Ha! Recovered it!

Here's the story.....

Starting today, I am underemployed. 

For a few months now, Husband and I have been lightly planning a new venture together--he loves educating about wine and all kinds of beverages and I love writing about food.

Why shouldn't we collaborate? We have a long-term goal of writing a book together, and in the meantime, we thought we'd start a website as a team, hoping to launch June of 2012. I was going to hire a designer and make everything lovely and beautiful and all sorts of things. This is when I thought there was good chance I would be getting a decently paying job and we could catch up after the stupid recession, and that I would have months and months to plan and make things lovely.

But, well, things don't always work out the way we think is best.

And, well, there's no time like the present, eh? I'm going to put up a black & white Muji-inspired website with no design. The whole point of it is so that I can start writing again, not to try and make things pretty.

I am going to try to do it right this time, or close to right. I'm going to try to make money (I know, laugh away). I probably won't get off the ground until March. I want to have a good amount of content so when I launch it won't be with just a post or two. That's what I did here and I think it helped me get an audience going.

The Concept::Husband & I are going to write about food, wine, lifestyle, traveling, things going on in Cbus - all sorts of things. The name is chosen and I'll let you know when I have enough content to give the link.

The Funding::I don't know how I'm going to do it yet, but I am hoping to make some money. Of course, my passion in writing has always been to promote and not to make money, but this time I'd like to do both.

Giving Back::Because Husband and I believe, wholeheartedly, in helping the artistic community, we are going to design a program to help artists in two ways - first, by offering very inexpensive, free, or barter advertising to working artists. Secondly, but sharing our donations and advertising funds with artists who are struggling to afford supplies and/or studio space. This is still in development, but the plan is to use 10% from all procedes to purchase gift cards to artist supply stores and eventually work on some sort of barter or subsidized studio space here in town (I haven't started developing the latter part, so if you have any thoughts, please feel free to share them). 

I'm going to do it, but I need help. Not massive help, but if I have ever helped you in any way, please consider giving back. I have absolutely no money to pay anyone. But, I can offer advertising, links, and other promo stuff in lieu of payment for those of you who enjoy bartering.

Here's what I need:

• Someone to help me do some very, very simple html coding. My new site will be in Squarespace, so preferably someone with a working knowledge of their plateform. The code I need is probably so easy for a developer that they could just point me to a website to find what I need. 
• Some advertisers. Those of you who have advertised in the past will be contacted. If you are a company who appreciated Restaurant Widow, please consider advertising. My RW demographics are a specialty-retailer's dream, being rich and well-educated, for the most part.
• Partners in the arts community, preferably on the supply or studio side. If you are a studio owner or art supply dealer who would be willing to work on a discount deal for studio space or subsidized gift cards for struggling artists in exchange for advertising, please let me know.

Restaurant Widow, and my New Project, are all about making Columbus a better place to live. If you can help in any way with the needs I've listed above, or if you have any other super awesome ideas, please send me an email and we can talk.

There are things you hear your entire life; things you hear again and again. Some positive, some negative, some which seem one way and turn out differently in the end.

"You should be a foodblogger" says the sous chef where I'm working. We all have a laugh.

I've been bitter. I've been unsatisfied and bitter. 

It's not been doing anyone any good.

But you already know that.

I've been angry. I've been waking up at 7 (that's like 4am for normal people) and taking the bus downtown--even wearing a skirt sometimes--I've been sitting under unflattering lights. I've been sucking on Xanax and meeting new people. I've been trying and trying and trying and still just not quite getting there.

I've been lying awake at night and obsessively folding things from papper. I've been weird and uncomfortable and desperately trying to explain myself to eye-rolling listeners. 

I've been working as a copywriting intern in an advertising agency, and I've just learned I won't be hired permenantly. It's a blow to my ego, but I'm hoping to use it as a good thing. 

