Coffee Table Books!

New apartment calls for, at the very least, a new coffee table book. So it's time to replace the old, 'People You Know, Horses They Love" with something else. My current top options:

1.) TARTAN: Romancing the Plaid- Fashion, history, delicious plaids.
2.) Bernd Munsteiner: Reflections in Stone- No one else can facet gemstones like this. From creating new, unique cuts for small stones to carving entire pieces of rock, everything in here is breathtaking.
3.) The Complete Keller: The French Laundry Cookbook and Bouchon- My latest chef obsession with both cookbooks chock-full of shiny obscene drool-worthy photographs.

Tuna Tartare

Let me tell you one of my fantasies- to eat an entire tuna, much like a bear eats salmon. Only the fish has no scales or bones or guts and is pretty much 100% sushi-grade tuna. So really, just a big plate of tuna.

Sushi is too much work. Cooking rice might warm up the house. But how about some Spicy Tuna Tartare? 1 tablespoon mayo, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon hot chili sauce mixed together. Add chopped chives and about a cup of finely diced tuna.

Cupacupacupacake

How annoyingly adorable are these laser-cut cupcake wrappers from Paper Orchid Stationary?

Teapots AND dinosaurs? Plus, if you are not so good at cupcakes these will make yours look 100% good with 0% effort.

Sausagefest 2008

The 4th annual Sausagefest is this weekend, and promises to be even meatier and juicier than ever before. And involve red velvet cake. My favorite sausages are the spicy red-hot thuringers at Schmeisser's Home Made Sausage (7649 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL 60714).
Thuringers! These sausages originated in Thuringia, and are lower in fat than most other German sausages. Wikipedia suggests that you prepare them, "roasted over charcoal or on a grill rubbed with bacon." I agree.

Ahoy!

So I know the last thing I need is a new handbag, but I ran across these at work today: Sea Bags.
Good (hilarious) company name, adorable handbags made out of recycled sailboat sails. I want vintagey ones in every size.

Pappardelle

Last night was pappardelle and Project Runway night. The menu was Pappardelle with Tomato Basil Cream Bolognese.

(Actual picture of my actual dinner!)

Recipe: Combine 1 lb. ground veal, and brown. Add 2 cups homemade tomato sauce and
1/2 cup dry red wine. Simmer as long as you care to simmer. Add papparedelle (homemade or cooked to package directions), 1 cup of chiffonade basil, a splash of half and half, and a handful of fresh grated Parmesan.

Vegeta!

What's the best thing to come out of Yugoslavia since 1959? Vegeta! It is an all-purpose seasoning for your foods. Sure, it is loaded with MSG, but so what? I also wouldn't call it gourmet.

1 tsp. + 2 cups couscous = deliciousness