101 in 1001 #57: Make homemade pasta!

Shortly after I moved out here, Dave and I binge-watched "Master of None," which I had never seen and which he proclaimed one of the best modern shows he'd seen. I adored it unequivocally - not in the least for the second season's first few episodes, set in stunning Italy as lead character Dev (a lovably hapless-in-love Aziz Ansari) learns to make homemade pasta. 

The show, coupled with the fact that Dave is the child of an Italian family and had made pasta from practically infancy, made me urgently want to check this item off my list. When I came back from Thanksgiving to find a superabundance of potatoes in our kitchen, Dave's suggestion that they become gnocchi couldn't have seemed more timely. 

We had noble goals of spending Dave's Friday night on call cooking, which went rapidly off the rails when he had to go in to the hospital. I prepared to press pause on the whole enterprise, and cozied up with a glass of champagne and some sportsball on television to wait him out. Around 9:30, however, he texted me that he was unlikely to make it home at a decent hour...and that I was on my own to make gnocchi. 

I panicked, a little bit, as one does when confronted with the news that she has to tackle pasta solo for the first time ever. And then I went to town. 

I had a blast churning the potatoes through my new food mill, purchased at Williams-Sonoma based on Dave's instructions. Aside: I'm dangerously obsessed with Williams-Sonoma lately, especially as I've been cooking so much more (and enjoying it so much more). Every time I go in there I want to spend obscene gobs of money on all the gorgeous cookware and gadgety things. GROWN-UP PROBLEMS. 

The situation went downhill with alarming speed when, having followed Dave's instructions to a T, I was left with excessively sticky dough. In hindsight, the common-sense thing to do would have been to add flour...but I was convinced that Dave knew what he was doing and that I was being an idiot by thinking this was wrong. So I blithely continued to "make gnocchi..."

And you would think that I would have at some point realized how awful things were going to turn out when the dough was near-impossible to manipulate. The key is to roll it out into long snakes and cut the dough into little tiny pillows...Dave's words, not mine. My snakes wouldn't roll, they just kind of gummed up our counter, and when I cut them they sort of...puddled. I don't have a better verb for what they did, but trust me - it wasn't pretty. 

I tried to cook them anyway - following Dave's instructions to wait until they floated and then pull them out - and this was the end result: 

I don't even know what you would call these. Sad mashed-potato nuggets? I was simultaneously so frustrated and amused that I couldn't stop laughing - I don't think I've ever been so appalled by something I "created" in the kitchen before, and that's really saying something. 

I scrapped the dough/mush/goo, set our (amazing) homemade vodka sauce aside, cleaned up the war zone that was the kitchen, and boiled Dave some fettuccine noodles for dinner when he finally made it home around 11pm. Though he was on call again the following night, we tried again...this time, SO much more successfully! 

Largely because Dave took charge of the dough and taught me what it's actually supposed to look and feel like: 

How much better do those look? The recipe is legit just a whole bag of potatoes, put through a ricer or food mill...plus three egg yolks, a pinch of salt and pepper, and flour to the point where it forms ^that^ kind of dough. It couldn't be easier - but so much of it is dependent on texture and feel that I was just screwed from the start. 

Dave also appreciated the importance of letting me taste-test all the way along the way - and had made another giant double batch of vodka sauce while I rolled and cut fifty million gnocchi. He cooked a few of them up for me and threw them in sauce/topped them with basil while I cut...and I almost immediately started dreaming of moving to Italy and just making/eating pasta full-time, "Master of None" style. 

UM HI. How delicious do those look?! 

So there you have it - homemade gnocchi by Chef Dave with yours truly alongside for sous chef comic relief. We have an overabundance of them hanging out in our freezer now - can't wait to spend the next couple months experimenting with sauces, or to keep learning the homemade pasta world! 

For more 101 in 1001, head here...it's probably about time to start thinking about tackling macarons, hmm?! 

101 in 1001: a catch-up

Guys, holy crap, I'm a lame delinquent loser who apparently never writes anymore and definitely never has any fun. (One of those statements is true.) I've been slowly but steadily checking off my 101 in 1001 list over the course of the last several months, and it's been a grab bag of incredibly fun, amusing, and just plain productive experiences to have! 

