still alive!

We made it through the new year!



And I experienced my first hangover-free New Year's Day in, oh, more than my "adult" life.

It was grand.

A couple weeks ago J & I took our last pre-baby vacation to visit some friends in Oregon and play in Portland for a day.

It was also grand.

Here's hoping all the changes we're expecting (ha!) 2012 to bring aren't too crazy!

Where is Amelia? September 2011 edition

For those following along at home:


View East Asia 2011 in a larger map


So I've joined the ranks of long-abandoned blogs at last.

Other life events have kept me relatively uninspired in the kitchen (can anyone say spruced-up Trader Joe's frozen foods?) but those will get their fair address when I'm back from these three weeks in Asia.

In the meantime I'll try to update from the road as time and firewalls permit!

Weekend Adventure (3 days to enjoy home)

J & I had a weekend mini-adventure before I head off again for a few days in Santa Barbara, right on the tail of my few days in Tacoma, WA.


Tacoma Narrows Bridge, taken at the Tacoma History Museum

Saturday we explored the Fremont Weir State Wildlife Area north of Davis


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I'm pretty sure I flew in over the reserve Friday on my way home.

Photoed over at our joint Tumblr, ManyIrishTears.net (there is a story behind that name) and on my Flickr.

We also ventured to the 19th annual Pacific Rim Street Festival in Old Sac Sunday, where we had some unfortunately mediocre Asian street food (great Lumpia though) saw some Taiko, Hawaiian dancing, and Tai Chi.

Now it's time to move my clothes from one suitcase to another and enjoy some down-time together.

The sidewalks of Brazil

I'm a big fan any society/ culture that considers the aesthetics of the mundane.

Everywhere I went in Brazil -except Brasilia, which is a 60's modernist fantasy- there were fantastic mosaic sidewalks. It's called Portuguese Pavement and found, obviously in Portugal, as well as the prior colonies.


Birds


Flowers


Ribbon Waves (note that anyone with money had security)




Intersecting designs


Famous Copacabana waves

Hearsay has it the white tiles represent European immigrants, the black tiles represent Africans brought as slaves, and the red tiles represent the native population; in sidewalks and life it looks like the natives got screwed in representation.

How great would it be if all our steps were on public art?

Pão de Queijo

These delicious cheesy doughy balls were everywhere in Brazil- every meal included them and the airports smelled of them.
Even more than the endless amounts of charred cow, Pão de Queijo will always remind me of my first trip to Brazil; I knew they'd be the first thing I tried making after getting home (and almost everything else was just seared meat anyways...)


Pão de Queijo

• 500 grams- about 3.5-4 cups Tapioca flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 cup of cooking oil
• 1 Tbsp salt
  
• 3-4 eggs
• 2 cups grated/crumbled cheeses
  
• few pinches extra salt

1. Measure Tapioca flour into a heat-proof, large (it will hold everything) bowl
2. Boil milk, oil and salt together
3. Pour milk/oil mixture into the tapioca flour (you may not need all the liquid) and stir until it becomes a big pasty mess, similar to choux
4. Set aside the mixture to cool while you grate and/or crumble your 2 cups of cheeses- I used 1 cup Greek feta, 1.5 cups Parmesan and .5 cups sharp Irish cheddar
5. Preheat oven to 360 degrees
   
6. Beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time, then add 1/2 the cheese
7. Beat in the 3rd egg, if it's looking too watery omit the 4th egg, if not, beat it in too, stir in the remaining cheese
8. You should now have a thick, smooth dough
9. Spoon heaping spoonfuls of dough onto lined cookie sheets, keeping in mind that Pão de Queijo will grow close to 25%
10. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and bake at 360 degrees for 15-20 minutes
11. Pão de Queijo is best served hot fresh from the oven, but good reheated too.

The recipe I've posted is slightly tweaked from the one I used- my batter was a bit too liquid* and my dough-balls flattened too much as a result, see above; if anyone tries making these let me know how Pão de Queijo turns out for you!

*UPDATE- on a second making it turns out mine was liquidy just because the milk/oil mixture cooled too much before I added it, pour it into the flour while still boiling and you'll be fine.

Home again, again

More details forthcoming.

Where am I?

Brasil!

My crazy travel season has begun, again.


View Brazil 2011 in a larger map

Four down and three to go; though I doubt I can convince them to send me to Antarctica.

Home

And so glad to be.

It rained non-stop in the Netherlands and Germany. But I'm not complaining, I love northern Europe; it just feels- comfortable, relaxing.


Frankfurt- my 1st time in Europe since creation of the Euro-zone

Rome was breathtakingly beautiful.



Amelia at the races, impersonating an oil painting

Monaco was gorgeous. And unbelievably expensive. I'm not sure any real people live there.


My hotel is visible in this pic, but I did not have a sea-view

I'm home through most of January, and I'll be back to posting recipes over the next two months (hopefully.)

After that I'm back up to Seattle for another week; more on my developing love/infatuation with that city soon.

If you're curious for more check Flickr for pictures from my travels, I've almost finished uploading my SE Asia pictures, finally.

In the meantime, Rome:


Seriously fucking gorgeous folks

Where am I?

View Europe 2010 in a larger map

After this I'll be home through the new year!

Home Again, if only for a minute

I'm home from my 3.5 weeks in South East Asia (see previous map) with just enough time to catch my breath before I'm off to Seattle for a week, then three days later off to Europe for a week and a half!

Batu Caves

This rushing about the globe has left me unsure of night from day, and not cooking at all. But take one look at this picture and you know it's worth it.

(We did get the best anniversary present ever- my mom cooked and delivered over a week's worth of gourmet meals, nothing better than being able to eat home cooking after nearly a month of eating out and not having to be the one doing the cooking!)

So excited that it's finally fall here at home and I get to wear all the sweaters I took out of storage before leaving for Asia; I'm also thrilled to see autumn in Europe, since I've only been in the height of summer.

I'm slowly posting pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aemalkin/sets/72157625082790046/

Between all the travel, a wedding two days before I left and one the the day after I got back, it's been sloooooow posting, but keep checking back!

Here I go again!

I'm off for a while, and not sure if I'll be able to access this blog.


View SE Asia in a larger map

To everyone whose email I haven't replied to, whose calls I haven't returned, I apologize.
I love you all, and hope to talk soon after I'm back!

Interlude

Very serious lesson about to be learned about cuffing those pants too high over pale legs when kayaking




Before that, there's time for some bliss on the lake






That important lesson about kayaking when pale? Yeah.

home again

So I'm back from China.

How was it?

In two words:



Fucking Awesome.

the current cause of my anxiety & excitement

View China in a larger map

travel