date night pizza

I'm proud to say that A. and I have gotten quite good at making pizza at home. We have a system going: I make the dough, he rolls it out, I put the toppings on, he puts it in the oven and watches the time (it doesn't take long at really high heat!), then I slice it and we both eat. Extra olive oil for me, and extra hot pepper flakes for him.

San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil. Simple and perfect.

I use Ina Garten's pizza dough recipe - it's pretty simple using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Although her recipe says to let the dough rest for 30 minutes before rolling, I find that the taste and texture improves the next day. When I went back to check her recipe and read that it "serves 6", I chuckled to myself. Ummmm.... not in this household. Although it does make enough for us to have leftover dough for more pizzas the following day.

We like our pizzas REALLY thin, and A. is really good at rolling it out. He wishes he could hand toss the dough the way they do in pizzerias. My rolling skills, on the other hand, leave much to be desired. I still can't roll round roti the way Indian women do - the way they let their rolling motions rotate the dough without having to lift it from the surface. I always have to lift the dough every now and then and move it a quarter-turn, the way you would for pie dough. The last time I was in India with A. and his family, his 7-year-old niece was already learning how to roll roti. I thought, "so that explains it...". There she was beside me, a little apprentice standing on a stool to reach the countertop, doing a roti-rolling throwdown with me. I always concede. But seriously, she was getting quite good. I joked to her that between the two of us, she could roll the roundest roti and I could roll out the best rectangular, square, and oddly shaped ones that resemble the map of India more than anything remotely round. 

I'm much better with a mortar and pestle.

Which is why I prefer to make basil pesto this way, rather than in a food processor (especially if it's just for the two of us). I like the rustic, unevenness of the resulting pesto when made by hand - there's just something indescribably satisfying about it. Though I doubt it makes a significant difference on the flavor - I just find it stress-relieving to do manual labor in the kitchen.

basil pesto and fresh mozzarella

So this is what we did for Valentine's day. It was perfect to just stay at home and cook something together. (Although I did make his favorite chocolate chai pots de creme in advance by myself, because it needs to chill for a few hours.)

Then on Sunday we went to see the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra at the Severance Hall. This concert hall is just stunning.

They played pieces from Mahler and Brahms. Actually, Mahler was the reason I wanted to see this performance. After my first exposure to Mahler - it was Ekaterina Gordeeva's first solo skate in 1996 as a tribute to her late husband and figure skating partner Sergei Grinkov in the "A Celebration of Life" show. The music for her program, Mahler's Symphony No. 5, was so haunting, and her skate so heartfelt that it left an indelible impression - it makes me get choked up and cry every single time. Although the Cleveland Orchestra didn't play Mahler's Fifth specifically, I still enjoyed the performance. Symphonies just amaze me, and not just because I can't play a musical instrument to save my life (I had a short-lived piano career when I was...seven?). It's a different kind of energy. It makes me so grateful that there are people in this world who make music.

a postcard from this sweet friend - wise words indeed

Pizza, a concert, A Valentine's day postcard, and yellow flowers to brighten up those long winter days.

Spring will be here soon.

random

I'm feeling especially grateful for a warm home today.

Deeply grateful that my husband made it to work safely this morning.

And grateful for the people that tirelessly work to keep our roads as safe as possible.

Stay safe out there, friends. 

~

Update on my progress on the 30-day plank challenge: I've been working at or around 2 minutes the past few days. Almost halfway to the five-minute mark. Not too bad for a few days' progress, as I started the challenge pretty late in the game. And I got A. to join me in the challenge - yay!

as of January 27th

~ 

Last Saturday we had dinner with some friends at Crostata's, a nearby restaurant that serves Neopolitan pizza. I've been wanting to go for a long time now, except that we've been loyal to this restaurant for the past couple of years when we have a pizza craving. Lately it seems that A. and I have been into researching and trying different Neopolitan style pizzas like it's our job, going as far as Toronto's Pizzeria Libretto upon the recommendation of this friend. There's just nothing like the simplicity of a really thin crust, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil quickly baked in a 900-something-degree wood-fired oven.

But with all the snow we've been getting, we decided to stay closer to home. I now regret taking this long to try this restaurant. In the spirit of research, I memorized browsed through the menu and Crostata's uses 00 flour and San Marzano tomatoes, so I trusted that they take their pizza seriously. We sampled the burrata (can't resist) to start, and for pizza we had the Margherita D.O.C. (D.O.C. is a designation or standard for Neopolitan pizza) and Amalfitana. Both were excellent, and so was the ravioli. I love that the food here has as its foundation good quality ingredients. Everything we tried was uncomplicated, fresh and delicious. The tiramisu and cannoli we had for dessert were excellent as well. The tiramisu was so flavorful yet light, like you were eating a cloud -- a cloud of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and creamy mascarpone. The cannoli was up there with one of the best cannoli we've had so far, which is from Mike's Pastry in Boston. If not for it being in the evening I would have had affogato as well, but I'll reserve that for when we visit again, and I'll make it a lunchtime visit.

