Donde Estan Hopper Cakes?

I am having the hardest time finding hopper cakes this year. They are my favorite seasonal snack and I look forward to them every spring.

I can remember buying five boxes of the sweet little cakes a few years ago. I don't know what came over me as I'm not the sort to get swept up by "limited time offers," but hopper cakes are hard to find. They are only sold around Easter and only at select stores that tend to have only a few boxes or individual packs. You go back the next week, and they are all gone. That's probably why I go crazy and buy so many whenever I see them. They are just so rare.

Of course, I can and should live without them. No one needs to ingest such an artificial, sugar-packed snack. Yet, I love them and can't imagine the beginning of spring without them. Keep your fingers crossed that I find some before it's too late.

Elementary School Lunch Nite

Over the weekend, A-M, GFA, and I had a dinner party focused on eating some of the foods we loved in elementary school. It was an idea born at least a year ago that finally was realized.

There are many things that come to mind when thinking about elementary school. For me, I remember mostly recess, field day, nap time, chorus, my first long term crush, and of course, lunch time.

I ate lunch at school everyday until 7th grade--when eating cafeteria food became uncool, expensive, and not so appetizing. I remember paying $0.90 in the early years and $1.15 later on. My allowance (aside from cash for grades) came from the small amount of change I got each week. It wasn't much, but I always felt lucky to add a dime or nickel to my piggy bank.

Saturday, our menu included two main courses. We started with an appetizer of fish sticks and tater tots. Next up was mini corn dogs and a salad--to balance it all off. Yes, it was a night of grease and breading. And we definitely opted for wine over cartons of whole milk. But it was memorable.

Next time, we're going to try for a dessert night. Nothing but flour, butter, and sugar allowed. Things are really crazy for us at work and nothing beats down time with friends and an abundance of not so healthy food.

Saying Goodbye to Peanut Butter

Until yesterday, I ignored all the media hype and government warnings about contaminated peanut products. I am a longtime, rather obsessed consumer of peanut butter and peanut butter products. Ask anyone who has eaten lunch with me during the past 5 years and they will attest that I eat a PB & Jelly/Honey sandwich for lunch almost everyday. That sandwich is usually followed by at least one peanut butter granola bar towards the end of the day as a desert.

I attended a hearing on the PB-salmonella outbreak yesterday. Listening to the testimony of the families who lost their loved ones got to me. I don't think I've ever been so moved at a hearing. A woman who fought two bouts of cancer, lost her life because of peanut butter. A veteran, who managed to survive the Korean War, lost his life due to consuming contaminated peanut butter. A little boy who got sick and whose own doctor recommended contaminated peanut crackers. Unknowingly, he prescribed the parents to give their little boy the one thing that was making him sick.

I, too, got sick from consuming half of a peanut butter Clif Bar. I thought I was feeling nauseous and uncomfortable because of all of the stress of the day. But, it was probably salmonella as I later found out that certain Clif Bars were put on the FDA list. Thankfully, my sickness from eating the bar was limited because I didn't eat all of it—I started feeling sick almost immediately. That was nothing like the 3-plus days of agony after a work retreat a few years ago. Several people at work got sick.

I decided to limit my peanut butter consumption. At least for now. I only consume organic peanut butter but I don't know if I can trust the FDA inspection system or the everyday business folks (like Parnell!) who make the products I consume. I want to avoid becoming a victim of a serious salmonella illness in the future.

But then, just about everything I consume (and come into contact with) presents a threat. Maybe I should just stop leaving my room altogether and only eat food that I grown hydroponically and drink water that has been filtered 1,000 times. Maybe I should live in a room with only sanitized metal surfaces that don't off-gas anything lethal.

Seriously, my only concern is that I don't know with what to replace my PB sandwich. Are there other quick, cheap, and satisfying vegetarian items that I can eat in its place? Nothing comes to mind.

Tasty Hot Dog!

Mmm…I just had quite a tasty hot dog for lunch. A tasty hot dog from a vending machine.

My coworker and I finally ventured to Cannon to experience the hot dog that everyone has been talking about. It was quick and good.

Check out this Express article on the mechanics, location, etc of D.C.'s hot dog vending machines. It's neat that vending machine companies are now offering items besides the basics: chips, coffee, soda, and cookies. I look forward to the day when hot ramen is offered here, as in Japan. Or perhaps, grilled cheese sandwiches! It was interesting to watch my hot dog get violated cook and served on a warm bun (you have to see it to understand). I wish that relish or chili was offered as a condiment. But on a lazy Friday such as this, a $2.50 hot dog was just right. Now all I need is some chocolate cake...