I'm a writer. It's hard for me to communicate in the medium of the spoken word. I enjoy restaurant work because everything is black and white: the guest is happy or they aren't. Chef is mad or he isn't. Naturally there's drama and gossip everywhere, but in a restaurant things are so fast and full of adreneline that you tend to get everything out in one heated argument or yelling battle of wills and you might stomp around but by the end of the night after the beers and joints have been passed around you're all boys again. You'll hug before you go home and drunkenly tell each other how much you love each other and you don't mean it and we all know it's crazy incest abusive mother crap but it doesn't matter because it's all out in the open and it's a flash in the pan and then it's over. 

In an office, there's protocal. let's leave everything all unsaid and just say that I have been working as a copywriting intern in the hopes of getting permenant employment but I won't be. In 2 weeks, I will be severly underemployed. 

When I was first told on Friday (like I'm a crazy person?), naturally I had fits and panic attacks and a brief crying meltdown. 

During one of those, I was actually a horrible enough of a cliche to be sitting in a dive bar crying into beer and tequila shots. Isn't that fabulous? So melodramatic, just like a real   writer. I'm smitten with myself right now. I even got into a laughing, crying, hysterical fight with some drunk guy next to me. 

Husband rolled his eyes as I recounted my failures in the decade since graduating college, ticking them off and crying while he made every effort to get a word in edgewise to finally crack and pound his fist on the bar and say "regret is stupid. You've learned things. So what if things aren't 100% the way you thought they'd be?" Husband continued his typical sanity while I signaled the bartender for more tequila.

He's right, of course. I shouldn't have regrets. Regrets are for people who aren't willing to enjoy the journey.

When there's something you can do, something you can do well, there has to be a way to make it work, right? I know I'm ridiculously naive and equally cynical at the same time, all the while continuing to be a cliche. 

So what does this mean? I'm going to start writing about food again. The details are coming soon. 

Over here.

It's not a food blog, it's just writing. Writing and Pictures. I'm not going to mince words::I've had a rough past year, mostly just dealing with major burnout accompanied by a nice big dollop of self doubt topped with freshly-grated anxiety, dusted with just a hint of zested agoraphobia. I'll leave it at that except to say that I know the one thing I can do well is write. 

And so I've decided to begin writing again, for myself. The site is not intended to be informative, it does not have a theme. It's just whatever's on my mind. It's self-centered and unsensored, and therefore is PG 13. 

So there. No promises, but I thought those of you who have followed me for years might be interested.

Dear Readers,

After 1800 posts, 2 million readers, and 6 years, I have decided to retire Restaurant Widow effective February 1st.

I made this decision in May 2010, so this is not some melodramatic plea for attention.

In 2011, I will be focusing on recovering from the recession and will be returning to school for a degree in digital illustration. I will also be helping Husband study, as he will sit for the Master Sommelier Exam again in July, in Las Vegas.

I will continue writing, but will keep it under wraps in hope that one day, I can sell something.

I truly want to thank everyone for reading, following, writing, commenting, and sharing RW with your friends.

I will keep RW up and running (in a static capacity), and will work on retooling the site so that recipes, reviews, and the like can still be found easily.

Thanks again, Kitty Cats.

Cheers,

Lisa the Waitress

In the interest of full disclosure, DOC is paying for this post.

But seriously, what could be better than giving someone a meal at 53 restaurants (including most of my personal favorites) for the holidays? Better yet, you don't even have to leave your computer. 

Even better, buy them in bulk for your clients and employees (great discount bulk pricing is available, click here for more details).

I recommend buying numerous DOC gift certificates in smaller increments, so that your recipient can try out as many restaurants as they'd like! For example, four $25 certificates could buy a great brunch at Skillet and then dinner at G. Michael's! Or Basi, the Refectory, Rigsby's, Alana's, Luce, etc. If your recipient eats out at lunch a lot, give them in $10 so that they can enjoy Tasi, Katzinger's, Spinelli's Deli, and the Wildflower Cafe.

