The Life and Times of Arthur Marina: November 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Pizza Menu. "Cheeseless - No Cheese... Side of Parmesan Cheese"

I thought you said No Cheese!
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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries and Walnuts - Papawow's Feed

Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries and Walnuts

Posted: 24 Nov 2010 09:15 AM PST

Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries and Walnuts Yes, I realize that the name of these cookies constitute their own paragraph; maybe their own zip code, but that's what...

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas - Papawow's Feed

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 09:00 AM PST

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas This is one of my go-to weeknight meals when I don’t have much time yet I want something nutritious without sacrificing flavor. The...

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Ah got my Bubba's Coozie from Hawaii, "We relish your buns - We Cheat Tourists, Drunks & Attorneys"

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Coconut Saffron Basmati Rice - Papawow's Feed

Coconut Saffron Basmati Rice

Posted: 20 Nov 2010 07:00 AM PST

Coconut Saffron Basmati Rice

Since we make a stir-fry or a curry at our house on a weekly basis, this has become a staple. This Coconut Saffron Basmati Rice recipe takes white rice and elevates it to regal status. I could eat a big bowl of this on its own. I could rub this all over my face and go to sleep in it. I could springboard forward 2 and 1/2 somersaults in the pike position into a swimming pool of this stuff.

It is amazing.

Adding coconut oil gives it a little tropical touch, but a serious tropical - sans umbrella. The saffron brings that floral nuance that basmati rice already has, but forgot to bring to the dance. The last part is the Better than Bouillon; which I think is really better than bouillon. Saltiness is what rice needs to keep it from going flat on you.

One trick is to add twice the saffron the cheapskate side of your brain tells you to add. Yes, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Yes, at $1,000 per pound, it is ridiculously more expensive than anything else. Yes, it takes between 50,000 and 75,000 dried flowers to produce only one pound of saffron. Yes, a little bit goes a long way.

My cheapskate brain has told me all of these things but the rational thought that comes next should be, "If I bought this little jar of saffron in 1988, why is it still here?" And that's the key. How old is your saffron? Was it picked sometime during the Carter Administration? Get over it. Dump it in some rice and buy some more.

The next trick is the coconut oil. Stir it in at the end, to fluff the rice, and not in the beginning. This is so that you don't cook the turquoise lagoon and white sand beach out of it. You want the pure essence of the coconut to remain. You may be pleasantly surprised how light coconut oil is, it is much lighter than olive oil or butter.

The last secret is Better than Bouillon. This adds a complex saltiness that lends more body and richness than stock. It can also sit in the fridge for eons. Along with the rice, the saffron, and the coconut oil, these can be kept for a long time ready to be formed like Voltron when needed.

Coconut Saffron Basmati Rice

1 cup Basmati rice, rinced well
2 cups water
1 tablespoon of Better than Bouillon
1 large pinch of saffron, don't be a Grinch
1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Add the saffron and the Better than Bouillon to the water in a small pot, covered, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, which will cool the water, bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes. Kill the heat and stir in the coconut oil with a fork, fluffing the rice as well. Serve hot with a shovel.

Serves 2

In case you didn't know what Voltron was...

Friday, November 19, 2010

What we've been eating... 11/18/2010 - Papawow's Feed

What we've been eating... 11/18/2010

Posted: 18 Nov 2010 07:45 PM PST

I've been getting up really early these last couple of weeks - "and for my next trick I will make an iced coffee and make it disappear in 90 seconds!" Instant coffee, milk, stir, drink.

I had been using the Starbuck's VIA but recently bought a jar of Folger's instant and it isn't bad; that's my new trick for cutting through the fog of sleep when the sun hasn't yet made its appearance.

Some highlights, food-wise, were the homemade cauliflower and chickpea curry, a little sushi, [not one but] two trips to Pizza Port, and finishing off the SWAG from the Foodbuzz Festival.

This week was brought to you by the Firestone Winery (which is now owned by Foley), Sebastopol Hills Winery, the Sacred Hill Winery, and New Belgium Brewery.