I don't have pictures, but I'll direct you to their website.

I'm glad we went, snow and all. Not just for the pizza but also because I was able to get this:

Agrumato. Or what I call liquid gold.  All for the low price of $11. I know, it sounds like a lot for a small bottle of olive oil. But olive oil is just my thing. And this kind of olive oil makes my heart skip a beat.

I've been intrigued about this ingredient ever since I tried an appetizer at Michael Symon's Lolita restaurant that used agrumato as a finishing oil. When I spotted it at Crostata's last Saturday, it was a no-brainer. I had to buy it. I was like a kid in a candy store.

The things that excite me...

It's not the more commonly found "olive-oil-infused-with-lemon-flavor." This is actually olives and lemons crushed together. Olives and lemons married to produce this bright, citrusy finishing oil that I've been adding to almost anything - including avocado toast, white bean and vegetable soup, salads...

Avocado on toast, drizzled with agrumato

(I may or may not have eaten mashed avocado with agrumato directly from the bowl, with a spoon.)

"In Abruzzo, on the Adriatic Sea, at the end of each harvest, farmers create a special oil for their family and friends. In their "frantoio" (olive mill) on the farm, the farmers crush and press small amounts of hand-harvested olives with fresh citrus fruit to create oils such as Agrumato. Agrume means "citrus". The crisp freshness of Agrumato is achieved by the whole-fruit crushing process, which cannot be duplicated by the more common infusion method of other citrus flavored oils. By crushing the olives with the citrus, the purity of each fruit flavor is maintained. The resulting oil is an exquisitely versatile condiment." (description from here)

Doesn't that sound amazing? And trust me, it is.

I did a quick search, and it's available online as well. You need to try this.

~

In other news... so I wrote about taking the Krav Maga Level 1 test this year, right? So as if on cue, I get an email with news that the next test is on February 22nd - that's less than a month away, and realistically, I know I'm not ready yet. So I'm aiming for later in the year.

To get there, I really need to meet my sub-goals of increasing my classes from 2 per week to 3 or even 4 per week. Some weeks I've been able to do 3 classes a week. But this snow and sub-zero weather has not been on my side lately and I just don't want to be out there driving right now. I'll try to stay at 2-3 classes a week for the month of February and if the weather subsides in March, I'll increase to 4 classes. I am really, really, really hoping the training center opens in their new east side location in May, which I believe has been in the works. The potential location is 10 minutes from where I live, and A. jokingly worries that I might start living there. He started calling me a little ninja.

~

Speaking of little ninjas. If I could be a cartoon character, I would be this:

Source unknown

She's not exactly a ninja but she does look like a fierce little character, doesn't she?

I wish I knew where this came from so I could credit it appropriately, but it's a picture that's been passed around among A. and a few other friends after I jokingly said that I'd like to go around with a spatula when eating out so I can scrape every last bit of food (if it's life-changing food, that is). They all joke that no one should mess with me lest the spatula comes out from my purse. So the "five spatulas of fury" has been a running joke for a while now.

~

How's that for a random list of updates and stories. Stay warm, wherever you are!

overcoming fear

image from Pinterest

I did it!

So last week I talked about trying Krav Maga. And last weekend, I gathered my guts and finally went to my first class.

Before I go any further... in case any of you are asking, "Krav Ma-wha???", here is a brief excerpt from the website:

"Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians in the United States.

Krav Maga is a simple, effective self defense system that emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios."

 
I was really nervous, I have to admit. The night before, I only got 4 hours of sleep (me and my overthinking again).  I almost chickened out and talked myself out of it that morning.

But I'm glad I didn't.

I have to say that this is unlike anything I've ever done before. I'm probably the most non-confrontational person and I don't think I have an aggressive bone in my body. I've always been somewhat adventurous, having tried various things like skydiving and wakeboarding and gotten certified in scuba diving (in my previous, more active life, that is). But I've never been into intense workouts, always preferring yoga, walking, and non-competitive swimming. I'm someone who loathes the gym and has never been a member in one, ever (not unless you count my childhood gymnastics gym, but that is different). Generally I'm not a fan of weights and counting reps and all that (ugh). What I do love, is movement, but I don't like it to feel like "exercise". 

