monday, monday

It was a good weekend! Kicked it off with a Hurday.2007 hurdabration. Kramer and I made vegan red velvet cupcakes (aka "hurdcakes") on Thursday night (couldn't talk about them then, 'cause then the Hurd would've known that we were making hurdcakes). We used a recipe from the Christian Vegetarian Association. The recipe was a little effed up (it called for "vegan sugar" twice, but not the flour--which Kramer eventually figured out. freakin' christians trying to mislead us...). We'd originally wanted to decorate them in the style of butts with small black heart tattoos, but the icing just wasn't the decorating kind. And, Kramer's kitchen was...well, she told me to just pretend like it was a cooking show challenge, a la "Dinner: Impossible". They still tasted good, though! I wish I'd thought to take some pictures... I wish I had a tiny spy camera that took excellent photos. Mine is nice, but it's big and heavy and bulky-ish. A spy camera would hit the spot.

Anyhow, we hurdabrated on Friday with a dinner at Abay. I love this place. Not only did they not blink when I came in wearing a dick-in-a-box, but the chef came out and serenaded Hurd with the birthday song and chatted us up a bit.

Then there were sparklers, Hurd wearing the dick-in-a-box, a dis from Kelly's (not giving them a link, 'cause they can suck it) by the rudest waitress in Pittsburgh, a Hurd social-worker style intervention with a poor homeless guy having a hard time on the sidewalk, drinks at 5801, and after I left, it seems that the party continued for some time. Glad you had a good birthday, Hurdcakes!


Saturday E-dawg and I took a bike ride over to the farmers market. I hadn't ridden for a while--since it got hellishly hot this summer--and, the short ride (about 3 miles each way) kinda, like, totally kicked my ass. In the Strip we hit up the Firehouse Farmers Market (where has Mushrooms For Life been??), Reyna, Mon Amiee Chocolat, Penn Mac and Cafe Richard. Good stuff. I got my first winter squash of the season (butternut; I think I'm going to make this Squash Spice Cake recipe from the current Vegetarian Times) at the farmers market, the Best Flour Tortillas In The World from Reyna, and the best quiche ever at Cafe Richard (mushroom and goat cheese).

We also got approached by some little old man selling raffle tickets for his church. When we passed we goaded me, "Aren't you going to buy a ticket for the pretty lady?!" (meaning E-dawg). Since he kinda-acknowledged we were lesbionic, I bought two--one for me, one for the pretty lady.

Saturday evening I went to a Dining For Diversity dinner with the lovely Ms. Leslie Fleisher at the home of Lee Fogarty where Louise i-don't-know-her-last-name cooked up some delectable grub (two kinds of pasta, two salads, appetizers, and lotsa wine). It was really nice. And, I ran into Sue and Ledcat from PghLesbian, and had a nice chat. We skipped out on the Dessert Reception downtown, but I heard it was a good time, too.

Sunday, I just kicked it with Zeke all day (my dog-sit job and #1 pal). I made a tasty lunch of an omelette with red peppers, onion and goat cheese, along with a spicy fig salad (riffed from a recipe in the current VT), and some warm tortillas and fresh tomato slices. Yuh-um. That fig salad was the bomb. The recipe had you sear the figs (slice in half, cut side down) in a skillet with a little oil and some chili powder. It was bomb. For reals. The original recipe called for artichoke hearts sauteed with onions and garlic and some roasted red peppers. Instead (since I forgot my artichokes), I just sauteed some onions and red peppers (small dice) in a little evoo. I used half for the omelette, and half to make a vinaigrette for the salad (just the onion/pepper mixture, a dash of chili powder, the juice from half a lemon, a splash of red wine vinegar, evoo, and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper).


Tomorrow I start a pet-sitting gig (one dog, two cats and an iguana) for two weeks, but the oven doesn't work! I think I'm going to make a bunch of soup and salads. And, maybe that spice bread when I'm visiting my pad.

