to seeing what I missed a few weeks ago.

Friends of my from FL, were in Chappaqua a couple of weeks ago. They didnt realize that I live only about 4-5hrs away by car and that I could have visited them. I've heard wonderful things about Chappaqua.

Blog on Queen.

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One thing a few of you know about me, is that I'm a techno-dork. Anyone ever see the Albert Brooks movie, "Mother"? That's me with the photos. But thanks to Susan in FL for her direction, and therese for telling me that I already fucked up (no, she didn't use those words. She's a very dignified lady <-- :laugh: No, really.)

So, I'll go back and fix my cup photo. You should all know that it's a souvenir from my last trip to London. I can't run fast in my heels, but I CAN outrun an 80 year old woman, especially when she has to hold on to her hat and purse.

Here's my to-do list today. My husband is playing golf, the kids and dog are asleep, and I have lots of stuff to do before we have our wee cookout tonight.

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Edited by FabulousFoodBabe (log)
"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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And you're off and running very early.

Hudson Foie Gras?  Hey, I spelled it right (much thanks to you), that has to be nearby.  The Catskills close?  Jacques Pepin's home at Hunter would be a good picture.  Truite Au Bleu while you are there?

Invite Bill over for dinner!  Say it's a pot-luck and see what he makes! :wink:

Hee! I am planning to invite him and Senator C. to our opening-night party, when the new kitchen is done.

And you're off and running very early.

Hudson Foie Gras? Hey, I spelled it right (much thanks to you), that has to be nearby. The Catskills close? Jacques Pepin's home at Hunter would be a good picture. Truite Au Bleu while you are there?

Coquus, one of the things I'm doing in the new kitchen is from what Chef Pepin has done in his. Catskills aren't really close to Chappaqua, but Bedford is. Who lives there, hmm?

::aside: Coquus refers to my asking him if he had a certain CIA chef who spelled foie gras "fois." He (coquus) was also nice enough to explain why he did it that way and didn't say, "bitch," at the end of his explanation! ::

therese, I'll send those fridge shots when I get it cleaned out, or is that cheating?

Cali, where do you live? We love Chappaqua, though sometimes I really wish we lived in the city. But in three years, we'll have an empty nest, so who knows where we'll wind up?

Hmm. This is what popped out of a garden my younger son grew this year. I'll add his gardening to some photos later on this week when the rain stops completely, so you can see what he's done. We were stumped by this until we cut it open. Now, we're semi-sure. Any ideas?

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"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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Cali, where do you live? We love Chappaqua, though sometimes I really wish we lived in the city. But in three years, we'll have an empty nest, so who knows where we'll wind up?

I'm in Exeter, Ontario. Wee little town 30 min N of London.

I'm originally from California by way of NY and Florida so any chance I get to escape this small ( non-foodie) town/county, I take!!

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Yay, it's FABBY! Honey, that's the fattest little zucchini I've ever seen, save the seeds and we'll market them! Well, OK, maybe it's NOT a zucchini, but it sure looks like one to me. Perhaps my meds are making my eyes buggy.

Oh, and BTW, no fair cleaning the refrigerator BEFORE the reveal!

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And a gracious good morning to you.

Hey, babe! How's it goin'? Oh, pardon me:

And a gracious good morning to you too, my queen ... :rolleyes:

Our home now is in Chappaqua, New York; we've been here since July, 2001.  Prior to that we lived in Atlanta, North Jersey, Columbus OH, Modesto CA, and Cincinnati.  It's been a wild ride and a good one; makes for an interesting life but not a brief resume!  (How many times you think I've said that over the years ...)

I'll give bits of my past life this week as you want 'em.

I would be interested in that "wild ride" you had in Modesto, CA ... hehehe ...

Russell J. Wong aka "rjwong"

Food and I, we go way back ...

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Fabby, I've been looking forward to the possibility of a foodblog from you for a long time. I know (or used to know) Chappaqua. My father's late former dealer (art gallery owner) lived in Chappaqua, and when I was in college at Purchase, I used to party in that area.

