New thing #26: Epicurious Cooking School

Our good friends shared their gift certificate from Epicurious Cooking School by inviting us to join them at their home for an in-house cooking demonstration. Chef Sean Gartland brought all the ingredients for a terrific dinner, then showed us how to put it all together with hands-on demonstrations and insightful tips. As he puts it, his goal is to encourage the natural curiosity we all have in the kitchen so we can discover our inner chefs.

The menu was planned with the hostess in advance, so our theme for tonight was healthy cooking using seasonal produce. When we arrived at our friends gorgeous kitchen - seriously, this place should be on Cribs - Chef Sean had already set up his mise en place and was ready to start cooking. Now when I said he brought everything to prepare a delicious dinner, I meant it - pots, pans, knives, bowls, chopping boards, food processor, bamboo steamer, oils, herbs, seasonings, veggies, meats, etc. The only thing he didn't provide was the place settings. He gave each of us a set of the recipes he was preparing that evening, and invited us to participate as much as we wanted in the chopping and stirring.

Chef Sean has an easy and comfortable presentation style, honed as a chef instructor at The Chopping Block Cooking School in Chicago. He explained each step of the process while mixing in stories about his family and his days as a chef in Traverse City and Chicago. We learned a ton of new things - how to pick the freshest produce, the right way to hold a knife and chop, the difference between shallots and scallions, getting the oil just right to toast couscous, prepping vegetables for the grill so they cook evenly, what to ask the butcher at the market, when a protein has reached medium rare, how to use a bamboo steamer (gotta get me one of those) and more. But I'm not sharing any of the secrets here. If you want to know, you'll have to invite Chef Sean into your home.

We feasted on grilled vegetable and couscous salad with fresh pesto, grilled asparagus with caper vinaigrette, steamed salmon with bok choy and snap peas topped with ginger soy butter, and grilled pound cake with balsamic strawberries. Our hosts provided beer, Michigan wines and coffee to round out the dinner and insisted that Chef Sean join us to eat. And when we were done, he even cleaned up the kitchen! We can't wait to have him back again for another class or dinner party.

UPDATE 04/2013:  Chef Sean has changed the name of his cooking school to "Feast".  You can find his new website here

New thing #25: Hot yoga

I like yoga but I don't go on a regular basis. I'm not sure why, since yoga classes are included in our gym membership.  Maybe it's because the last couple times I've gone, I've been plagued with muscle cramps. It's pretty embarrassing when your leg cramps up in the middle of Downward Dog and you topple over. Or maybe it's because I haven't found a teacher with whom I really connect, or a class time that's convenient.  But after spending 20 hours in an airplane, I needed a good stretch.

I wanted to try hot yoga, where the room is heated to around 100 degrees. This heats up your body to allow for deeper stretching, and is supposed to help detox by flushing impurities out with your sweat, among other benefits. There is a hot yoga studio near our house, so The Girl and I decided to try a drop-in class last night. They were offering Yin Yoga, an hour of slow passive stretching. The poses are held as you slowly control your breathing, and you keep your muscles passive in order to work deeper into the joints and tissues.

We were running late, dashing into the studio at the last minute to find the class nearly full. The room felt pleasantly warm since it was chilly out, and had that undeniable sweaty gym smell. We found a couple spots to unroll our mats just as the class began. Ceiling fans spun lazily to keep the air moving gently, the lights were dimmed and tranquil music played. It didn't take long for the room to heat up. I quickly realized that the hand towel I brought was way to small to keep me from sticking to my yoga mat. But just as I started to worry about 'head rush', my body adjusted to the temperature and I began to feel comfortable.

We both really liked the hot Yin Yoga class. It was not a workout, but it definitely worked out the kinks. I didn't have any problem with cramping, even though I was slightly dehydrated. And the instructor struck a perfect balance of being spiritual without being overbearing or apologetic. She named each pose, then described it clearly while demonstrating the moves. She noticed that some of us were clenching our jaws and gently reminded us to relax. And she kept us focused on breathing, breathing, breathing. Maybe it was all that oxygen, but both The Girl and I would like to go back another day and try a more intense class.

