You Call This Summer?

For those of you who live in Seattle, I think you will agree this has been a crap summer weather-wise. Granted, we were spoiled last year with weeks on end of perfect, sunny days and cool, clear nights, but this summer with its cold, rain, wind, and gray has been the sort of thing that gives our fair city a bad rep.

I’ve done my best to ignore the weather, cheerfully trudging through the rain with Onca the Cane Corso Mastiff in tow, but with Labor Day Weekend coming to a close and the rain pattering away outside the windows, I finally gave up and did what to me signifies surrender to Fall more than anything else. Continue reading

Sesame Noodles with Tofu and Red Peppers

This past weekend we threw a little champagne BBQ Birthday Bash pour moi. It was a wonderful evening complete with:

• LOTS of bubbly (thank you Esquin for your giant magnum bottles)
• Blazing bonfire
• Evaluation of what constitutes inappropriate violations of personal space (e.g. crotch flicking)
• Delicious burgers
• A healthy debate over the merit (or lack thereof) of Bob Dylan
• A lemon cake provided by the impressive and talented Angela Clement
• Sesame noodles with tofu and red peppers

The last dish is a family favorite that often comes out at Family Reunions on Elk Lake. Continue reading

A guest post by Matthew Rhodes…

Attention Shut Up and Cook readers: your blog has been temporarily commandeered by the inter-web masterminds at “Shut Up and Ferment.”

Making hard cider.

A friend in the neighborhood has a very prolific apple tree in his yard. It’s not the largest apple tree you’ll find, but the sheer volume of apples it produces causes the branches to sag nearly to the ground. Unfortunately for apple pie lovers, these apples are not of the sweet variety. Continue reading

...tick tick tick

Those who know me, know that I am nothing if not planful. (which yes, I know, is one of those fake, obnoxious, corporate words, but I like it.)

I plan what I’m going to wear, what I’m going to eat, I plan out my vacation allotment nine months in advance, and forecast my spending for each month on the 1st. I plan when I’m going to get gas, when I’m going to write thank you cards, and when I’m going for a run. Continue reading

Learning how to ride on Riffle

When I was little I ran a business called Smart Cookie. I think I must have been nine or ten. It involved me raiding my mother and father’s pantries for ingredients, making cookies (Chocolate Chip and Ginger) and then shamelessly and relentlessly hocing them to neighbors, friends, and family via walking up and down our street tugging them along behind me in a little red wagon. I sold them for $3 per baker’s dozen, and it was my great intent to use all the money I made to buy a pony. Continue reading

Summer Dining, Family Style

I come from a large, loud, opinionated, funny, brutal, supportive, critical, and awe-inspiring extended family. The Malarkeys are…as my husband likes to say…”a force”. There are a lot of us, we all think we’re great, we all think the others are even greater, and we love nothing more than getting together to talk about said greatness, eat fantastic food, drink great wine, and reminisce about past meals and past wine we’ve shared. In short..just a little Irish. Continue reading

Recipe: Quinoa with Feta, Tomatoes, and Basil Tossed with a Lemon Vinaigrette

Quinoa with Feta, Tomatoes, and Basil Tossed with a Lemon Vinaigrette

Friends of ours, Liz and Daniel, recently had a baby. She is darling, and perfect, and oh-so-tiny. When you haven’t seen a newborn for a while you forget just how little they are. In typical Columbia City fashion the neighborhood has circled around them to provide support in the way of dog walking, plant watering, and, you guessed it, food delivery. Continue reading

Baked eggs with bacon and dill

When I was little I was notorious for going, going, going. I never wanted to miss a moment, miss a party, miss a chance to be the center of attention. I would rush from activity to activity, ignoring my mother’s admonitions to slow down. When I could go no further I would crash, falling fast asleep wherever I was, and like a light bulb, I was out.

I’m afraid that the years have made me only slightly better at understanding the importance and value of taking a moment to be quiet. Continue reading