Up first: #84, See a comedy or improv show! 

Dave, Laura and I are all obsessed with Iliza Shlesinger, who won "Last Comic Standing" in 2008 and has produced several Netflix specials since then. We marathoned through all three of them within the first couple months we lived together, and some of her jokes have become so integrated into our day-to-day interactions with each other that I find myself checking in with outsiders, asking "Wait - have you seen Iliza?" Inevitably, the answer is no, which makes me think I must have really un-funny friends (or, more likely, friends who DON'T just watch Netflix comedy specials for fun on a random Tuesday...). 

Dave found out she was coming to San Francisco in December, and once we discovered that those tickets were sold out, I immediately jumped on her shows in San Jose at the end of September. We grabbed dinner in downtown San Jose before the show, took a quick tequila shot, and headed over. 

Friends, it was such a win of an evening. I honest-to-goodness laughed so hard I actually cried at a few of the sketches, which are incredibly relatable and universal. Her skewering of Millennial female stereotypes, the all-encompassing physicality of her performances, and her voices and - best of all - random noises ...it all set the stage for an evening of complete giddiness. I can't wait for her book to come out (next week, already pre-ordered, nbd) and for her next Netflix special.

Also on the list: #42, Subscribe to a podcast. I've written in the past about my love for Minnesota girl Nora McInerny Purmort, who lost her husband to a brain tumor and has turned tragedy into empowering triumph with her Still Kickin' foundation, Hot Young Widows Club outreach group, and gorgeous memoir, "It's Okay To Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too)." She's taken her empire-building one step further in her American Public Media podcast "Terrible, Thanks For Asking," which delves into how the human spirit experiences, works through and survives tragedy. I, for one, am totally riveted. 

The honesty behind the podcasts,and the way they don't gloss over and shy away from the negatives, is really refreshing in this world where everyone is always "so busy!" "so happy!" "so grateful!" "so #blessed!" - I derive a lot of value from the gorgeous storytelling and the reminder that there are people in the world who are fighting terrible battles with grit and humor and frustration and anger every day. Check it out if you need a reality check - and let me know if you do!

An item I've had on my housekeeping list for way too long: #47, Join the bone marrow registry. This one couldn't have been easier to check off - I did a quick survey and provided some information on Bethematch.org, and a kit was mailed to my apartment. After a simple, painless cheek swab, I popped the kit in the mail and called it a day. 

This is legitimately one of the easiest ways to do some good in the world that I have ever found. It takes all of twenty seconds to do the actual swabbing, it's free, and there's no guarantee that you'll be called upon to be an actual donor. Even so, though, putting the possibility out there is a great thing to do - get your kit today!!

On the admittedly shallow end of the scale, I derived SO MUCH SATISFACTION from calling "#63: Figure out how to fold fitted sheets" complete. Fitted sheets have long been the bane of my anal-retentive, perfectionist existence - I can't stand floppy, imprecise piles of sheets in my closet, and with space at an all-time premium in my non-walk-in here in Cali, I prioritized this. How'd I do it? I watched this video no less than ten times, cursing and sweating a little bit as I battled with my own sheets, and then - suddenly, miraculously - it clicked. Look at that sweet folded pile, below! Proud of me, and you should be too. 

And wrapping up this round-up, #56: Try to grow an herb garden. When my mom was in town helping me move, we blacked out a little bit in the Palo Alto Anthropologie and Co's gorgeous Terrain outdoor department, and before I knew it, I had dropped like $75 on plants and herbs and gardening kits. OOPS #basicfail. 

We potted cilantro, basil and mint, and parked them on my sunny little windowsill to see what happened. Call me a bad blogger, but below are the only two photos I took after the (messy) potting process: 

So how'd it go? Well, my cilantro flourished, and I used it twice on Taco Nights with the roomies! My basil came in profusely, but was kind of undersized and a little bit bitter...I threw it in pesto to use it all up. As for the mint? Total fail. I never saw even one seed sprout. What a disappointment - I guess all my fantasies of mojitos and juleps were meant to come to naught. Oh well! 