New thing #24: Rod Nahm Dum Hua

My trip to Thailand ended just before the start of one of the biggest and wildest annual festivals, Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. While there are several different traditions associated with Songkran, the most important ritual of the festival is the splashing of water. This symbol of cleansing and renewal ranges from the respectful ceremony of "Rod Nahm Dum Hua", to an all out water war in the streets, where everyone gets drenched in a carnival atmosphere. Although I didn't get to experience the entire celebration, I was privileged to participate in a version of Rod Nahm Dum Hua that took place at our office in Thailand.

During a break between shifts, we were invited to the cafeteria where four chairs were lined up in a row. We sat and large engraved silver bowls were placed at our feet. The ceremony was explained to us - each person would dip a small silver cup into a bucket of water that was scented with jasmine and orchid petals, then they would take turns pouring the water over our hands. They were doing this to show respect and ask for blessings for the new year. The water was warm and smelled wonderful, as did the lei of orchids and jasmine that was placed around our necks. Everyone was in a party mood, laughing and smiling as they poured the water carefully over our clasped hands and wished us a Happy New Year. A tub containing a watery paste of white clay appeared, and everyone started smearing it on each other's faces. One of the girls apologized as she wiped it on my cheeks, explaining it was another part of the tradition meant to ward away evil spirits and provide protection. When everyone had finished pouring the water, we drank sodas and ate snacks and took pictures of each other's clay faces. It was a very welcoming and fun experience and the highlight of my trip to Thailand.

New thing #23: Visiting Thailand

The Good: Friendly and welcoming people; colorful chaotic cities; ornate shrines in unexpected places; palm trees full of coconuts; fresh and spicy seafood; beautiful mountain vistas; listening to Thai cover bands singing GNR and the Boss.

The Bad: Lady-boys, prostitutes and snake charmers; tourists dragging their kids through the red light district; trash on the streets and beaches; humidity; giant bugs; paying for toilet paper in public restrooms.

& The Ugly: Fish pedicures. Don't do it:

For less than $3 you can stick your feet in a tank of dirty water
and have tiny little carp nibble the dead skin off your toes.
Hello Hepatitis.

New thing #22: Pinterest

Pinterest is the hot new social network, but when I first checked it out I thought it was dull. It looked like a site for wedding planners, fashion merchandisers and the little girls who want to be their clients one day. But one by one my friends and family joined the site and invited me to follow their pins. I tried to resist, but resistance was futile. Late one night while on the road, huddling in the middle of the bed fighting jetlag and trying not to pick up some random hotel room DNA, I succumbed. 

Some people use the pinboards to chronicle their life, the places they've been and things they love. Some use it to inspire, pinning positive thoughts, exercise routines and books they want to read. Others use it to lampoon, like the clever series of fake Mitt Romney boards. 

I use it to collect recipes.

I have always been obsessed with collecting recipes! I have dozens of cookbooks and online recipe boxes, a drawer full of recipe clippings, a stack of foodie magazines and several bookmarked celebrity-chef websites. I rarely actually get around to using any of the recipes, but I do like to have them at my fingertips. And Pinterest offers absolutely the best way to organize them. Every recipe can be categorized on boards any way you like, easily recognizable by a pretty picture, and linked directly to the recipe source. It's OCD heaven.

But now I can't stop pinning recipes. I want to collect them all! And I want you to repin them and think I'm wonderful for finding it first! In fact, I got so hooked on pinning and having stuff repinned, I started to branch out. I started experimenting with those inspirational sayings, creating them in Powerpoint and uploading them to this blog, one at a time. Then I pin them on Pinterest and see what kind of response I get. It's quite a sociological experiment. Uplifting thoughts generally get a little reaction. Snarky sayings are usually repinned immediately by a dozen or so people. But by far the biggest and most positive reaction (well over 400 people) has been to the picture I found and posted about my pinning obsession. Seems like I'm in good company.