And a trip to Ben's for the true experience—a half-smoke smoothed in chili. I'm already salivating.

Nobody wants a brownie

I decided to surprise my coworkers with a batch of my scrumptious brownie bites. We had a lazy pizza party for the few folks that are still in town. Over half of the office has been out for the past few weeks and I know that no one will be here next week.

I wasn’t able to convince my coworkers to eat all 50+ brownie bites, so I started to take them to nearby offices on my floor. First, let me say that a few of the R staffers on my floor are really unfriendly--actually snotty.

I am very shocked and appalled to report that almost everyone refused my offer. No one has ever refused a brownie in my presence—definitely not a homemade brownie bite. I still feel the pangs of hurt and confusion. Sure, I understand that almost every office orders food on recess Fridays. But, to turn down a brownie? Now, that is just shameful.

I hope to use the Ghirardelli mix to make another batch of brownies next week or post Labor Day—to celebrate our last few days of recess and last days without those annoying, but oftentimes helpful, interns.

Saturday!

Wow, what a day. What a week!

Things are going well. I’m falling in love with my job or at least my new routine. There is just so much energy on the Hill and though I’m not doing amazing stuff (yet), I feel that I am learning new things and brushing up on important skills. My new job has afforded me my first opportunity of managing interns, and I’m really enjoying that.Most of all, I love the fact that I still have the opportunity to write and edit. Sure, I’m writing and editing letters to children. But the range of topics that little kids write about is what makes the work so fun and interesting everyday.

My search for shared housing isn’t really going anywhere. I’ve seen three places so far. The first, which I really loved and totally cliqued with the roommie, was way out of my new budget. Once I finally got into the mindset that I have a lower salary now, I started looking at places that max around $750 with everything included. So far, I’ve seen two places in that range. A tiny (and I mean tiny) room in a fun shared house one block from my office building and a medium sized room in Columbia Heights. The thing that struck me most is the fact that both open houses were attended by at least 10 people. And I found myself reluctantly competing with the others for attention from the potential roommates. So very odd. I didn’t realize that I had to bring my game face. I’ll definitely bring it to tomorrow’s open house.

One problem is that I’m competing with folks that are ready to move in today. I’m willing to “move-in” on the 15th but I’m not going to show up with a checkbook and bucket full of charm. I still have three weeks but I am panicking.

Besides finding a place, I need to figure out a plan for all my current junk. My mother offered to fly-in at the end of the month to help me get stuff shipped and to Goodwill. And I pray that I’m ready by then. I just have so much stuff and I’m finding it so hard to part with much of it.

I really like my place. I’ve lived here for three years and it’s treated me well. Sure, I have loud neighbors and the commute to work and DC bars is a pain but I’ve made it my home and I will definitely miss it. Before I move, I plan on having a last hurrah at the dive bar down the street.

One more thing. Pete's New Haven Style Apizza in Columbia Heights is amazing. I had the chef’s special which was artichoke, black olive and spinach. Very tasty! I’ll definitely be back.

McDonald's: Free Food!

McDonalds is at it again. This Thursday, May 15, McDonald’s is offering free southern style chicken sandwiches/biscuits with the purchase of any medium or large drink. So you have a choice between a breakfast chicken biscuit or lunch/dinner chicken sandwich.

It’s obviously an attempt on the part of McD’s to compete with Chick-fil-a. It’s so odd that McD’s is doing this now as I remember them promoting the chicken biscuits/sandwiches back when I was a child. I guess Chick-fil-a is a larger chain now (and therefore a competitor with McD’s in places beyond the deep south) and folks are interested in branching away from red meat.

I know that McD’s can’t do it better than the originator. McD’s chicken biscuit is nothing like Chick-fil-a’s biscuit nor their sandwich. Chick-fil-a will remain the “special occasion” stop it was when I was a child.

But then, I’m not the type to shun free food. So, of course, I’ll be in line on Thursday for a free breakfast and a free dinner sandwich.

Ode to Fruit Tarts and Firehook

As I lustfully bite into my fruit tart from Firehook, I want to acknowledge how amazing the desserts at Firehoook are. The cookies are sweet and monstrous (as big as a baby's face!). The muffins are moist and delicious. The fruit tarts...oh the fruit tarts...are amazing

To celebrate my 25th birthday at my last job, a coworker bought me a fruit tart from Firehook, and I fell in love. When I was in Paris, the cute little pastry shop near our hotel had amazing fruit tarts and croissants and every morning I stood in line for both.

