Margee and Martha

The summer lull (aka No classes) at work has me watching lots of movies and reading lots of NY Times movie reviews. I've watched all kinds of random junk, pretty much whatever good quality pirated DVDs I can get my hands on. Rarely has it been a movie I sat down to watch, because I wanted to see it. One new movie that sparked my interest (based on content and not a monotonous 8 hour day) is Julie and Julia.

I haven't actually seen it, but everyone (Times included) keeps telling me how much they loved it, how much I would love it, and I believe them. I love a creative whim turning into a heartfelt success story. Something I love even more, however, is profiting on the use of others' creativity and turning it into my success story.

So without further ado (bahbahbaaaah!!!) adios, Aguacate. Hello. . .

Margee and Martha
The heartfelt story of two heartless women ruthlessly striving for culinary perfection. Though it may cost their souls, the gain of a homemade marshmallow of perfect proportion and density will make it all worthwhile.

Does this spell book deal segueing to movie deal or what? I bet Meryl Streep would do a pretty awesome Martha Stewart and if I ever think of a mid-twenties, blonde actress that doesn't annoy the shit out of me and actually eats (a lot), she could play me.

Maybe not. In reality, I do love Martha Stewart. I love how she's built such an empire, the lying to the feds, recipes ranging from incredibly simple to completely insane, the painstakingly beautiful desserts, her boozey drinks, her champagne and grapefruit sorbet, how I dream about someday getting married just because I want to have her berry-misu wedding cake. . . .However, I'm not planning on undertaking her oeuvre, not a chance. But I will pull out some of her simple and delicious recipes, rather than the more involved and my-god-why-would-you-bother ones.

So to combine my fleeting fancy of riding successes' coattails and Aguacate, I decide to make an avocado recipe of Martha's--Avocado Bruschetta with Green Sauce. And to move away from the themes of plagiarism to those lovely grey areas of inspiration, I have switched it to Avocado Tostadas with Green Sauce. In truth, partially because I can't find the quality of bread that I know Martha would insist upon.

Margee and Martha's Avocado Tostadas with Green Sauce
adapted from Martha Stewart Living July/August 1997
This is a great "final days of summer" meal or snack. Ridiculously easy to prepare and nice and light. Enjoy outdoors with some mezcal or a frosty mugged beer.

Serves 4
3/4 C Parsley
3/4 C Basil
1/8 C Cilantro
1/2 Jalapeño pepper, seeds discarded
3 Cloves of Garlic
5 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp Red Wine Vinegar
4 Ripe Avocados (aguacates maturas)
1 Tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
3 oz queso fresco
8 Corn Tostadas

Finely chop parsley, basil, cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic. In a small bowl whisk together with olive oil and vinegar. Or if you don't have a completely crumbbum kitchen and possess a blender/food processor, ignore all of the above and blend it. It will be much more of a sauce that way. You could also cheat and use prepared pesto, but know, deep down in your soul that is spending time not chopping herbs,watching Law and Order: Special Victims Unit reruns, that Martha and I judge and loathe you.

Moving on. . .Remove pits and chop avocados. Toss with lime juice.

Spread sauce (or herb mixture) on tostadas. Divide avocados and queso fresco between tostadas. Salt, pepper, and green salsa (not the sauce you just made, a spicy one Anita's, Mrs Renfro's etc.) to taste.

Vacation, Boredom, Babies, Donuts

My vacation is over. This is surprisingly bittersweet. The surprise is "sweet" tacked on the end of that word up there, but it was no accident. My vacation was wonderful, wild, fun, ridiculous, and completely exhausting. Sweetly, I'm back in Mexico and back at a job that for the next 2 months will involve mainly movie watching, facebook stalking, and epicurious.com salivating. It will be mind-numbingly boring in about 2 seconds, yes, but right now it is peaceful and relaxing in a way that only about 2 of my vacation days were.

It was really wonderful, though. I saw many of my favorite people and devoured many of my favorite things. Sushi, BLTs, sweet corn, fresh berry sorbet, salmon, pork loin with fennel, California style pizza (one thing I don't hate about CA). . . .the menu goes on and on. Let me assure you, between the leviathan culinary talents of my mother, sister, and aunt (I should also give my grandpa an "up and coming" award, he made a fantastic blueberry pie) and my mother's gardening prowess combined with Iowa's fecundity, I gorged steadily and happily on the freshest, most local (backyard), and deliciously/maniacally prepared food. Not once interrupted by the thought that I ought to get batteries for my camera and take pictures for you.

Besides eating, I also spent lots of time staring admiringly at my enormously-adorable, enormous nephew. Pinching his cheeks, accepting his slobbery kisses, and trying to sear my absentee aunt face into his memory took up a large part of my time.

Now that I'm back in Mexico, I'm spending most of my internet time looking at these beautiful photos that the talented Jess Nelson took of him. So adorable!

I'm also spending most (actually, all ) of my eating time in the post-vacation carryover of spoiled laziness zone. Which means, I haven't cooked anything. And I don't want to. And I don't really want to tell you about a new recipe, delicious Mexican food, or a clever family anecdote. And I don't feel bad about it, not one bit. (I think this post-vacation zone is also marked by large quantities of surliness).

One thing that I do want to do; eat a caramel cruller from Nord's Bakery. Donuts are my lazy, IdowhatIwant food. Unfortunately, I can't get them here. But I bet you can find them and tell me where you found them and how much you loved them. Even though you will be enjoying them and not me, I'll keep day dreaming about them. Mainly because of that picture of Barrett. Look at it again. Now look at this cruller picture. The way his chubbiness folds on his left side. . .do you see it? He's an almost-walking, human donut advertisement. And I'm sold. So I'm going to go back to gushing about how cute he is and salivating over the donuts he reminds me of. So there's that. Happy August.