Three down, one to go!

Today I wrapped up the third of four semesters of the Coordinated Program as well as finished up my third of four internships for the year.  I can honestly say I tremendously enjoyed the three diverse internships: Foodservice Management at Olin College, School Nutrition at Milton Public Schools, and Community Nutrition at the MetroWest YMCA.  I even found myself liking teaching K-High School more than I anticipated!  I feel so lucky to have been able to work with such generous, knowledgeable, and friendly preceptors at each site.  They are good role models and have set high standards for me :o)   I am nervous about Clinical in the Spring, as well as having less flexible work hours, but it is only four and a half months long.  I will survive.

Tomorrow Seth and I head to NY to see his family for Christmas.  We haven't seen them since last Spring, so a trip to the frigid, snowy north is long overdue.  Hopefully Santa will find us there!

Happy Holidays!

From Mushrooms to Toad to Magic Mountain

Despite my delay in posting about the mushroom extravaganza, I did survive!  Too bad we will need to wait until next fall to get our hands on any more chicken of the woods...

The weekend between rotations (foodservice management ending and community nutrition beginning)  Seth and I cashed in our very belated birthday present and went to see Toad the Wet Sprocket in Boston.  Seth has loved Toad for many years and would always play their CDs when we lived in Chapel Hill.  I figured it was time to finally see them live--they were very awesome, indeed, and totally worth the wait :o) 

Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Wilbur Theater in Boston

 

This weekend was my annual church retreat to Vermont.  I always look forward to this trip because not only does it give a chance to find some relaxation and respite but it also helps to mentally usher in the holiday season (ie. the lower temps remind me that winter is just around the corner!). 

Our annual hike up Magic Mountain

Not sure what is going on here....

The quasi-top of the mountain!

Good god, this is super steep, but at least this year it wasn't super muddy or icy 

Trick is pointing to the lake I run around in the mornings, assuming I don't get lost in the park's poorly marked trails

This is my 4th year going on this trip and this year I finally got to see downtown Londonderry!

A very beautiful Sunday morning dusting.  Christmas has already arrived in Vermont.

Foraging for Fall Treats: Chicken of the Woods

This past week iridescent yellows, golds, oranges, and reds have been exploding through the falling foliage.  Admittedly, the residential zones of Waltham don't have the prettiest colors, and our street is particularly drab due to the lack of trees, but Prospect Hill provides a nice oasis to experience the seasons.

 

 

 

In addition to being a picturesque place to run, this past week Prospect Hill also provided us with a mushroom called Chicken of the Woods.  Considered one of the Foolproof Four, it is unmistakeable and considered a "choice delicacy" by many mushroom hunters.  True to its name, it looks, feels, and tastes just like chicken!  In fact, it is dense, moist, cool, and rubbery-soft, just like raw chicken flesh (which is admittedly rather gross).  None the less, Seth and I of course had to take a tiny risk and try some :o)

Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus sulphureus

It is most tender, tasty, and least likely to cause problems when it is still young and fresh, like this one

For a person who doesn't like to deal with raw meat, this mushroom is a bit creepy

It pulls apart along a grain, just like meat

The texture and appearance is a little repulsive, but the flavor is spot on; it smells and tastes like (salt-free) chicken bouillon.  It even has a slight MSG flavor, which must be the savory umami taste mushrooms are famous for.   

Some people do have a negative reaction to the mushroom, so last night we cooked it and tried just a little bit.  We woke up this morning *alive and kicking,* so we will have some more tonight in a "chicken" soup.  Hopefully I will be around to give an update on how it was...

Cranberry Craziness

Yesterday Seth and I spent a fall-filled day in Wareham, MA, at the base of The Cape.  We started off at the annual Cranberry Harvest Festival with Bo and Natalie and finished the afternoon and evening hours visiting Jean and Seth's uncle Bud.  I wish every weekend could involve friends, family, snowy owls, colorful psychedelic leaves, and cranberry bogs :o)

The cranberry village

We had to take a yellow school bus to the cranberry bogs.  Haven't been on one of these since middle school!