I'm thinking of buying a tasty cake from Firehook for my birthday tomorrow. The only problem is keeping myself from ravaging it with my fellow coworkers before my birthday happy hour.

Firehook rules. So do midday desserts.

Waffle House & McDonald’s

Wow, I just found out that Waffle House was founded in Avondale Estates (ATL), Georgia. For some reason, I just assumed it was started in Texas or Alabama.

I love Waffle House. It became a nightcap tradition in high school and to this day, I chuckle when I see Waffle House locations on both sides of the Interstate. My meal of choice was always a grilled cheese sandwich (with those two pickle chips on the side!). It always made my night—the food along with playing our standard WH songs (e.g., American Pie, Let's Get it On, etc).

My mom once told me that when she and my dad first moved to Atlanta back in the early 1970s, they didn't go to Waffle House. Certain locations didn't serve blacks or at least let it be known that blacks were not welcome. I'd imagine that many places in the South were like that back then and sadly, many are still that way.

On a similar food note,

Attacked by a squirrel!

Given that the weather was unseasonable warm today, I decided to eat my lunch in Lafayette Park.  It's where I normally spend my lunchtimes if the weather permits, and after months, of being cooped inside during my free hour, I jumped at the chance to sit in the park without a heavy coat.

The lunchtime started typically enough.  I had trouble finding a bench, given that the park was overrun with tourists and workers enjoying the false spring.  Finally, I decided on a bench facing the sun with a great view of the White House and settled in to start eating my lunch (a sandwich and apple).

Anyway, I took a few bites of what I'd say was the tastiest (though messy as it was overloaded with peanut butter and honey) sandwich I've ever had.  It was simply divine.  I was sitting with my arms partly crossed with my sandwich in my right hand in front of my mouth and my left arm snug against my belly with my left hand dangling near my waist.

All of a sudden, I felt a delicate nibbling at my fingers. I turned, and there was a squirrel sitting on the bench right next to me.  I grab my things and jumped up in horror.  I quickly glanced at my fingertips, expecting the sight of blood.  Thank God, there was none. 

A guy sitting on the bench next to me noticed and attempted to shoo it away.  The squirrel didn't move.  After much crazed arm waving, stumping and shouting, the squirrel finally scurried away.  But not for long.  It kept coming back to the area right behind my bench—clearly in expectation (damn squirrel-feeding tourists!).

A few minutes later, my neighbor noted that all the squirrels were hanging around a nearby tree.  The coast was clear.  I let my guard down and resolved to relax and enjoy the sunshine, the soft breeze, and my sandwich.

Turning to my left, I was startled once again by a squirrel sitting on my bench.  I'd assume that he was aiming to nibble at my peanut-butter soaked fingers again or perhaps, go after the real thing—what was left of my sandwich.  I jumped up and with my neighbor's help, "scared" the squirrel away.

I was totally shaken by the second encounter.  I had no idea that the tiny rodent would so brazenly attempt to get food from me for a second time.

Of course, the victim's perennial question entered my head: Why me?  I was surrounded by people eating all sorts of tasty food.  Was it the peanut butter that drew him near? Was it the honey? Both? 

I decided that I wasn't going to stick around to find out.  I devoured the rest of the sandwich and an apple before heading back to the office.  The first thing I did when I got back to work (after I related my tale to Organica, of course) was to wash my hands.  Who knows what sort of squirrel-borne diseases I could have contracted from such bold rodents.

***
I must note that I am a squirrel lover.  As a child my favorite thing to do was to feed the squirrels and birds in my backyard.  I always attempted to feed the backyard squirrels out of my hands, but they never went any closer to me than a foot.  I guess I got my chance to personally feed one yesterday.  It was also a sort of karmic payback for the years I spent as a child "domesticating" the squirrels in my own neighborhood.

Olazzo Alone

I treated myself to a pasta dinner last night at Olazzo. I was a bit skeptical about the potential for an enjoyable meal given the slow service when I first arrived.

“Aren’t you waiting for the rest of your party?” the waiter asked. Hmm…isn’t that why the hostess removed the napkin and silverware from the opposite end of the table? So that you’d know I was dinning alone?

“No, I’m just waiting to be served,” I replied, tightly crossing my arms across my chest.

I don’t know what is so odd about a single, 26-year-old female going out alone for dinner on a Saturday night. It was late, I didn’t want to cook and I didn’t want to order the usual take-out. I’ve seen numerous other people (usually older men) eating alone. What’s wrong with me doing it? I used to get the same looks of pity mixed with wonder when I treated myself to celebratory solo dinners in Georgetown during freshman year.