To learn more about Dine Originals Dollars, to see a list of restaurants, and more importantly, to buy some gifts, please click on over to their website!

When I was a baker, the restaurant where I worked sold apple crisps. Lots of apple crisps. With oatmeal streusel. And scoops of Jeni's Salty Carmel ice cream.

Each individual crisp required one full apple, and on weekends we would frequently sell 40 crisps a night. I peeled and sliced lots of apples. Our sous chef taught me this method for making easy work of this process. Don't bother buying expensive peelers; the best ones are T-shaped and cost under $2.    

1. Your fruit. A pomme fruit is an apple, pear, or quince (I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting and too lazy to look up). Here, I have used a quince, because I was in the process of making quince preserve:
   
   
   
2. Slice the tops and bottoms from your fruit. 
   
3. Hold the peeler in you dominant hand, and the fruit in your holding hand. Rotate the fruit while you peel each strip in a downward motion.
   
4. Slice the "cheeks" from the core.
    
   
    
5. Cut each cheek into 3-4 sections, and then slice across to create smaller chunks.
   
   
   
   
    
6. There you have it! the core and the slices, ready for pie or crisps or whatever! Easy Peasy.
   
   

A quince is the last hope of winter. Hard as a rock, tart, inedible when raw, and possessing an unbelivibly intoxicating aroma, the quince is a reminder that good can come from even the most barren and depressing landscape. A quince is full of so many metaphors it's almost too easy to list them here without feeling like a lazy writer. There's just something about this winter fruit I can relate to. The quince is kind of like a difficult person - you'll hate it at first, but if you give it some sugar, warmth, time, and patience, you'll see it was worth it. Or maybe you'll still hate it, but at least respect it.

The first time I ever held a raw quince was a number of years ago at Alana's. They had recently received a few bushels from a farmer and sent me home with four of them. I was so amazed by their aroma that for awhile I just walked around holding one to my nose. I was so amazed that something so hard and astringent could produce such a lovely aroma. 

Inspired once again by Chef David Tanis' Heart of the Artichoke, I bought some quince of my own (a very few farmers have them around Thanksgiving, and they may also be found at Market District and Mediterranean Imports; they also grow wild in Ohio) and turned them into two wonderful products: preserve and quince syrup, which makes amazing gimlets... (recipe at end of preserve reserve)

Cooking quince takes very little active work, but it does take quite a bit of time. I might even use the slow cooker the next time, because I found 6 hours to be the right amount of time (this is far longer than other recipes I've read: I'm not sure if it's because I didn't have time to cook them all at one time or if my stove isn't very powerful or what, you will have to experiment on your own).

Don't skip the lemon juice at the end of the recipe! I find most commercial quince preservers far too sweet; the small hit of acidity prevents that sticky, cloying quality. Traditionally, quince preserve (aka membrillo, in Spain) is served with hard, aged cheeses such as Manchego (the aged sheep's milk cheese of Spain). I've discovered it's also nice with rich, sweet cheeses such as Mimolette and Beemster XO. It's also nice on toast with cream cheese, and makes a surprising foil to pork - it's actually quite a nice sandwich spread, with cured meats. Because quince contain loads of natural pectic, you will end up with a very thick paste, which can sometimes be sliced. The quince naturally turn red when cooked with sugar, which only adds to the mysterious beauty of this fruit.

Quince, Two Ways, Just One Pot - Makes about 1 cup syrup and 1 cup preserve. This recipe was inspired by David Tanis, who was in turn inspired by David Lebovitz's rosy poached Quince slices.

4 ripe quince - they will never be soft; you can tell they are ripe if they are very yellow and smell wonderful at the ends
2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Bring the water and sugar to a boil.