New thing #21: DIA Detroit

I've been to museums all over the world, but somehow I've never made it to the one in my backyard. That's why I've wanted to make sure I got to the Detroit Institute of the Arts during this experiment. The DIA's collection is considered one of the top in the US, and is known for its quality, range, and depth. It's housed in a gorgeous building flanked by white marble wings, located in the cultural historic district north of downtown.

We had kicked off Daylight Savings that morning by having brunch with The Boy, so he joined us as we headed downtown. We were pleasantly surprised to find that it was a Ford Free Sunday, meaning that everyone got free admission to the DIA thanks to a sponsorship from the Ford Motor Company Fund.

"Sea Boots" 
by Andrew Wyeth

With more than 100 galleries, we knew we would not get to see everything in a single trip. We started in the Prints and Drawings gallery, where you could use magnifying glasses to appreciate the fine details in the "Once Upon a Time" storytelling exhibit. From there we paused for a moment to listen to some pretty good music from the Scavenger Quartet, then headed to the Photography gallery which featured an exhibition called "Detroit Revealed: Photographs 2000-2010", with over 50 photographs chronicling the decade. We made sure we didn't miss the "Detroit Industry" fresco cycle by muralist Diego Rivera (a 360-degree tribute to the city's manufacturing base and labor force of the 1930s) and the armor collection of William Randolph Hearst lining the main hall. It was fascinating to see weapons over 400 years old that still looked pristine. We spent quite a bit of time enjoying the abstracts in the contemporary art gallery - those are my favorites - and the works in the Modern Art gallery. I was glad to see some of Andrew Wyeth's work featured, so realistic you felt like you could pull on those boots.

The museum is clean and bright, with several interactive exhibits and plenty of staff on hand to answer questions.  We had a great afternoon there and I look forward to returning to see some more of the treasures.  We did make a quick trip through the gift shop on our way out, but managed to avoid the considerable allure of the seatbelt purses and handblown glass vases that caught my eye. And on our short walk back to the car we passed the Science Center and the Scarab Club. I haven't visited either of those yet, but they'll have to wait for another day of New Things.

New thing #20: Mexican caviar

mmmm.... larvae

A recent trip to Mexico offered the opportunity to complete the trifecta of tasty New Things I'd been experiencing in February. My colleagues there are wonderful hosts, and invited me out to dinner at a lovely restaurant in the historical center of their city. We enjoyed the warm night seated on the terrace, where we could soak up the ambiance of the Plaza de Armas under twinkling lights. Live music serenaded the people who strolled by, and a fountain bubbled in the distance.

Cool and refreshing Mexican beer soon arrived along with bowls containing chiles or sweet limes, baskets of tortillas and a variety of breads. Starters appeared on the table, including cheeses, melon, prawns, mushrooms, and a delicacy called Sopes de Escamoles, which are little fried masa cakes topped with "Mexican caviar" - perhaps more commonly known as "ant larvae".

Yep, that's right, tiny little embryos harvested from the woody roots of the agave plant where ants make their nests. Tonight ours were roasted and served over fresh guacamole spread on small, dense hand-shaped corn tortillas. Actually I was pretty excited to eat something that sounded so unpleasant. I think I was more nervous about eating the guacamole, which I don't really like.

I squeezed a little lime on top, picked it up and took a bite. The flavor was really mild and kind of murky. The escamoles have a soft, cottage cheese-like consistency and a nutty aftertaste. The guacamole was very subtle and balanced the dryness of the chewy tortilla. I took another bite and set the rest down on my plate, but as I did I bumped the lime, causing some of the escamoles to roll off.

Hearing them scatter around my plate was like a switch turning on, giving me the heebie jeebies and totally grossing me out. For a minute I contemplated spitting it out, but I was determined to eat the whole thing! I struggled while swallowing but managed to hold it together. Then I drank some of my beer and ate a couple pieces of melon before going back for the final bite. I finished it, and I'm glad I tried it - but I was really happy that I didn't have to eat another one.

New thing #19: Little tiny cabbages

For most of my life, I've hated cabbage. Raw, boiled, pickled or stuffed - blech. And that also goes for their nasty little cousins, Brussels sprouts.