Anyway, back to food: You're doing a cookout and need to use up bananas. How about fried bananas? Fry them like you'd fry plantains - either whole or already cut up.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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Fabby, I cannot wait to see you this week - you just tell me where and when, and I'll be there. In heels, of course. :wink:

Almost every meal I've eaten in Chappaqua has been a holiday one - many fond memories. Can't wait to see it through your eyes!

"We had dry martinis; great wing-shaped glasses of perfumed fire, tangy as the early morning air." - Elaine Dundy, The Dud Avocado

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eG Foodblogs: 2006 - 2007

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Yay, it's FABBY! Honey, that's the fattest little zucchini I've ever seen, save the seeds and we'll market  them! Well, OK, maybe it's NOT a zucchini, but it sure looks like one to me. Perhaps my meds are making my eyes buggy.

Oh, and BTW, no fair cleaning the refrigerator BEFORE the reveal!

Hey, we found another of the Mystery Squashes today -- Jean-Luc was playing with it. Here's a photo; the pock marks are from his teeth.

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We thought for a while it was a pumpkin, but now we're not sure.

And for the fridge shots: There's always a teenager with his head inside it! If I can wrest them away long enough, I'll show the inside (and it's not a pretty sight). But for now ...

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And the doggie equivalent ...

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"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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Oh goody, it's you!  Looking forward to a great blog.  *

* Am hoping for gratuitous mention of the chef's footgear as well.  :wink:

I'm ashamed to admit that I only have three pairs of Danskos, all black. One pair oiled and two, shiny.

I dress from the feet up: what shoes do I want to wear? That drives the day's outfit. Or the night's.

Today, I made beef stock from some amazing bones I got from Lasater's Grassland Beef ...

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They're gorgeous and meaty, and the stock has this great rich color and smell. After it's cooled and clarified,I'll show you -- now, it's got a bunch of stuff on the surface.

I've been ordering meat from Lasater's for a long time; I like the way they do things. Lobel's of NY is starting a program where your beef can be ordered whole/half steer, etc., and it's all sourced from NY State cattle ranches. When the new kitchen is in and I have some actual storage space, I'll start getting beef from them as well.

Yanno, when my new kitchen goes in, my clothes will be brighter and my teeth will be whiter. I just know it.

"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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So the two squash pics you posted were from the same seed/plant? I was going to guess the first one as being zucchini as well. One of my students has a really big vegetable garden, and for some reason all his zucchini this year came out perfectly round like the one in your first pic!

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And a gracious good morning to you.

Hey, babe! How's it goin'? Oh, pardon me:

And a gracious good morning to you too, my queen ... :rolleyes:

Our home now is in Chappaqua, New York; we've been here since July, 2001.  Prior to that we lived in Atlanta, North Jersey, Columbus OH, Modesto CA, and Cincinnati.  It's been a wild ride and a good one; makes for an interesting life but not a brief resume!  (How many times you think I've said that over the years ...)

I'll give bits of my past life this week as you want 'em.

I would be interested in that "wild ride" you had in Modesto, CA ... hehehe ...

Russell! Can you imagine a better place to get into trouble than Mo-town? :laugh: I tell people I 'grew up' there. It was in Modesto that I got my calling to food, even though I'd worked in the industry for quite a few years before that.

My husband worked for the Gallo Winery for about five years. I left a terrific writing job, lucrative freelancing work and a lifetime of friends and moved to Modesto sight-unseenwith a 2week old infant. My younger son was born in Modesto 18 months later. One weekend, we snow-skiied and waterskiied on the same day, just to say we did! It really was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and some very happy memories.

"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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So the two squash pics you posted were from the same seed/plant? I was going to guess the first one as being zucchini as well. One of my students has a really big vegetable garden, and for some reason all his zucchini this year came out perfectly round like the one in your first pic!

Yep -- I picked the first one a week ago, and Jean-Luc ripped the second one off the vine, today! The inside looks like pumpkin seeds, though. Tonight, we'll cut one open and show you-all something to use as scale. Unless, of course, I drink too many Ten&Tonics. Plus, we have the rest of the Williams-Selyem Pinot Noir ...

