tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70093082010-01-22T13:45:15.800-05:00Miss Ginsu: intrepid food explorerMissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.comBlogger800125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-66022350964979019682009-11-29T13:28:00.004-05:002009-11-29T14:12:35.764-05:00

I'm hanging up the oven mitt, folks!After five and a half years of food blogging, at least four site redesigns, a few culinary mishaps and many tasty adventures, I've decided to stop posting here at MissGinsu.com (though I'll leave the site online for continued reference).Special thanks to everyone who stopped by offering comments, insights and links. I appreciate the whole grand assortment of

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-91608078023395252012009-11-23T21:00:00.012-05:002009-11-24T07:59:00.761-05:00

Tolstoy begins Anna Karenina with this famous line: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Similarly, of Thanksgiving dinners, I might say, "Average Thanksgiving dinners are all alike; every interesting Thanksgiving dinner is unique in its own way."Thanksgiving meals I grew up with were always the most basic Midwestern fare (probably because grandma didn't

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-14650030222305585452009-11-14T08:46:00.004-05:002009-11-14T09:48:02.518-05:00

I'd been pretty convinced of New York's status as the finest food city in the States, but a few experiences last weekend have shaken that conviction a bit. Out in San Francisco, I spent a fast-paced, food-focused weekend hosted by Foodbuzz, an online community of bloggers and food lovers.Most of the activity was based around the Ferry Building, which is like a gastronomic Disneyland, especially

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-53897137502902017492009-10-27T20:02:00.005-04:002009-10-27T21:34:56.648-04:00

Halloween really snuck up on me this year, and that never happens. I usually have a costume idea by August. By the first of the month, I'm usually sipping cider and toasting pumpkin seeds. But this year, I'm in an arm cast, so everything takes longer to do and I'm left with fewer costume options. Mummy? Zombie accident victim? Abominable snowman? I'm at a loss.Thankfully, cast or no, there can

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-7923964157134492622009-10-25T17:54:00.001-04:002009-10-25T21:40:15.416-04:00

I just spent all my allowance on food. But honestly, you would've done the same, right? It was a beautiful autumn day in New York, and there were rows and rows of tempting food vendors at the New Amsterdam Market.I attended the market for the first time in June last year, and it's just gotten bigger and better in the interim. If you've not been, the New Amsterdam is kind of a cross between the

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-73433893186045209932009-10-18T15:00:00.006-04:002009-10-18T16:31:36.154-04:00

This may seem a bit strange, but one of my very favorite overseas travel activities isn't visiting the museums or galleries (though they're very nice, of course)... it's touring local grocery stores and food shops.I like to see how the average person lives. In Italy, for example, your average shopper has access to powerful traceability and sourcing information.Behold! Egg coding!The eggshells

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-67463983753488667582009-10-11T16:02:00.005-04:002009-10-11T17:13:48.721-04:00

Just to put this up front, I'm pretty much a recipe blogger, not a product blogger. When I write about a product it's because I genuinely like it and want to share the awesomeness. If there's a product I'm asked to sample, I'll let you know who sent me the sample. I've always been straight-up about this kind of thing, but apparently there are enough issues out there that the FTC is writing laws

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-68421209099326046342009-10-06T08:57:00.000-04:002009-10-06T08:57:00.639-04:00

Remember the anticipation of childhood? The upcoming birthday. Christmas morning. Summer camp. Children are capable of an eagerness so passionate, you can almost watch them vibrate when they ponder certain approaching moments.Of course, we soon learn that the anticipation is often strangely sweeter than the ultimate gratification.But I must admit, I'm feeling some great, giddy excitement since

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-47459147350756731732009-10-04T18:19:00.008-04:002009-10-04T20:30:59.678-04:00

"First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you."- F. Scott FitzgeraldSay you find yourself standing on an uninhabited island among gaily costumed picnickers with a cocktail in your hand, a dance floor and orchestra before you, a pie contest to your left and the Dorothy Parker Society just behind you. Never fear. You're probably not dreaming or in a time warp. In

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-25573592392723618382009-10-02T11:33:00.004-04:002009-10-02T12:23:19.609-04:00

Two words that embody what's awesome about flying Air France:"Champagne Apéritif"Ahhhhhh. Chanoine Brut Grande Reserve. The fennel crackers weren't half bad, either.Actually, I love flying Air France for a number of these little niceties. The texture of the blankets and pillowcases. The fact that (even in the standard economy-class seats) they give me a little travel packet with a moist towelette

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-81458047154386577802009-09-01T20:58:00.001-04:002009-09-02T19:45:47.553-04:00

As the last big weekend for summer grilling approaches, what's the ultimate summer dessert? The ice cream sandwich? The s'more? I had a thought this week... why not combine the two? Behold: The Ice Cream Smore'wich!Click in for the full-size versionI've done a bit of (rich, tasty, chocolaty) experimentation, and I'm here to tell you, there's the fast and easy way, and then there's the longer (but

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-63660253769969720132009-08-26T09:36:00.001-04:002009-08-26T09:36:00.475-04:00

As city-based CSA member, I'm on the receiving end of a long process. Vegetables, fruit, flowers and eggs just magically show up every week at my CSA drop-site in Brooklyn, leaving me with very vague notions of the machinations behind the mesclun mix.A recent trip out to my CSA source, Garden of Eve Farm, finally unveiled some of the hard work and careful planning that go into each bulb of fennel

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-24034029713574338792009-08-25T09:34:00.001-04:002009-08-25T09:34:00.340-04:00

