Pasta with anchovy

Ever since I had this dish at a taste testing for my sister's wedding reception two years ago, I've always wanted to make this simple dish. This is the second time I've made this, and I've added a twist by putting in a raw egg in the end (kind of like in carbonara). It's so flipping easy, I'm not even gonna put down instructions. You figure out how to make it based on these photos (OK, fine, I'll place hints in the caption). Have fun!

Your ingredients. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

The salty piece de resistance - anchovies

Saute the onions, garlic, and anchovies in an olive oil-butter mix

Beat the eggs while you toss the cooked pasta into the saute pan

Mix the egg into the pasta, away from the heat. Make sure to toss quickly so you don't scramble the eggs too much

Finished product!

Coffee Monster

Yup, that pretty much sums up what I'm like every day. I need some Joe in my life. 

Tipping is not a city in Russia

I have arrived.

Who wakes up at 8 AM on a friggin' Sunday morning to do anything? As I recently found out, it's this moi, as I hauled my sleepy ass to Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown yesterday (yes, it even has it's own Wikipedia entry; boom-shaka-laka). I've been wanting to visit this place, which was given the James Beard Foundation Award for being an "American Classic," since I moved to Minneapolis. First, because it was featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives (I know, I'm such a gullible Food Network lemming), and second, because I have a friend who's a native and a former U of M student & swears by this place as having some of the most epic,  diner food in the city. And, really, that's all the confirmation I need to make a field trip beyond the Mississippi River to 14th Ave SE (think Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, except cleaner) to try me some Al's. 

I felt ever so smug (and horrified) waking up at 8 AM on a Sunday, thinking our group would get to Al's before it opened at 9 AM, and that we would be in front of the omnipresent line of locals, tourists, and transplants-who-take-forever-to-eat-at-Al's. How naive of me; at 8:50 AM, the line was about 20 deep, and I felt like such a jerk cutting in front of a few folks because our friends were already in line. Since I believe in food karma, I think that's why my lunch today was absolutely bland and horrible (bleh). 

The moment the doors open at 9 AM to this ten feet wide (yep, you read that right) diner, people stream in and take one of the fourteen stools, while 14 more people stand behind them. This is the intricate dance at Al's; the place is so damn narrow and small that you need to call your seat by hovering over someone else's breakfast for about 30 minutes or more. It's uncomfortable, it's hot, and it's memorable. 

The crew impatiently waiting behind the diners

I smile, but only because I was having 20 oz. of caffeine pumped into my bloodstream

The wait is part of the entire Al's experience, though. There was never a fleeting moment where I thought "why exactly am I doing this again?" Not. At. All. Much like the Mickey's Diner experience of St. Paul, this is one of those activities you just gotta do to experience the city's artery-clogging history, its greased-up food culture. And, having that waiting time allowed me to catch up with my friends, talk about life, and observe every nook and cranny of this joint, from the tchotchkes coming out of every corner, to the different denominations hanging out on the back wall of the kitchen, to the funny signs.

Denominations from all over the world...and Batman!

Prepaid cards for the regulars

The aforementioned Tipping sign

Their James Beard medal. Bow before greatness.

After about 30 minutes of waiting (and that's after several impatient people left), our group was finally seated, and luckily we got to sit close to the smoking hot flat top. The short order cook was nothing short of amazing; she seriously was the multi-tasking ninja of short order cooks. 

The griddle, frying up amazing beautiful things

It was pretty difficult deciding on what to get, especially since everything on their slightly oily, laminated menus sounded so delicious (and LDL-raising). Eventually, I chose the 2 Poached eggs on corned beef hash with a side of rye bread. I also ordered a short stack of blueberry walnut flapjacks for my group to share, since you know I couldn't pass up the chance to get a well-rounded experience. And, also, I'm not so sure when I'll be back here again. :) Our master chef whipped up our plates in very little time. It was so fun watching her crisp up a mound of hashbrowns, before putting two meticulously handled poached eggs on top, then burying the whole thing in a mound of cheddar cheese and steaming the entire food monster. When it came out of its shell, I nearly shed a tear. It was beautiful. 

Look at how that glob of melted cheddar cheese just glistens.

One more glamor shot

Really great flapjacks

I've been to food institutions where I come away going "Eh? What's so great about that place?" Sometimes, it's because I just came at an off day (like Top Dog in Berkeley...once), or maybe because the place really wasn't that special to begin with, and I feel like it's just kept alive by the hype (sorry Philippe's, I'm looking at you). And then, you have a place like Al's Breakfast, which is actually good. It's not phenomenal by any means, and I can probably make the same corned beef hash if you gave me a commercial griddle (how epic would my kitchen be?). But, taken at face value, the food is something good diners produce. It's greasy, it's rich, and it's flavorful. The flapjacks have real berries and nuts in it and (my favorite part!) has the wonderful aftertaste of the other savory stuff from the griddle that it was just on; I appreciate the co-mingling of sweet and salty. The rye bread was positively ryetastic (copyrighted by Mariel Lisud 2011), and the hash browns have the perfect crispy, burnt outsides and buttery insides.