I can't drink ten drinks and keep standing, Miss Ling, much less write adorable drunken blog entries. :wink: I'm a sloppy drunk, not a cute one! But I was, once ...

"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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Fabby, I've been looking forward to the possibility of a foodblog from you for a long time. I know (or used to know) Chappaqua. My father's late former dealer (art gallery owner) lived in Chappaqua, and when I was in college at Purchase, I used to party in that area.

Anyway, back to food: You're doing a cookout and need to use up bananas. How about fried bananas? Fry them like you'd fry plantains - either whole or already cut up.

When I was considering what school to return to, right after we moved here, I went over to Purchase to meet with one of the Deans. It was a beautiful day, all the windows were open, and as I walked by each building the most beautiful music was wafting out. I sat down on a bench and listened for a while. Just a lovely moment, and once again made me glad that, since I dont' have that talent, so many people who love to share it with others, do.

So, did you go over to Lucy's in Pleasantville? I don't think there are any good bars in Chappaqua, but we've got quite a few neato delis and little places plus, of course, Crabtree's Kittle House.

Bananas, fried, with the Lusardo cherries I just got? Maybe with a little ice cream ...

I'm in heaven.

Okay, gotta go feed the hound(s). More later.

"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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I was partying in the houses of rich parents of schoolmates and friends of schoolmates, Fabby. :laugh:

Yes, Chappaqua, Pleasantville, Valhalla, that area.

Your dessert sounds great!

If you really want to make it gourmet, flambee the bananas in rum or brandy.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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And a gracious good morning to you.

Hey, babe! How's it goin'? Oh, pardon me:

And a gracious good morning to you too, my queen ... :rolleyes:

Our home now is in Chappaqua, New York; we've been here since July, 2001.  Prior to that we lived in Atlanta, North Jersey, Columbus OH, Modesto CA, and Cincinnati.  It's been a wild ride and a good one; makes for an interesting life but not a brief resume!  (How many times you think I've said that over the years ...)

I'll give bits of my past life this week as you want 'em.

I would be interested in that "wild ride" you had in Modesto, CA ... hehehe ...

Russell! Can you imagine a better place to get into trouble than Mo-town? :laugh: I tell people I 'grew up' there. It was in Modesto that I got my calling to food, even though I'd worked in the industry for quite a few years before that.

My husband worked for the Gallo Winery for about five years. I left a terrific writing job, lucrative freelancing work and a lifetime of friends and moved to Modesto sight-unseenwith a 2week old infant. My younger son was born in Modesto 18 months later. One weekend, we snow-skiied and waterskiied on the same day, just to say we did! It really was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and some very happy memories.

Funny you should mention Modesto and food today in the same post. Our local newspaper's Sunday crossword puzzle (via King Features Syndicate) often makes the longer clue solutions a riddle, plus an answer that's a pun or silly rhyme. Today's riddle was, "What might you call it if a central California city issued an official statement about the right way to cook green pasta sauce?" Answer: "Modesto pesto manifesto."

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

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"In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual." -Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer

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Ah, whatta day.

I realize I forgot to show you how I spoil my sons. When they requested lunch, I go into Mom's Diner mode and cook them what they want.

Firstborn: Egg bagel. This is a plain bagel, toasted and buttered, with scrambled eggs (NO seasoning, no salt, nothing, nada, and 'firm'). Hey, it works for him.

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Youngun wanted rice. Sushi rice, in the rice cooker, with a little soy sauce. His preferred rice is Kokuho Rose which we get at the Mt. Kisco Farm market in the next town (one of my favorite little stores and I'll show you why later this week).

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My lunch was leftover jerk chicken breast, some sliced tomatoes, and leftover mashed potatoes from the other night ... eaten at 10:30 a.m. Mahvelous!

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"Oh, tuna. Tuna, tuna, tuna." -Andy Bernard, The Office
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Fabulous food babe,

I'm glad to see you blogging, I have admired your shoes from afar.

I'd love to know how the renovation process is going for you.

If you go with the banana dessert, please take a picture and post it as buying bananas here requires most of your child's college fund.

If only Jack Nicholson could have narrated my dinner, it would have been perfect.

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