Peel the quinces; the peels tend to attach very securely to the starchy fruit inside, so be sure to use a very sharp peeler or pairing knife. Cut the "cheeks" away from the core, leaving the entire core whole, as a rectangle, so that the seeds and woody core bits are still contained inside. (See my tutorial on cleaning pomme fruits here)

Slice the fruit; add the fruit and the cores to the boiling water and turn to medium low, or low if you don't want to constantly monitor the progress. Begin checking the quince after 45 minutes. The slices will become very rosy and translucent when they are beginning to cook, however I noticed they still aren't done at this point. You really have to keep checking their doneness by removing a slice and cutting a small piece from it, and eating it. When it is very soft and sweet, it's ready.

When the quince are very soft, pull the cores from the pot and turn the heat off. Place a fine mesh sieve over a jar a strain off most of the liquid; what remains should be the sliced quince with  enough syrup to coat, but not necessarily cover, the fruit. Set the jar aside to cool, this is your syrup!

To make the preserve, add the lemon juice to the slices, then use a stick blender and very thoroughly puree the quince slices; this takes a little longer than you might think, if you want the texture to be smooth and consistent. Once everything is smooth, place it in a container with an airtight lid, but don't cover yet. Allow the preserve to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. This lasts pretty much indefinitely if kept cold and away from things which are moldy.

The syrup is yummy on vanilla ice cream or added to other fruits. To make a quince gimlet, shake 3 ounces of vodka with 1/2 ounce each lime juice and quince syrup. Oh yes, it is yummy. Really yummy with just a light blush.

Congratulations, Columbusites: our fair city is now home to one of (if not THE) best microdistilleries in the US.

I will be writing more about Watershed's new gin & vodka, but until I have time, I wanted to let everyone know that they will be having an open house this evening from 6-9pm. Take a tour, see the still in action, and hear about the distilling process from super cool distillers Dave Rigo and Greg Lehman. These guys are full Ohio Midwesterners and I've completely fallen in love with them and their product. 

Tasting laws in Columbus are fun! (read:not fun), so you will only be able to see the action, but a nearby bar will have it on hand for sampling afterwards. 

I got to play around mixing cocktails with Watershed last night and we made some tasty, tasty drinks. You should go.

***updated****

Queue the cliched remarks about how it's snowing and I can't believe it's December......

yikes.

• Tonight begins a month of candlelit dinners in the Palm House at Franklin Park Conservatory (I can't get their website to come up at the moment, so no link)
• Get some art (and wine) into your life tomorrow and spend your happy hour at the Columbus Museum of Art at the Uncorked! Wine Club. Tickets are $25.
• Enjoy free lunchtime concerts in the Crypt at the Statehouse.
• Fans of Cheesecake Boy paintings can see original Paul Richmond paintings (and meet the artist) and enjoy a visit from drag queen superstar Nina West Thursday at Cheesecake Boy Extravaganza! at Luxboheme in the Short North. There will be a pinup photo booth with proceeds going to the Kaleidoscope Youth Center, which supports the teen GLBTQ community.
• The description "part Toy Story, part David Lynch" is intriguing enough to make me want to call in sick tomorrow to see The Attic, a Czech stop-animation film about a bunch of abandoned toys who devise a plan to rescue a fellow toy. I love animation, and creepy, Eastern European stop animation? Sign me up. I suppose I'll have to wait until it's on Netflix. But you should go see it! 
• The Wex also presents Soul Kitchen this week at the Gateway Film Center. 
• The Columbus Jazz Orchestra will be Jazzing up the Holidays this weekend at the Southern Theatre with Carmen Bradford. You can tour the theater before the performance!
• This weekend marks the first of several performances of JOY! by the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus.
• Saturday is Holidayville! in Clintonville. All along High Street, shops will showcase their best holiday-themed goodies and restaurants will offer samples.
• Also, this weekend (Friday & Saturday) is the Holiday Open House & Craft Extravaganza at the North Market. Crafts upstairs and loads of fun activities for the whole family downstairs. Christmas trees, the Nutcracker, and island music!

Now get out there and do something FUN. It's December, and it's gonna be FUN and Holiday and all that stuff.