With the holidays approaching, I'm planning on checking off a few more fun items and seeing what I can get done...check out the rest of my 101 in 1001 here! 

101 in 1001 #89: Try five new Twin Cities restaurants!

Confession: I am a foodie. 

I mean, duh, anyone who follows me on Instagram or has met me even a handful of times knows that. I eat at Spoon and Stable more than most 28-year-olds eat at Taco Bell. I'm growing more and more adventurous and proficient in the kitchen, but dining out and well has always been my first love. 

I do, however, get in the habit of going to the same few places over and over again. Current faves: Spoon, duh (always and forever, and yes it's so pretentious that I just called it Spoon)...Cafe Lurcat, right across the park from my apartment...Saint Genevieve for champagne and delish snackies...and of course Meritage and the St Paul Grill across the river in St Paul. So I made it a goal to branch out as part of my 101 in 1001, and I've hammered this one out in record time. 

1. Revival St Paul

My coworker AJ and I headed here for a spontaneous lunch outing one day when he was taking a half day. I had the sweet tea to drink, and he had the bourbon sweet tea...I was very jealous that he didn't have to go back to the office :) 

Revival is famous for having the best fried chicken currently available in Minnesota, but also for a damn good burger, so we did what all the cool kids do and got both, to split...plus some cornbread and a side of pimento mac and cheese: 

Verdict: There is no overhyping in the Cities when it comes to Revival. Both the burger and the chicken were high up in the pantheon of MSP GOAT, at least in my book. I left totally satisfied and spent the rest of that afternoon in a finger-licking food coma at my desk, fantasizing about fried things and the crispy, perfect top of that mac and cheese. 

2. Young Joni

Dick and Jodester beat me to Young Joni, the newest offering by Pizzeria Lola's wonder woman Ann Kim (nominated for a James Beard award, woo!). Young Joni, in Northeast just around the corner from Dangerous Man, offers her famous woodfired pizzas, but also expands into Korean-influenced riffs on other favorites. 

We ordered the "La Parisienne" pizza (prosciutto, gruyere, ricotta, brown butter, caramelized onions, and arugula), and it was revelatory. As was the shishito-pepper-laden cauliflower with golden raisins, though we weren't as wild about the Sweet and Spicy Pork Spare Ribs. The cocktail list was craft/artisan-level good, which is rapidly becoming de rigeur around the Cities, but my personal fave: 

The "Church Basement Bar Platter" for dessert. SO MINNESOTAN. Tiny morsels of Brownie, mini chocolate chip cookies, and dark chocolate-coated Special K bars, all served with a tiny carafe of ice-cold milk. Such a novel presentation and exactly what I love about creative dining in the TC. 

3. The Lexington

The Lexington, affectionately known by locals as "the Lex," has a storied history in St. Paul but has been closed for years due to a never-ending renovation and endless disputes with the city. It reopened this February, restored to its former glory, and it's just lovely.

I grabbed a spot in the bar on a frigid late-February day with Dick and Jodester, marveling at the gorgeous wainscoting, beamed ceilings, roaring fire and gorgeous vintage white baby grand piano. 

We got to enjoy the view through rose-colored (and blue, and green, and lavender, and yellow!) glass...the famous stained glass windows are original. 

Dad enjoyed a Vesper, Mom a "Minnesota Collins." 

I hollered back to my London days with the prettiest take on a Pimm's cup...

...and of course a little bubbly, because that's my jam and why not pop bottles on a Tuesday at happy hour? We also enjoyed their fried chicken sliders and garlic parsley fries (seriously such a good snacky dinner).

4. Mercury Dining Room and Rail

We hit up Mercury before my dad and I went to our Whiskey on Ice event, so I was coming out of the dark, terrible throes of the flu (plague). As such, I was not at my dining-out best, and barely touched my food, and skipped a drink altogether (also, duh, we were going to go drink copious amounts of whiskey). That said, the atmosphere is a huge improvement over former tenant Brasserie Zentral...

...and the quarter of the avocado and smoked-tomato relish grilled cheese I choked down was delicious (and made great leftovers once my stomach was back up to actual food)! I really ought to go back and retry this one when I'm feeling less like microwaved death.