Oh, and for the first time, my fast-eating skills that my family is painfully good at (we would SO suck being French) was actually appreciated at this diner. As I swiftly inhaled (and enjoyed; I can do both at the same time, believe it or not) my breakfast, I just think of the healthier, more productive things I could be doing with my Sunday morning.

Then I let out a lovely belch, and ceased to care.

PORK CHOP! (with Apple Sauce)

This is my dissenting dish. 

Let me explain. I used to not eat pork, because my family followed a kosher diet. No, we're not Jewish (although I consider myself to be a mensch who says "Oy vey" more than my Jewish co-worker), but the religion I grew up in followed the OT (that's Old Testament to y'all heathens) to a T (Ha, I wasn't even trying to be witty there). Anyway, I have since grown up, and with that have challenged these Levitical laws and think for myself.  I've concluded that a) I don't believe in religious conventions anymore and b) pork is effing awesome and I will not 'keep kosher,' thank you very much. I mean, seriously, once you have a bite of bacon, you're ruined for life, man. And pulled pork sandwiches? And pork banh mi? Get real. Pork works. So, in a way, this dish is the object of my objection to former beliefs, a big wag of my finger to those who said "Swine Sucks." 

In reality, though, I've been eating non-kosh since I was in church school, so this dish really isn't pivotal. It is an important moment though, because this is the first real meal I've cooked in the last month. Yes, I am a restaurant whore. I was also super excited to make this because it involved sage, which is a spice that I often eat but have never cooked, and also because this is supposedly a healthy dish (at least that's what Real Simple said). Pork chops with apple sauce is super simple to make, and I'm not even going to put in measurements, 'coz I'm really not a measure-y kinda gal:

Pork chop

Rubbed Sage

Salt & Pepper

Apples, sliced

Shallots, diced

Garlic, diced

Olive Oil

Beef broth

Butter (or butter substitute)

White Wine

Honey

Cornstarch + water, to thicken 

The ingredients

The star of the show, rubbed sage

Step 1. Coat the pork with sage, salt & pepper 

 Step 2. Pan fry the pork chops in an olive oil-butter combination

 Step 3. Make sure they're cooked through so you don't get food poisoning

 Step 4. Meanwhile, chop the shallots and slice the apples

 Step 5. Put aside the cooked pork chops, and in the same pan saute the shallots and apples

 Step 6. Put in some beef broth (chicken broth works, too) and simmer; add some white wine, chug the rest

 Step 7. Pour some (sugar on me!!!) honey, do not chug

 Step 8. Pour some cornstarch slurry to thicken up the sauce

Step 9. Place the pork chops back into the pan

 

 Step 10. Make a side of mixed greens with loads of croutons and gorgonzola crumbles, because they're good for you

 Step 11. Serve and enjoy!

I enjoy being a girl.

I am not a heavy makeup kind of girl, although I wouldn't pass up a moment to get dolled up, especially if it's for free (e.g. those awesome Yelp! Elite events) or done well (e.g. during my sister's wedding). I just need some good foundation, light eyeshadow, and maybe some eyeliner action to make my small eyes pop (or distract from the sad dark shadows under my eye. BTW, does anyone have a recommendation for a good dark circle serum?). Probably my favorite piece(s) in my (very small) makeup kit would be my Bare Minerals matte foundation in Golden Tan, BM tinted mineral veil, and BM Blush (totally loving Joyous Jennifer) or All-Over Face Color. 

Now, why am I talking about my love for Bare Minerals? Two reasons...

First, it's the first face makeup that didn't make me breakout or made my face feel clogged up. I was being a total zombie one summer night back in Berkeley, and I saw the ubiquitous Bare Minerals infomercials, and I really bought into it! So, I decided to go the Bare Escentuals store on 4th Street and got my first kit, and now I'm totally hooked. It is something I invest in and replace every 6-12 months, depending on what it is (blushes last waaaay longer than the foundation, obviously). I actually think it's time I buy some new brushes, too. Maybe I'll try the Sonia Kashuk brushes that you can get exclusively at Target (now that's hawking my own company. haha).

Second, I love love love going to the Bare Escentuals store and getting beautified by the super nice "Beauty Ambassadors." Even if I only visit the boutiques once or twice a year, the experiences have always been wonderful, and I like looking at and coveting the different shades of blushes, eye shadows, etc.

My most recent visit was specially nice, because I finally got their custom kit, which is an absolute steal at $55 + tax. You get the foundation plus two powders (one in large, one in medium) and it all comes with the makeup bag! But, the best part of it all is that BE puts your purchase in a reusable bag. A reusable bag! For free!!! I'm not a tree hugger or anything, but I am so impressed that Bare Escentuals as a company would commit to an eco-friendly solution. And the bag looks great, too!

I can't believe I'm as giddy about trying out my new makeup as I am about trying out a new restaurant, but I cannot wait for my old stash to run out so I can start using the new radiance and mineral veil. What's your favorite makeup piece, and why?