But this is more than just exercise for me. It's self-defense, which as I've said before, I think everyone (especially women) should learn and feel confident in. It's not about being violent... it's about being safe. It's about keeping your promise to go home safely to the ones you love.

I knew I was pretty out of shape, and I am definitely feeling it now. I went to class over the weekend, and now it's Tuesday and I'm still sore.

Needless to say, my routine weekend baking did not happen. And neither did my boatload of laundry, as I stare at the full basket and wishing it would just magically get done.

But all that said... my first class was an empowering experience. The place is owned by a woman (who also taught the Level 1 class I attended). She is quite petite, but she is strong. So, there's hope for me!

It's amazing what happens when you set an intention to do something. It could be anything - big or small. It could be something you're afraid to do.

So. I'm putting this out there and expressing my commitment.

How about you - do you keep a list of intentions? What's on your list?

i will be your witness

Ok, so before our Catholic wedding ceremony, and before our Hindu ceremony (I promise, we are not really wedding-crazy ;-) )... this happened exactly two years ago. A. and I made a promise - to be a witness to each other's lives.

I realize I haven't shared pictures from that amazing day - March 19th, 2011 - except for a few here. Partly because I wanted to treasure the memory to myself or to just the two of us (and the few people who were there), but partly because it was hard to choose which photos to share here on the blog. Even if I only have a handful of readers, A. had some reservations about posting "people pictures" on cyberspace - especially close-up shots - and I don't blame him. In fact, I also don't post many pictures of myself here either, so this is me going out on a limb. But I also want to look back at this, years later...

So, all that to say that this is the reason the pictures here don't show us directly looking at the camera, or were taken from a little more discreet, not so in-your-face close-up angles. I had to be selective :)

Auburn Twin Oaks Winery, Chagrin Falls, Ohio. A. and I had been to this family-owned winery a few times before and met the owners, who are just lovely people. They are not actually open to the public every day, but on some weekends they have food and wine tasting events. We talked to the owners to reserve this location, and had the whole place to ourselves! It felt like we were in Northeast Ohio's best kept secret.

It was a beautiful, clear day, on the cusp between winter and spring. So fitting.

I think "walking with a purpose" would be a fitting caption for this photo, don't you think?

The interior of the winery was drenched in sunlight. I had to squeeze in a few minutes to take photos of my own. :)

My bouquet of happy yellow flowers. My sister-in-law took care of this, aghast after hearing me say I would just pick up flowers myself from the store (I was trying to keep things as simple as possible). She had it executed perfectly. When asked what kind of flowers I would like, all I said was, "yellow and spring-like". I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful arrangement. Thanks so much, G.!

Photo-op of photo-op. I can take pictures at my own wedding, can't I?

We stood in a room on the top floor, with large windows that give you an almost 360-degree view of the grounds. The room was bathed in afternoon sunlight. We took turns reading verses of Oriah's The Invitation, which is one of my favorites. No matter how many times I've read the poem, reading it aloud on this important day got me all choked up and teary-eyed. We said our vows and exchanged rings, then we were married in front of 8 witnesses (8 including the marriage officiant, that is).

After we exchanged vows, we took a walk outside. My brothers asked A. to carry me for some goofy pictures.

It was a beautiful day - the sun was out, but do not be deceived... it was actually quite cold!

We went back inside to enjoy wine (for them) and cake (for me! Ok... for them too). I had no idea my friends were baking a chocolate cake in my kitchen while I was out that morning getting a haircut - which, in my world, is my version of getting my hair "styled" (I know... clueless.). It didn't occur to me when I got back home, why they were both standing in the kitchen, leaning strategically on the oven door so I couldn't see what was baking inside.

So happy.

(Photos taken by my brother, a dear friend, and me.)

As I look back, I think one of the reasons this day was so special was that the whole ceremony was stripped down to the bare essentials - without any extraneous details that could potentially take away from the essence of what was happening. And yes, this is coming from a detail-oriented person such as myself. Even my mom was amused that I didn't buy anything new to wear. We only bought very simple wedding bands. The place was already beautiful and needed no additional decorations. And everything else (flowers & food) was taken care of by family and friends. 

It wasn't about the details this time.

~

I'll end with one of my favorite quotable movie lines - from the movie Shall We Dance.

Susan Sarandon: "Why is it, do you think, that people get married?"
Richard Jenkins: "Passion."
Susan Sarandon: "No."
Richard Jenkins: "It's interesing, because I would have taken you for a romantic. Why, then?"