5. Bellecour

BELLECOUR! Oh Bellecour. The new restaurant by my favorite person, Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable, resides in the old Blue Point space in charming downtown Wayzata. Just like big sis S&S, it's nearly impossible to score a reservation, but Jodester did on the day the restaurant officially opened, and we headed there last weekend for our inaugural trip.

Much like Spoon, it is immediately apparent just how much thought and intention went into designing the more classic-French Bellecour. It's absolutely lovely, from their enticing pastry window and bakery...

...to the cozy bar, walls of wine, gleaming kitchen, and this mural, which I am utterly obsessed with, in their light-flooded Garden Room (where we dined). The feeling is so different from Spoon, but the same level of attention to detail ensures that the experience, once again, leaves visitors spellbound. 

We started with the most gorgeous Cremant de Loire, a Champagne-adjacent wine region in France, and also enjoyed a fantastic, very mineral Sancerre with our entrees. Adding to the fun of the night: I had made the acquaintance of sommelier Nicolas Giraud at Spoon and Stable on New Year's Eve, when we chatted in French for about 10 minutes about the dinner's wine pairings and his background. He remembered me, and came up to our table launching straight into French, for another quick chat about Bellecour, the wine, and the adventure of running two restaurants with exquisite wine offerings. I was on cloud nine, and it wasn't just the cremant!

On to food! We started with oeufs mimosa, a Belgian endive salad (front), and a fabulously savory salade frisée (right) with quail egg and sherry vinaigrette. All fantastic, and so carefully executed and plated that it took the entire experience to a visually delicious level as well. 

Dad ordered steak frites, with a beautiful filet and fantastic fries. Mom ordered short rib, served with a sauce au poivre and the teensiest mushroom duxelles...fall-off-the-bone tender and so savory. My duck a l'orange, meanwhile, was flawless...and I'm very picky about duck. Just LOOK at that!

We wrapped up with two desserts...a honey-and-cream vacherin and a Paris-Brest interpretation of a profiterole...and a chat with the hostess and Gavin himself, who came over and graciously indulged our gushing for nearly ten minutes. We're total groupies, and I feel no shame...my dad, in particular, is obsessed. A quick shout-out to Gavin - he is truly the warmest, most personable restaurateur I've ever encountered, and his pride in his establishments, staff, service and cuisine is palpable. It makes dining at his places an absolute delight, and completely guarantees I will be a lifelong Kaysen loyalist. 

Can't wait to see what he does next...and what the next big things in the Twin Cities culinary scene will be! 

For more 101 in 1001, head here. And if anyone wants to HH at Bellecour, pound through some fried chicken at Revival, chill at the Lex, or go on new adventures...hit me up, yo!

101 in 1001 #65: Learn calligraphy!

I have a new hobby!!!!! Last night after nearly two months of anticipation, I took my first calligraphy class by Hooked Calligraphy through LAB Minneapolis, and it was an utter dream. 

Rewind: I've always had excellent cursive handwriting, and have always enjoyed that little nerd skill. See holiday to-do list, below, for example: 

I have ALSO, however, always had an absurdly intense desire to learn calligraphy. Fans of EL Konigsburg (one of my favorite children's book authors) may remember "The View From Saturday," a book about a quiz bowl team in which calligraphy plays a major role. No? Just me? Nbd. Throw on top of that the fact that my brilliantly gifted younger sister Em is a graphic designer and has a true artistic gift for lettering in all its forms, and you have one envious sister. See her work below, for example: 

HI RIGHT? So I signed up for the Lab class as soon as I decided to make calligraphy a goal on my 101 in 1001. Last night found me strolling across a drizzly, gray Loring Park (getting chased by a territorial goose in the process) to the Loring Corners building. 

My calligraphy companions and I wound our way through a labyrinthine warehouse/office space until we came to this most Instagrammable of setups for our evening class: 

I'm such an aesthete. Why not take the extra bit of bother to make something beautiful? The prettiness of the event set it up to be a truly fun and lovely evening. Major props to the team at LAB for ensuring the night was off to a gorgeous start! 