Frogfoot bog

Events at the bog

Snowy owl!  :o)

Waiting to take the wagon tour.  It was cold and windy for sure!

 

Does this remind you of the Ocean Spray commercials?

 

 

 

 

Bo was brave and climbed the giant pile of sand.  Too bad she didn't roll down it like the rest of the little kids :P

Seth displaying the three life stages of the cranberry: the baby vine, a 6.5 pound bag of fresh berries, and finally, Craisins

Catching up with Fall

As promised by my professors and the CPD students before me, this semester has indeed been butt-kicking and anxiety-inducing.  On the plus side, I have been learning a lot about food service management at Olin and I even have spent some time back in high school and elementary school, teaching kids about the 5 food groups and sugary drinks (Gatorade, by the way, is not a part of any food group).  Thankfully I have this long holiday weekend to enjoy the nicest, most colorful part of Fall, and also catch up on a blog post or two.

In truth, since returning from Seattle, there hasn't been much outside of school to write about.  There were, however, a couple birthdays to celebrate :o)

For my birthday Seth spent all afternoon and evening putting together a lasagna and cake--both made from scratch!  Well done.  Now that I know he can cook, I expect many more dinners coming from him in the future ;o)

We went out for one fancy joint b-day dinner

On Seth's birthday we had homemade Laksa (NOT Penang-style Assam laksa, which is not so Awesome)

Seth actually wanted a healthy gluten-free chickpea cauliflower chocolate chip cookie cake.  I'll stand by my classic yellow cake.

The University District

Unfortunately I had to return to Waltham yesterday morning (via overnight red-eye) after an all-too-short vacation; Seth is spending one last week in funky Seattle.  Tomorrow I return to FSU and Olin College!  For the rest of the day, however, I will just remind myself of the lovely U District... 

The Burke Gilman bike path seemed to go pretty much everywhere, including through UW and to Ravenna Park

A mini sculpture honoring the hummingbirds (Black-Chinned) of Ravenna Park

Ravenna Park, where we would go running.  As beautiful as Prospect Hill Park, but a bit smaller and sketchier

 

 

A wall of blackberries made for a long distraction at the end of our runs

 Lamppost art along The Ave

 Cafe Allegro, the oldest continuously operated coffee shop in Seattle 

 Full Tilt ice creamery was an awesome find!  Fairly cheap, huge scoops, and lots of crazy flavors

 Lavender and vegan Mayan chocolate (made with coconut milk)

 After  2 months of picking blackberries, Seth was able to fill 6 32-oz containers worth of daily "leftovers".  This was the equivalent of 5 cobblers and a pan-full of compote, which later exploded in my backpack during my flight back to Boston :o(

 University of Washington campus

 

 The exquisite Suzzallo library, where we spent quite a few hours (Seth is probably there right now...)
 

The "Harry Potter Reading Room" of the Suzzallo

 
 The bizarre and fascinating Monkey Puzzle tree--a living fossil!

 

 

 

 The nearby Catholic Newman Center, where we attended mass and had the BBQ movie night (unfortunately I didn't get a picture of University Lutheran Church, where we went the following week)

 The path to Husky Place, Seth's apartment

 Tight quarters, especially with two people!

University Way NE, aka The Ave.  Gritty, grungy, and full of punk street kids and delicious places to eat.  Think of UNC's Franklin Street, only The Ave is longer and dirtier  

Here are some pictures Seth took with his new camera

The mountain (Mt Rainier) "comes out" only a couple months of the year

Hummingbirds were everywhere on campus!  I miss those cheeky little guys (we don't have them near us in Waltham, since there's so little vegetation)

Like any good college town, the U District is known for its cheap international cuisine.  Of all the exotic restaurants, we couldn't help but go out for phở, twice.  The extra-large at this restaurant was the biggest I had ever seen... and we cleaned our bowls. 

A barista showing off his talents (Capitol Hill)

One can't possibly live in Seattle without having lots and lots of tattoos and knowing a thing or two about kayaking (Alki Beach)