One of the most interesting things I learned while visiting Garden of Eve Farm just recently is the way that small-scale organic veggie farmers like Chris and Eve are looking to the technology of yesterday to help them streamline their work today.All-Crop Combine in the back, New Holland (a seeder, I think) up in the front.When you really think about it, this makes sense. It wasn't until after

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-11980400933435476602009-08-24T08:55:00.004-04:002009-08-24T23:27:59.207-04:00

Having been a CSA member for many years, it's my great shame that I've only just visited the source of my delicious veggies. Thankfully, now I've been there and back, returning with armfuls of fun things to share.But first, a little context: Garden of Eve Farm spreads out across 120 acres on Long Island. Family farmers Chris and Eve actively seed 40 acres of that land at any one time with their

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-61123288234306650492009-08-17T09:03:00.000-04:002009-08-17T09:03:00.442-04:00

As the family legend has it, on the night before I was born, my mother cooked up a pizza topped with sliced green tomatoes, and the next morning, pop! There I was. (Though, truth be told, it may actually have taken a bit more effort than I'm leading on...)I won't go so far as to call green tomatoes some kind of folk remedy for inducing labor, but I sure do think they provide awfully good

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-19585223841856710952009-08-07T07:07:00.001-04:002009-08-07T10:48:43.609-04:00

I'm convinced that if there's ever an apocalypse, you really want a roller derby girl on your side. Not only do they have rough and tumble skills and mighty muscles for fighting off the zombie hordes, derby girls tend to be some of the most ambitious, multi-talented people I know.Case in point: Suzy Hotrod — talented photographer, guitarist in a punk band, speed demon on a flat track, horchata

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-27054860725003086712009-08-03T19:32:00.001-04:002009-08-03T20:24:43.660-04:00

With so many fruits and vegetables available year-round, it's rare in the modern world to enjoy a food that's really, truly a limited-time offer. You can get an apple in June, when, by all rights, all the apples from the previous autumn should be long gone. But it seems it's always apple season somewhere, and we've come to rely on that constant availability.But due to a brief season and great

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-83356373914151028372009-07-30T21:01:00.000-04:002009-07-30T22:34:32.162-04:00

The vendor had noticed us ogling her herbs. "It's papalo! Here, take some with you." she chirped. "I'll write the word down for you. It's from Mexico. Use it like cilantro."At the next stand over, we scored some gray sole and returned home with arms full of tomatoes, onions, lettuces, cucumbers and this unfamiliar herb.A quick web search revealed that papalo is indeed native to Mexico, and it

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-57116654304922569462009-07-26T12:07:00.005-04:002009-07-26T12:39:01.793-04:00

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Boy, the world could really use another website. There's just not enough out there right now, and I'm feeling unfulfilled."Okay, so maybe you're not thinking that. And maybe the world doesn't really need another website. But this isn't just any new website. This is a sensory explosion of beauty, passion and color wrapped up in an efficient 5-7-5 line

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-84875868891472116282009-07-22T09:16:00.002-04:002009-08-29T09:24:35.901-04:00

The Big ViewAh, Duluth... So much easier to say than, say Keegewaquampe (though in truth, the Chippewa kind of had first dibs on naming rights).Mum and I met up in Minneapolis and pushed north to take in the promised delights of the Lake Superior region. And delight there was. We were only there overnight, so I won't be revealing any state secrets here, but I will say that if only famed Kentucky

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-8274022508316909202009-07-14T11:38:00.002-04:002009-07-15T08:00:34.141-04:00

Ah, the 14th of July! The season of fresh, local cherries. The celebration of Bastille Day. The time to bake a fruity dessert for this week's Dessert Corps project. Oh, hey... look at that. It's like a cosmic alignment of forces telling me it's time to make a cherry clafoutis, the traditional custard pudding of Limousin in the heart of la belle France.As it happens, the fantastic Dessert Corps

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-38061023909662041382009-07-13T11:13:00.000-04:002009-07-13T11:13:00.960-04:00

This is Just to SayI have eatenthe tomatothat was onthe fire escapeand whichyou were probablysavingfor your returnForgive meit was deliciousso richand so ripeApologies to William Carlos Willaims

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-82340264314006905822009-07-12T11:37:00.007-04:002009-07-12T12:16:34.999-04:00

If you're a longtime reader, you may have noticed I've posted more infrequently lately. There's a reason for that: In order to fulfill a personal New Year's Resolution this year, I'm training for my very first triathlon — a sprint tri in Central Park that takes place next month.Now, maybe some people can complete an Ironman event in their sleep, but if you'd known me when I was a sprout, you'd

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-80705912705257429282009-06-30T19:08:00.003-04:002009-06-30T21:37:59.119-04:00

"I think I need more," she said, with only the slightest trace of sheepish guilt in her expression. "If I give you money, can you see if they have more?"Tomorrow is my CSA pick-up day. But today, my coworker, a fellow local food devotee, is hitting me up. She's shoving money in my hands. For vegetables? Nah. For fruit? Nope. She wants cookbooks. Cookbooks produced by CSA volunteers, no

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7009308.post-1662741959346050692009-06-16T21:41:00.005-04:002009-06-16T23:31:30.971-04:00

Of all the fruits, rhubarb retains the most magical nostalgic quality for me. Back when I was very small, it grew gargantuan each spring around the farmhouse. My mom always made terrific rhubarb desserts. Sweet-tart. Spicy. Distinctly rhubarb-y.What's funny is that rhubarb isn't actually a fruit. It's a stem, making it technically a vegetable... but who eats rhubarb as a vegetable? No, rhubarb is

MissGinsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06432222067707277313noreply@blogger.com0