Ch-Ch-Changes

Well, I quit my job after five years yesterday. My last day couldn't have ended on a sweeter note: the best hugs, high-fives, and kisses West of the Mississippi, a Bon Voyage cake and sign, seeing all my favorite customers, smiling so much my face hurts. I will dearly miss all of my lovely coworkers and favorite customers. Such a bag of mixed bittersweet emotions, but more on the hopeful and positive side. At least I wasn't the only one quitting--coincidentally, my favorite darling sidekick Shae also decided to leave (after being there for quite some time, also). It made it a little easier to get through the day knowing I wasn't the only one, and that we could both relate to each other and give each other brave but worried smiles whenever we had little freakouts and wanted to cry. I'll be back during winter and summer break again, so it's not completely the end. Although it feels like it. Time to close one door to open another.

Our dear boss bought us a cake from the Buttery!

My going away gift to my boss: peanut butter bacon cookies,

and a homemade card with nearly an essay written in gratitude.

So very thoughtful and sweet.

I love all my coworkers.

The next door opens at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning. Dental Hygiene program, here I come. I've heard nothing but fantastic things about the program, regardless of the fact that, as a 2nd year student exclaimed to me, that it has been the "hardest thing she's ever done in her life". Time to focus on just school 24/7 and see if I can still manage to maintain sanity and a social life simultaneously. I have no idea what to expect and look forward to just rolling with the flow. It'll be good. Real good. My lunch is all packed and my mirrors and probes are ready to be sterilized.

So, with that being said, I have no idea where that leaves the future of this blog. I really do hope I can mess with it every now and then, but I'm not putting any pressure on myself. I'll do what I can do if I can do it. The majority of my cooking and baking will most likely consist of making big pots of kitchari Sunday evenings to have easy meals throughout the weeks, and maybe a few batches up cupcakes here and there to help out with bake sale fundraisers. I don't know. To be honest, it's just safe to say I know absolutely nothing at this point. I'm diving into this thing with an open heart and mind, a blank slate.

Bring it on.

"Back To School Shopping"

School starts in less than 5 days.

I'll be taking 15 units = full time to the max.

I quit my job (of 5 years) in less than 3 days.

Which means... cash flow? Non existent, pretty much.

Big changes.

But that isn't stopping me at all from splurging on "back to school" items that will help get me through the year.

Seriously. It's ridiculous. I need to stop. There are times when I can go a little crazy, I'll admit, but I'm good 99.9% the rest of the time. I swear I've been to every office supply store in town (and out of town) just to stock up on notebooks, pens, highlighters, organizing boxes, and binders (why are these stupid pieces of plastic $10 a piece?!? it's just PLASTIC for crying out loud... these corporations are getting away with MURDER!) and then of course I take myself to the locally owned bookstore to see all the cute supplies they have available and I end up with this:

Yes. OWL TEA.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Organic classic bergamot Earl Grey with fragrant Jasmine floral notes.

Yep.

And that's not all...

A retro inspired blue diamond tea tumbler.

Doubled glass walls.

For owl tea to take with me and get me through dental hygiene school.

I needed it, really...

BlueQ, you are extremely dangerous and threatening the life of my check book.

But I love you.

They even have teas to help you be a better parent, erase your past, and live forever...

Sounds good to me.

Check out the rest of their (genius) tea collection here.

Let's see, I also picked up the Indie Rock Coloring Book.

And Urban Outfitters taunted me with this new cupcake book.

Because I am so into making weird cupcakes.

Rosewater Champagne, Surly Temple, Lemongrass, Tandoori, Curry Cardamom, Pancakes and Bacon, Avocado and Black Pepper, Thanksgiving, and the Punkin Donut are all flavors I can't wait to try.

I will need to bust this out for the fundraising bake sales, I know it...

And then I figured a few motivational mantra magnets would be needed to look at in my locker on a daily basis to get me through the next 2 years (and the rest of my life, for that matter) whenever I have weak moments and tend to doubt myself...

Winston Churchill.

Alexandra Stoddard.

That is all. For now.

Semi Homemade: Beet Gorgonzola Ravioli with Wilted Maple Frisee

When I first discovered these new, locally handmade raviolis just a few weeks ago, I nearly flipped a lid. Beet ricotta gorgonzola raviolis?! I couldn't believe my eyes. Especially at the $7.99 price tag. For just eight of 'em. But hey, you gotta live it up sometimes, especially for $1 per piece amazing raviolis. So I gave in. And made myself the most delicious, semi-homemade lunch of the century. I don't have exact measurements, but this is basically what it boiled down to:

-1 package of these guys, boiled for about 4 minutes

(you can also be adventurous and make your own with wonton skins, like this recipe explains here, although I personally had a bad experience with the skins falling apart and red beet insides spilling everywhere)

-1 head of frisee, chopped the bottom off

-warmed up a little ghee and walnut oil in a pan on medium/high heat, added a handful of chopped walnuts and lemon zest and sauteed for a few minutes

-added the frisee to the pan, along with a few tablespoons of maple syrup, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some freshly grated black pepper

-lightly tossed the frisee in the pan with a spatula, then put the lid on to cover it for a few minutes for it to wilt

-topped the ravioli on top of the wilted frisee on a plate, then garnished a little extra gorgonzola on top

IT WAS DIVINE. And so easy! And gourmet! The flavors were all great together. I'm pretty stoked on it. And next time I'll try it with the yam or butternut flavor.