Susan Sarandon: "Because we need a witness to our lives...there are a billion people on the planet, I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything...the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things...all of it, all the time, everyday. You're saying, 'Your life will not go unnoticed, because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will be your witness.'"

~

Happy anniversary, A... here's to being each other's witness.

All my love.

plans derailed

So I had all these plans of making a nice meal for tonight. Warm marinated olives, spaghettini with garlic, arugula, lemon zest, and pine nuts (a dish in our regular pasta rotation, and one of A.'s favorites), and chocolate chai pots de creme - essentially a French-style custard or pudding, made with some good quality chocolate and chai spices (cardamom, ginger). We first had this chocolate chai pots de creme at one of our visits to the Greenhouse Tavern two years (minus 5 days) ago. I don't think I ever posted pictures of that meal...and I thought today would be a good time to go down memory lane.

Greenhouse Tavern dinner, two years ago. Clockwise from left: bread and housemade ricotta, grilled padron peppers (with lots of garlic! How's that for a romantic meal), tofu, and "very very very spicy greens n' beans". Apparently my photography style at that time was influenced by the misconception that I should get as close as humanly possible to the food all the time. Ha!

After a delicious meal, we decided to just split one dessert. It was so good, that we decided to order another, stat. Much to the amusement of the server, listening to us claim we were already so full and yet couldn't help ourselves.

Left: chocolate chai pots de creme. Right: each table has a bottle of water like this. No more waiting for the server to come around and refill your glass!

And actually, if my food memory serves me right, this is the weekend he proposed... (ok, so my memories revolve around food... don't judge.)

And then I decided to re-create the chocolate chai pots de creme at home, and A. said it was even better (he's sweet like that). And since chai is such a big part of his food culture, being Indian, he just LOVED this.

[Side note. Please, for the love of all that is delicious, it is not "chai tea" because chai = tea, so the "chai tea" that you see in coffee shops is like "tea tea". That was one of the first lessons in Hindi that I learned. (End rant.)]

So anyway... that was my plan for today. We really don't do anything elaborate on V-day - we don't do expensive gifts and fancy dinners out. I usually just like to cook/bake something delicious for dinner. Unfortunately, this is the second day of my cold (ugh). Four cups of tea and half a box of tissues later, and I am resigned to this stuffy feeling in my head. I wanted to go to a yoga class this morning for some self-care, but that got derailed as well because my almost-incessant sneezing will be very distracting to everyone else.

If I had all my ingredients, I would have gone through with my plans, but on this freezing day I really didn't feel like going out to the grocery store with this cold, headache, and body aches. So instead, A. said he would get soup and sushi on his way home from work. When I'm sick, there's nothing better than miso soup. So takeout it is. 

At least I have a really great greeting card to give him...

It doesn't always have to be grandiose displays of love. Although I must say, this is quite spectacular:

The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal really must have had something special. 

But... so do we. Thank you, A.

(Photos taken during our recent trip to India last December)

finding a yoga home

After nearly three years of living in Northeast Ohio, I have found a yoga home:

morning light at Agni Studio

Aaaaahhhhh. Don't you feel relaxed already?

chakra banner

And about half a year or so after I started taking classes there regularly, I am now officially teaching there - yay!

I like having the time to feel centered before teaching, so I usually arrive at least a half hour before class to practice here. 

It took me a while to get to this point. Conversations with Anna, my first yoga teacher, as well as Sharon, another yoga teacher. Conversations with my husband, who always gives me that extra push that I need. Conversations with yet another teacher who also gave me an extra nudge. And conversations with myself (sounds strange, I know) that don't involve talking myself out of it. 

I still get nervous from time to time before class starts. I remember the first time I taught the entire class, I had so much pent-up energy before class that I felt like I could run around the block. Oh wait, who am I kidding... I don't run.

I just try to prepare as much as I can, reading, practicing, breathing, maybe writing up a plan or some ideas for that day's sequence... while at the same time being in the moment while teaching so that I can respond to the needs of those who are in class.

I'm teaching twice a week now, slowly finding my voice as a teacher while also working to recall and apply all that I learned from those who have mentored and nurtured the teacher in me.

So thankful for this experience... I look forward to growing in this new role, and hopefully encouraging and honoring others in their respective yoga journeys as well.

Educate, support, inspire. This is the studio's "mantra", and what I try my very best to work towards in every class.

"Mia and Jeni" doesn't really have a good ring to it, but...