Alright, to be honest, I had never actually tasted one of those. I can't remember if my mother didn't cook them, or if she just let me off the hook when they were served (6th child burnout). Either way, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to eat a food that smells like feet. Even if it's packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.


Now that I'm committed to a healthy lifestyle, I'm trying to have an open mind along with my open mouth. I've learned to like plain Greek yogurt, blueberries, chick peas and kale. I've actually become a connoisseur of coleslaw, although I still hate cooked or pickled cabbage. Then one day The Girl, an adventurous taster, said that she liked Brussels sprouts. So armed with a recipe I swiped off Pinterest, I headed to the market and bought a bag.


I decided to roast the sprouts with garlic and olive oil. The recipe said to cut them in half, but I quartered them to reduce the chance of a gag reflex. They caramelized nicely in the oven, filling my kitchen with that lovely feet smell. (Side note - while these were roasting, The Boy came into the room and asked me if I was making banana bread. Either he needs his olfactory senses evaluated, or I need a new banana bread recipe.)

We had the little cabbage cousins for dinner with some grilled chicken thighs and a vegetable pasta salad. I ate them, but I didn't really like them until I mixed them in with the pasta salad. They are okay as a background filler but definitely not a headliner for me. And since I served 8 ounces of Brussels sprouts to four adults and still had leftovers, I don't think I'm alone in my opinion.

New thing #18: American Coney Dog

I think every town in SE Michigan has at least one Coney Island restaurant. Since I'm from upstate New York, I couldn't figure out why there was so much interest in a faded amusement park town near Brooklyn. I'm guessing it's because Coney Island, NY is famous for 'introducing' the hot dog to the USA. And a staple of every Coney Island restaurant is a coney dog, a natural casing beef hot dog topped with a meaty beanless chili, a strip of yellow mustard and a sprinkle of chopped white onion, served in a warmed steamed bun. These restaurants are also known for great Greek and Mediterranean food, and for serving breakfast all day long. I love Greek food. I love breakfast. So although I've eaten at several different Coney Islands,  I've never gotten around to actually trying the coney.

nom nom nom

Back in Buffalo, if someone came to visit and wanted to try chicken wings, we'd take them to the Anchor Bar. To try a classic coney, Senior & I went to the place where the Detroit coney originated - American Coney Island. This is a cool little restaurant at the corner of Lafayette & Michigan Avenues in the heart of the city. We got a window seat with a great view and placed an order for two coneys, a small Greek-style salad, and a side of shoestring fries (which we rated a respectable 58 on the Jubie scale, where the highest possible score is, of course, a 69). Our coneys looked just like the picture and were nice and messy to eat.  The hot dogs made a satisfying pop when you bit into them. The chili was mildly spicy and heavy on the beefy flavor, almost like a gravy, and subtly flavored by the mustard and onions.  It was good, but it would have been better with ketchup.  Sorry Michiganders... is that irreverent?

New thing #17: Perfect Eyebrows

Zip, zip... perfect!

One of the indignities of growing older is when your eyebrow line begins to fade. Hair disappears from the outside and turns a wiry gray on the inside. But those stray hairs that start at the eyelid and sprout up to your hairline? Those never go away. It takes diligence to keep them under control. And with the crop I was cultivating, it was time to call in the pros. 

I've plucked and I've waxed, but today I wanted to try threading. There is a salon near the mall that specializes in this quick process where a doubled strand of thread is twisted across your brow, catching a whole row of those stray hairs and whipping them out by the roots. 

Penny is the fastest eyebrow threader in the Detroit Metro area. She has you help pull your skin tight, grasps one end of the thread between her teeth and rolls the rest around your eyebrows like lightening. The sensation is similar to waxing without that dreaded wait for the wax to be ripped off. And in the time it takes to wax one eyebrow, you are fully groomed and out the door.  Ten dollars, ten minutes, and I was good to go with crisp, clean perfect eyebrows.  Penny recommended I come back in three weeks for a touch up, and admonished me to not touch my brows in the interim.  I will take her advice!