Our instructor for the night, the crazy-talented Clair of Hooked Calligraphy, walked us through the intricacies of the calligraphy pen and then threw us right in by telling us to dip our pens in our ink and try writing our names. Needless to say, I was NOT a natural. 

After hilarity ensued all around, and once I'd blotted the ink off my hands, sleeves, and the table (fail), we started with the basics...the downward stroke, the downward/upward combo, and then drawing "O"s. The tip of a calligraphy pen splits based on how much pressure the writer applies, and that drives the thickness of the line...thick lines and pressure for downward strokes, and the most feather-soft drag upward for thin upstrokes. It is HARD. 

That said, I was so pleasantly surprised by how fast I started to get the hang of it. Not saying that I instantly became a Martha Stewart-worthy calligrapher, by any means, but as soon as I got accustomed to the different grip and handfeel of the pen, and the excruciating slowness and attention to detail it required, I started improving. 

While we practiced, Clair passed around amazing samples of her work, on everything from wedding invitations and envelopes to postcards and gift tags. My favorite? She scanned her handwriting into her computer, and used it to make lasercut wood "place cards" for a wedding...they were spectacular and looked so impressive. 

By the end of class, I was utterly hooked...exactly the goal of a company called Hooked Calligraphy, duh! I can already tell that this is going to be a dangerous (and expensive) new hobby. It's perfect though...the careful intention behind the art, and the way it forces the writer to be slow and focused, is exactly what I need to unwind. 

Before you know it, I'll be hitting Emily levels of skill and artistry...HA! 

If you're into any kind of artistic endeavor in the Twin Cities, I can't recommend LAB highly enough...find them here. I'd also suggest you follow them (and Clair!) on Instagram for some major prettiness in your feed on the daily. Otherwise, check out the rest of my second 101 in 1001 here...and come along for the fun next time! 

101 in 1001: A few big work developments!

I’m really excited to be absolutely pounding through my second 101 in 1001 so far…after kicking it off less than two months ago, I’ve already checked off (or made plans to check off!) several items on the list. As many of those are professional at present, it’s an added bonus.

First, and most exciting, I’ve been invited to represent my employer on the 2017 Greater Twin Cities United Way Campaign Cabinet, checking off #52, “Get more involved in the United Way!” Joining just 40 other professionals in the Twin Cities area, the invitation is an absolute honor and will enable me to not only bring greater visibility to my employer’s campaign, but to shape and impact the campaigns of some of the Twin Cities’ biggest and most dynamic companies. The networking opportunities are killer, the mission is inspiring, and I can’t wait to be a part of the United Way’s next season.

Second, in February and March I checked off #41, “Plan an event for my board.” As I’ve mentioned in the past, I hold a position as a boardmember for the Saint Paul Public Schools’ finance curriculum, and it’s been a total adventure over the last year. I’ve learned so much about successful administration and partnering with the community – experiences I count myself very lucky to be having this early in my career. In February, we hosted 150+ high schoolers at my office for “Career Day,” with over 30 volunteers from my company running sessions on interview skills, resume reviews, and professional networking. The day was an absolute riot – I don’t think I stopped moving for the entire 6-hour event – and we got amazing feedback from students, volunteers and SPPS administrators on the day.

Then, in March, we welcomed 120+ sophomores to the office for “Branding Yourself Day,” a series of sessions on how to build a personal brand and ensure that these students have the skills and self-awareness to present themselves well. I ended up teaching several of the 45-minute sessions, covering everything from how to shake hands and dress properly to what makes brands successful in the millennial age. The day culminated with a 1.5-hour etiquette lunch taught by a professional etiquette coach…everything from how to eat to converse to generally succeed at a business luncheon. I had such a great time, and again, the feedback from the day was fantastic.

When days at the office get dull or I get dissatisfied with life, it’s always nice to know I have these relationships and experiences tucked in my back pocket. Serving the communities I live and work in, and representing my company positively in the Cities, doing what I love…does it get better? I’m incredibly grateful to the Greater Twin Cities United Way and to Saint Paul Public Schools for trusting me with these platforms, and can’t wait to continue growing in my civic and philanthropic engagement, whatever the next steps on that path may be!