Also, tonight is the "Queers: They're What's For Dinner!" dinner. Want info? Email me, or comment or whatever. It's at the Gypsy Cafe. Should be tastiriffic.

Ooh! We had our weekly weigh-in today. Down two more pounds (five pounds total)! Sweet!

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here's some good local food stuff that I just got in an email from Slowfood Pittsburgh:

silver eye exhibition programs
Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Southside

What’s for Dinner? Photographs by Diana Shearwood
This exhibition, on view September 26 – November 24, 2007 features large-format color inkjet prints by Québec photographer, Diana Shearwood. She documents trucks and the huge advertising photographs that embellish them as they travel cross-country to deliver food miles away from where it has been grown. Once the viewer realizes that the images of delicious, mouth-watering food are wrapped around 18-wheeler trucks, it sets in motion a thought process about the food we eat, how it is delivered to us, and more. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. New Gallery Hours: Wednesday, Noon – 6:00 p.m., Thursday, Noon – 8:00 p.m., Friday, Noon – 6:00 p.m., Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. or by appointment. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

Why would anyone photograph trucks?
Artist’s Talk and Opening Reception
Saturday, September 29, 3:00 p.m.
Reception of freshly harvested local foods will begin immediately after Diana Shearwood’s talk from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Refreshments and flowers kindly provided by Blackberry Meadows Farm, Davis & Davis Gourmet Foods, Emerald Valley Artisan Cheese, Le Pommier Bistro Français, Mediterra Bakehouse, Paul’s Orchard, and Pisarcik Greenhouses & Cut Flowers. Silver Eye members and students, free; Non-members, $5.00. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

Produce Paparazzi: Grow Pittsburgh Reception
Tuesday, October 16, 7:00 p.m.
Six interns from Grow Pittsburgh have photographically recorded their experiences with two Pittsburgh Public schools as they planted and harvested an edible schoolyard garden. Join us for a reception to enjoy and support the fruits of their labor. Refreshments will be served. Silver Eye members and students, $3.00; Non-members, $5.00. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

Longing to keep it local? Food for Thought…
Saturday, November 3, 10:00 a.m.
Join us for a panel discussion on the ways and means of this new trend. Distinguished panelists: Donald Gibbon, Photographer and Consulting Naturalist; Miriam Manion, executive director of Grow Pittsburgh; and Marlene Parrish, food writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Moderated by Erin Hagan, Director of Farm to Table Wellness Program. Panelists will answer questions following the program. Reservations recommended. Refreshments will be served. Silver Eye members and students, $7.00; Non-members, $10.00. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

FOOD Book Signing
Saturday, November 10, 4:00 p.m.
Published by Alphabet City, Toronto and MIT Press, Cambridge, 2007Book-signing with Editor, John Knechtel, and featured photographer, Diana Shearwood. Admission is free. Co-sponsored with Joseph-Beth Booksellers. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution
Wednesday, November 14, 7:00 p.m.
Screening of American Masters PBS documentary. 60 minutes. Admission is free. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org
Funding for What’s for Dinner? Photographs by Diana Shearwood is provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation, Peg and Ernie Harris, The Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, Québec Government Office, New York. Media sponsorship kindly provided by Pittsburgh City Paper and WYEP/91.3 FM.


Longing to keep it local? Food for Thought…
Saturday, November 3, 10:00 a.m.
Join us for a panel discussion on the ways and means of this new trend. Distinguished panelists: Donald Gibbon, Photographer and Consulting Naturalist; Miriam Manion, executive director of Grow Pittsburgh; and Marlene Parrish, food writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Moderated by Erin Hagan, Director of Farm to Table Wellness Program. Panelists will answer questions following the program. Reservations recommended. Refreshments will be served. Silver Eye members and students, $7.00; Non-members, $10.00. Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1015 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. 412.431.1810, www.silvereye.org

For more information or reservations go to www.silvereye.org or contact Education Coordinator Sylvia Ehler, 412-431-1810, ext. 11 or sehler@silvereye.org.