I finally made cheese

I know! This is probably surprising to people who know me well, but I've never actually made cheese before. And technically this one doesn't count officially, baby steps though. For those who do not know I am a HUGE fan of cheese. At the age of 14ish I was pretty dead set on becoming a cheesemaker. I almost interned at a cheese factory in Dallas that summer, but somehow it never really happened. I'm not sure there's a lot of money in cheese. 


Anyway...the sorta cheese. This is a recipe/process that I stole from my ultra-cool roommates who are full of cooking knowledge. The process is to take greek yogurt and drain it in cheese cloth. Because greek yogurt is so thick, it drains quite nicely into a basic creamy cheese.


So this is the set up. I drained the yogurt (non-fat actually which was an accident, but tastes like it has all sorts of  fat). Doesn't the cheese look like a bulb of garlic?

I used a mandolin/grater to drain into the bowl, but anything works. The cheese drains for a few days depending on how thick and creamy you want it. I left my cheese draining for two days, and progressively put weight on top to get more liquid to come out. I was determined to see at least SOME curdiness. 


So the next two are picture after I unwrapped the cheese. I included both because the first one is SO white with the flash on, and the second looks so creamy. 

So the next step is to add whatever you please to flavor your cheese. In my case I went the savory route and added chives to one half and dill to the other. Turns out some Safeways do not sell unorganic (regular?) fresh herbs. These were quite pricey but very good quality. 

Here's the dill. Heh. 

Here's the chive, aren't they so pretty!?

I think it's probably better to leave the cheese with the herbs for a few days in order to let them flavor this tangy, thick, creamy cheese. 


So I'm actually going to be trying an actually cheese recipe here soon, ricotta! Hopefully I'll post some pics of that process. I'll leave you with a pic of the Rooter enjoying the greek yogurt container. This picture took several tries.

Top Chef Las Vegas: Episode Two

I didn't write about last weeks' episode because I was seriously too excited to do anything else. I also reaaaalllly wanted the people I was watching with to not talk during the show...but I feel like a jerk shhhh-ing people. 

So here's my advertising thoughts on tonight's episode:

Whole Foods - They seem to be the absolute go-to for every single cooking show. I wonder how they arrange that in all shows on different networks. I thought at first that they give them free food and then get exclusivity on the show. And then I realized I was dumb, there's no way they would give that away for so little. Apparently Nielsen ranked Whole Foods, (among Food + Wine Magazine & Glad) among the Top Ten Most Effective Product Placements in 2008.

This really is excellent brand strategy for Whole Foods. They win over both the chef crowds, (which admittedly probably isn't their largest target), but by showing people that chef's show there, it makes people want to become mini-chefs in their own kitchen. Voila! Go to Whole Foods, the purveyor of all things culinary and gourmet. 

Le Creuset - I think I noticed them on the top shelf of the storage rack. Do you think there are people somewhere in a bidding war each of those shelves? Le Creuset this week, Revereware the next. 

Vegas Hotels - Big Winner this week, probably will be over the season. They showed that front view of the hotel like six times, which ultimately made me wonder: What the hell is the M? I thought it might be a re-branding of the Mirage, turns out it's it own thing. MGM, Mirage...M....

What's with the faux "back to the shows?" It keeps fooling you. You settle back into the show, they flash Glad across the screen and then you're back to commercial-land. Not a fan of this. 

U2 Blackberry Switch - I have been thinking about this one for a while. I remember researching my first iPod during the tail-end of my U2 fanatica and seriously contemplating the U2 edition. Ultimately, I decided that I might feel a little lame with that. Anywho, that is why I found the U2 Blackberry Ads so surprising. I expected them to be iPod commercials in the vein of "Uno, Dos, Catorce!" and Coldplay. 

Crocs crocs crocs crocs 

Guardasil targeting younger women

GE Monogram Placements (I wasn't paying that much attention): 1

 

The Real World : Year One

Well I have been a contributing member of society for an entire year now. It seems like I have been doing it for longer :0. I worked it out, and what a year means is about 450 loads of dishes, 6000 cups unloaded, and 1 million phone calls. 

I now know how to fend off salespeople,

Pay my bills, (mostly on-time),

Make excellent foam on a latte,

Pack the tightest dishwasher ever,

Order enough meat for 25 computer developers.

I haaave a degree, I haaave a degree. 

Woot. 

Fat Years, Lean Years, It will Rain: The Return of Mad Men

This is going to be a long post, so much so much! 

I've been anticipating the return for a few weeks, just got done re-watching the 2nd season last week. There was a great article in Fast Company regarding the reality of Mad Men, and what they get away with that simply wouldn't fly today. 

So as we know, Don "Dick" Draper's mom was a business lady too. That's apparently where he gets his savvy. I enjoyed seeing a bit more about his mother, but sometimes I feel like Don relies too much on his past to explain his present actions. We finally find out where "Dick" comes from...hilarious and awful at the same time. 

Where on earth was Duck? I was Duck hunting all episode. You'd think the person who orchestrated the merger would be around. Maybe he's hanging at a bar with his friend from "The Nanny." I smell a flashback to this Duck absent time.

I have to admit that I really love Burt and his appreciation for modern paintings. I like that he uses them to make people uncomfortable. I can only imagine what that Rothko painting is worth these days. I'm not quite sure I understood his analogy about the Japanese painting and their business. 

Job sharing...brilliant. This will be a fun struggle to watch over this season. Especially because Pete is such a little bitch. What does Ken Cosgrove do? He mostly just shows up to contribute dopey but like-able dialogue. I feel like he's on the Don Draper career-development plan, (albeit not as naturally suave as Don). I wonder if this means that Duck pulled Ken aside as well? 

I don't think I can even handle my disappointment with Don. On one hand I am so disappointed that after everything he'd go after that stewardess. Yet from a character standpoint, I kinda like the return to Draper: The Legend. I guess he has to wean himself. 

I disagree with #'s 

1. Fisherman's Wharf

2. Petrified Forest

5. The Alamo 

I don't really care about the rest. 

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-29489009;_ylc=X3oDMTE1dDB2bmFrBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEX3MDMjcxOTQ4MQRzZWMDZnAtdG9kYXltb2Q-

These are the shoes I just bought. I have been wanting them for months and low-and-behold they are on super clearance!! $15 free shipping. They are also a testament to how well Facebook ads are targeted. Below is another one they totally got me on. 

www.simpleshoes.com 

I haven't purchased it yet...but I think I will soon. 

www.modcloth.com

Logging In

I learned two things just now while logging into my blog after a 7 month absence. 

1. Blogger is owned by Google. This totally doesn't surprise me and completely reinforces my belief that Google is the most dynamic company around. They are also amazing because they have so many great products that people don't even recognize as Google-owned. How very Hershey of them. 

2. I learned what those awful "Type the letters below" are called. Apparently they are called "CAPTCHA" 's which stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart."

It sort of surprises me that technology is so amazing, and there isn't a work around for computers to solve these little fuckers. Correct me if I'm wrong programmers. 

Anywho, it feels good to be back.