...I think I have a new culinary idol, a bit like Julie Powell's admiration for Julia Child:

Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams scoop shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

photo by my brother Carlo

photo by my brother Carlo

I am not much of a cookbook hoarder. I remember browsing through Half-Price Books and purchasing a few cheap, not-that-great cookbooks that ended up gathering dust (and ended up being either donated or sold back to Half-Price Books). Apart from cookbook "classics" like Julia Child and Marcella Hazan, I am more inclined to get books on the fundamentals, such as Ratio by Michael Ruhlman (I want to get this one as well, also by Ruhlman.). And by the way, whoever said Cleveland is the "Mistake By The Lake" is so wrong - we have an acclaimed food writer, and a food scene that can rival any other city here in the US. We have amazing restaurants, excellent pastries and French macarons that I'm certain can hold their own against Ladurée in Paris (not that I've been there, but...) and community-supported agriculture. And we have an Iron Chef.

(I'm not even a born-and-bred Clevelander nor Ohioan, let alone a born-and-bred American. Still, I always think it's good to appreciate the gifts of any city/state I live in. But let's not get into the Cleveland winters.)

Ok, I deviate. Back to the original topic.

When I saw that Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home cost just $14 on Amazon, I decided to go for it.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

It is a lovely, lovely book. I've tried two recipes so far (just simple ones for now - vanilla frozen yogurt, roasted strawberry buttermilk) and they are spot on - just like the ice cream you would get at her scoop shop or her website. I personally think that it is in the simplest concoctions, with relatively few ingredients, that you can see the value of a really good, fundamental recipe - that when all these ingredients are mixed together in the right proportions and work together in perfect chemistry, the flavor of each ingredient truly shines. So yes, maybe it's a little premature because I've only tried a few recipes - but ice cream calls for the same custard/ice cream base to which flavors, fruits, nuts, etc are added. And I already know, this basic recipe is a winner.

And the thing about really good ice cream is - when you use quality ingredients (no nonfat or other shortcuts here!), the fresh flavor and lingering, creamy mouthfeel is just so exceptional that it doesn't take a whole lot of ice cream to feel satisfied*. So our freezer is filling up! Help?

My next project though is Scarlet and Earl Grey ice cream, because I love anything Earl Grey. Yup, I've been bonding with my ice cream maker.

But more than the recipes, Jeni also wrote about the backstory of business, her commitment to local farmers, artisans, and suppliers or vendors at her nearby North Market in Columbus. She included stories, pictures, and descriptions of the farmers themselves. I think what the book highlights, aside from the recipes, is that "it takes a village" to make these splendid ice creams.

It's something I've been thinking about as well for my little cookie venture. I contacted a family-run dairy farm for butter - as shortbread calls for the best butter you can find.

So yes, I kind of feel like Julie in the book/movie "Julie and Julia", wanting to cook my way through a great cookbook. Though I won't try to do what Julie Powell did and cook a new recipe every day for a year, I know this is a cookbook I will thoroughly enjoy.

Homemade vanilla frozen yogurt with strawberries. Take that, Pinkberry!

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk ice cream. It's not the perfectly sculpted, rounded scoop, but it was SOOO good.

 

* I have to admit to enjoying my homemade version of Jeni's ice cream at 11 am. That counts as lunch, right?

a picnic, and Mozart under the stars

Summer whites (+ orchid + turquoise)

Last Saturday the weather finally broke and we had perfect summer temps. I enjoyed an afternoon on the balcony, with iced coffee and the New York Times on the iPad.




Then A. and I spent Saturday evening at the Blossom Music Festival, which is where the Cleveland Orchestra performs during the summer months. I love summer outdoor concerts. Here is another place for outdoor concerts (every Tuesday till August 14th) - and best of all, they're free.

The lawn was getting packed!

 I love this place. It's only $20 per person for lawn tickets (those under 18 get in free) and you get to listen to some world-class performances. There will be an opera in August - I'd love to go to that one as well.



You could opt for actual seats closer to the stage too (at a higher price), but I personally prefer the lawn -- for me it's also about the opportunity to enjoy a picnic.


 


We used 2 yoga mats side-by-side as our picnic "blanket". Works for me.

Our picnic spread (part of it, at least): mixed olives, summer fruit, aged cheddar, and nut pâté (recipe to follow soon!). Not pictured here is a chunk of crusty Italian bread, pistachios, and a mango-pineapple sparkler (just mango juice and pineapple juice diluted with sparkling water)

Homemade rosemary and pine nut shortbread for dessert

The sky was amazing.

Stripey and dotty clouds (technically these are cirrus clouds, right? Geek moment.)

Perfect summer evening

Hope you all had a great weekend! Stay tuned this week for the nut pâté recipe.