The evening progressed nicely. At first, I was tempted to bring out my “eating-out-alone” armor, i.e., reading materials, my small writing notebook, etc. But once the bread arrived, I calmed down and began to enjoy the experience. Eating alone at a restaurant isn’t ideal—interesting conversation adds so much to a meal. But eating alone can be quite enjoyable.

I feasted on shrimp rose. The food was very satisfying on such a cold night, and I do believe that I’ll return to Olazzo with friends for half-priced martinis.

Before I headed home, I stopped at Starbucks for a devilishly sweet gingerbread latte. Mmm...

They’re baaaaaack!

I love Hostess Hopper cupcakes.

They're sweet, sugary, sweet…just simply delightful. I first discovered Hopper cupcakes at the local CVS when I was in graduate school. I bought a pack and I was in love. Unfortunately, when I went back to the store, they were sold out. As they're a seasonal Hostess item, I only get a few weeks before Easter to savor their pink goodness.

Last year, when I discovered that they were sold in bulk (i.e., 8-packs) at Safeway, I bought five boxes. Floyd and I, though mainly just me, ate our way through those 40 cakes in a few short weeks. This weekend, I purchased just one box, though I know I'll buy many more this weekend.

Gosh, I love those super-sweet cupcakes, and I'm so happy that they're finally back.

Yay, for McNuggets!

Finally, on Friday, I got my fill of McDonald’s six-piece nuggets for a dollar. It’s part of a new promotion in D.C. and I think it’s great. Putting aside issues of nutrition and agribusiness, the dollar menu has done a lot for America. In particular, poor and homeless people, in addition to busy, working folks like me, are able to feed themselves quite well for only a few bucks. I think that’s great and I only hope that McDonalds will continue to enlarge its dollar menu to include more “healthy” options.

Soup AND Salad? Oh, boy!

Last night, Floyd called to inform me that he was having dinner at a soup and salad place in San Diego. I was so jealous because I love soup and salad buffets (or just about any buffet for that matter. Hey, I’m from the South!).

During the five years we hung out in D.C., Floyd and I always complained that there weren’t any soup and salad places in the area. You know, the kind where you get a choice of several soups, different breads for dipping, a huge selection of salad toppings and of course, soft serve… Oh, so good and in theory, healthy.

When I get home I know that the second place I hit, after the annual holiday trip to The Varsity, is the soup and salad place in my neighborhood.

I ate until I cried.

I don’t know if I should admit this, but I went to Red Lobster last night and ate at least two pounds of shrimp through their “Endless Shrimp” special. Given that overfishing and non-eco-friendly farming feeds such “all you can eat” specials, you would think that my environmental and moral concerns would outweigh my growling stomach and American need for excess. But, aparently it doesn’t as I continue to frequent buffet-style restaurants and over-consume at home.

This diatribe comes less than 48 hours from Thanksgiving Day—when just about everyone stuffs their belly with food. I need to stand up and fight this tendency of excess which harms not only the earth but also my waistline.

Yet, I think I'll wait until after I've had my fill of yummy turkey and pumpkin pie.

Who doesn't love free food?

I just got two free pizzas at the local diner. S-w-e-e-t!! I had a coupon for one free promotional pizza and the kitchen ended up mixing up the order and sending out two. So my friend and I got to pig out for free. Isn't it great when karma comes back around and brightens your day?

On Becoming My Kitchen’s Head Chef

Tonight, I’m making soup with Italian sausage, basil, celery and orzo. Floyd gave me the recipe, so it should be tasty.

It’s a fairly big deal for me to cook. Most days, I come home and just eat cereal, ramen noodles or leftovers. My mother tells me to cook on Sunday for the week, but I’m rarely in the mood to cook on the weekends.

Sophomore year in college, I cooked all the time. It was the year that I got my first (dorm room) kitchen and also the year I lived the furthest from the dinning hall (really only a few extra blocks). I loved to make steak, spaghetti, and greens for dinner. I’d dazzle my roommate with my homemade concoctions (she loved my sweet Jiffy cornbread!) and fill the room and hallways with a great homemade smell. Once classes picked up and I grew tired of constantly washing all the dirty dishes I’d make, cooking became a little less fun. By junior year, I ate most of my meals at the dinning hall or just headed over to Floyd’s house for one of his gourmet meals (he’d moved to D.C. by then).

I miss the college days of the seemingly endless meal plan and most of all, the days of Chef Floyd. But now that I’m a single adult, it’s about time for me to take care of myself and start creating my own dazzling meals again.