Speaking of vegetables, I just discovered Claire Nereim's new Seasonal Vegetables of California poster. A few years ago I bought this print of seasonal fruits in California (it's probably the most expensive piece of art I own thanks to the cost of the framing) and I absolutely love it. It's something that will be the star of the show in my future kitchen. Anyway, maybe, just maaaybe at some point I'll buy this one too to compliment the other. I think she's genius.

Some other cool things I've discovered on the net lately:

-a PBJ DIY ice cream cone

-how to bake cupcakes in bulk (note to self: read thoroughly!)

-this woodland themed birthday party is so effing cute and amazing and perfect it almost makes me want to cry

-this rose geranium ice cream with pistachios recipe from the Kitchn

-this cardamom-vanilla shortbread with white chocolate and rose petals recipe, also from the Kitchn

-Rose Mint soda recipe (found via the Kitchn)

-a non-alcoholic wine substitute! (I rejoice! especially for all of the alcohol-sensitive people out there in the world like me that struggle with wanting to drink but also not wanting to at the same time)

-this DIY cabin in the woods, from the August issue of Sunset magazine (seriously, my dream house... and it's in Oregon... can it get much better than that? I'm drooling)

Alright, that's all for now!

Humphry Slocombe: The Hipster Ice Cream Parlor of Ice Cream Parlors

I like weird food.

I like unique food.
I like creative food.

I like ice cream.
I like weird, unique, and creative ice cream flavors.

So when I discovered that a little ice cream shop in San Francisco--Humphry Slocombe--could deliver all of these in one, I was immediately excited. Thanks to a slow afternoon at work one fine day several weeks ago, I was able to catch up on some reading in the New York Times magazine and was intrigued by the featured photo of an ice cream shop with the decoration of a taxidermied double-headed cow plastered to the wall above the red-leather swivel stools.

So on my latest trip to San Francisco to run the half marathon, I made a point to stop by there on my way home. I dialed the address of this baby into my GPS and off I went into the Mission District. It was perfect ice cream weather: typical overcast Bay Area skies with a little bit of sun peaking out. I easily found (free!) parking on Harrison St. about a block away from the shop that Sunday afternoon, and was instantly greeted by these fantastic Warhol replicas the second I walked through the door.

Luck was on my side--the line was short and sweet. Apparently they had just opened at noon, so all flavors were in stock. The assortment of 12 flavors rotate daily. Sometimes hourly (if they sell out). I had crossed my fingers that the infamous "Secret Breakfast" would be showcased. And sure enough, there it was, right before my eyes. BOURBON. AND CORNFLAKES. IN ICE CREAM. Yes. How do you like that one? The ice cream proprietor, Jake Godby, has over 100 crazy ice cream flavored recipes in his back pocket, although he claims he "can't sell cupcakes to save his life" (ahem... call me, Jake, if you need future business partner). He claims "I only make ice cream I think tastes good" (NY Times). And let me tell you, it does.

Some flavors that have piqued my interest (so much so that I don't mind randomly driving the hour and 20 minute drive there just to take my chances on trying every single one at some point in my life):

-Black Walnut

-Candy Cap

-Candied Ginger

-Elvis (the "Fat Years")

-Green Tea-Black Sesame

-Guinness Gingerbread

-Harvey Milk & Honey Graham Cracker

-Honey Thyme

-Milk Chocolate Tarragon

-Peanut Butter Curry

-Pom Coconut Ale

-Pumpkin 5 Spice

-"Red Hot" Banana (yes, Red Hot candies in banana ice cream)

-Salted Licorice

-Secret Breakfast

-Skull Splitter Root Beer

-White Chocolate Lavender

And sorbets & sherberts:

-Cucumber Ice Milk

-Dirty Girl Strawberry

-Golden Beet Saffron

-Hibiscus Beet

-Jesus Juice (red wine + coke)

-Pineapple 5-Spice

I think you get the picture.

Pictured below are the flavors that were available that day:

The girl behind the counter was super friendly and didn't mind at all handing me samples of almost every single flavor (I couldn't help but feel semi-guilty with all the spoons they must have to wash constantly). I was curious about the Balsamic Caramel and before I could ask to try it, she already scooped me out a bit. After himming and hawing for a few good minutes, I went for a double-scoop combo (on a sugar cone) of the Secret Breakfast and the Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee. Bourbon. Cornflakes. Coffee. Ice cream for breakfast anyone?

And it was only $3.75! Pretty darn reasonable, if you ask me!

I also considered taking home a hand-packed pint of something, but I asked the cashier her opinion if it would survive the trip home and she as unsure as I was.

Next time I'm bringing freezer bags!

(Photo: From NY Times article)

So I just sat myself down and had a great gastronomical experience.

And stared at the double-headed cow.

And took a billion pictures.

And felt super content.

And fantasized about my future blog post that I am now writing about Humphrey Slocombe.

Because I secretly wish I could have been that interviewer/writer/photographer from the NY Times.

Instead, I'm doing this (unpaid) from the comfort of my living room.

Just for pure self-enjoyment and nostalgia.

And because you owe yourself a visit to this establishment sometime in the near future.

So yes, Humphry Slocombe, I love you. I am a believer. And I will return to you once again. Very soon. Like, in about five days, actually. Hopefully I'll be able to cross off a few more of those flavors from that list. In the meantime, I'll just have to live vicariously through your Twitter and Facebook feed. And once I have the chance, will definitely be giving you 5 stars on Yelp.

If you go:

Humphry Slocombe

2790 Harrison St (between 23rd St & 24th St)

San Francisco, CA 94110

Neighborhood: Mission

(415) 550-6971

www.humphreyslocombe.com

Mon-Sun 12pm-9pm

Cash only