The Food We Eat

Presidential Inauguration, Washington DC

Yup, this is what we pretty much ate for the 3 days we were there. Wait, I also remember some 'real' food. Thanks to our lovely hostess, Renee, we ate a good breakfast. And I remember a great El Salvadorean meal at El Tamarindo on U Street.

So, lets back up. My friend Paula and I went to DC on the 17th. We had planned our trip the week after the election. We just wanted to experience this historic occasion in person. Miraculously, just a few weeks before the inauguration, we were able to procure tickets to the Swearing-In ceremony and the Western States regional ball. Many many thanks to Paula's Aunt for getting these for us. I was on cloud 9. And many thanks to the lovely couple we stayed with and their visiting friends. It was great sharing these special days with all of you!

Sunday, January 18

We woke up leisurely at 9am and decided to head to the 'We Are One' concert at the Lincoln Memorial. This concert was to mark the opening of the many Inaugural ceremonies to follow. We walked over a few blocks to the S-bus line on 16th and Colorado Avenue NW. The Washington Post had put out a special Inauguration Issue, and we tried to purchase it from the newspaper stand at the bus stop, but the box was jammed. Oh Well! No biggie. Then, we turned around and noticed that 16th was blocked off by the police. Wow! When did that happen and why? Eleanor, a DC resident (just met her at the bus stop) was also on her way to the concert. She offered us a ride in her car to the next closest bus stop and we tagged along. You could tell Eleanor was totally clued in and we were so not. Anyway, we got on the bus within a few minutes and found out that Barack Obama was at the 19th street church, a historic black church for the morning service. Hence the police blockade. An older black woman was crying - she was on her way that morning to that church for service, and couldn't make it on time. She missed her chance to see Obama. This story will repeat itself many times over the next few days! Each time, my heart went out to the distraught folks - ordinary people, like you and me..

We got off the bus on 17th street, near the White House, and Eleanor, a naturally gifted group leader took over the role of tour guide. It was my first ever time in DC, and I was awestruck. She told us our goal was to get as near to the Lincoln Memorial as possible, and we all formed a little group and stuck together. As we were walking, we were able to see Obama's motorcade go by - gleaming black cars. Beautiful! We got a view of Barack Obama in his Limo through the heavily tinted glass. Or was that Barack? Who knows...

We made it through long lines and a very very large crowd, only to find that the gate was closed. However, the park service personnel told us two other gates down the street were still open. We made it through a sea of people. There really was no way to enforce crowd control at this point, but the public was great. When we'd be getting crushed, we'd yell back asking folks to back off and ease the pressure, and that worked. Not one person collapsed, got stepped on, or fell. Phew! I was terrified for the few kids that were there. Nothing worse than getting your face smothered in a sea of down coats. Luckily, nothing bad happened. I 'm not sure how we made it, but we squeaked in the gate. I heard the gates were closed soon after. People were mad, as they could clearly see that there still was a lot of room inside the grounds, but the security folks decided that was it! I am glad we were in. We got a great spot by the reflecting pool. My binoculars and the jumbotrons worked great.

The concert was amazing. I mean, what a line-up. The crowd was spectacular. It was quite emotional to see people of all races, colors, ages, sizes with the same purpose. My favorite performances were by Mary J Blige (Lean on Me), Garth Brooks, Pete Seger and the Boss (This Land is your land), and Bono. When Obama took the podium, I could not believe I was listening to him in person. It was spectacular. I think though, that what made it was the crowds. The concert was aptly named -- the spirit in the air echoed that. I felt very very proud to be standing there! Sure, it was cold, we were hungry, I wish I was even closer to the stage. But one look at the crowds and it all did not matter. The crowds that made it impossible to get any closer were what made the day!

Oh! I did manage to get the paper. The nice cabbie made 8 stops and I finally got the last one at a convenience store. You would've thought I was out to rob them - the way I charged in demanding the paper at 10pm :-)

Monday, January 19

Only one job today. Go to the Senate offices at the Hart Building and pick up swearing-in tickets.  We rode the Metro in to Union Station.  As we walked towards the Capitol, I could feel the excitement building. Barack Obama would be sworn-in tomorrow on these grounds and I would be there to witness it! Surreal! We walked over to the Hart building and of course, there was a line. Not too bad - a half-hour wait. Easy! We met some more fabulous people in line - a couple from Pennsylvania, a gentleman from DC - the half-hour went by too soon. I was sad to say good-bye. We went through security and walked over to the Senator's office. We were handed tickets in an envelope, and I could not wait to peek. What section would we be in? BLUE!!!! Yes!! I was all prepared for Silver and we got blue. Look here for seating map if you are really curious what that means. Paula and I decided to walk the grounds and familiarize ourselves with the layout. We knew the next day would be crazy, so it would be smart to make a strategy now. In retrospect, I think that was the smartest thing we did. Without knowing exactly where to go, we would have been hosed on Inauguration Day. We went back home, and I think we spent the next 2 - 3 hours planning the best way to get to the Capitol the next day. I had a splitting headache! The logistics were killing me! What was worse is that we knew folks in over 1 million households and hotel rooms were having the same exact conversation -- what was the best way to get to the Inauguration activities?? Relatively early night - 10 pm. Lights Out!

 

Tuesday, January 20th!!!

Woke up at 4:30 and our dear hostess, Renee drove us to the metro station at Cleveland Park. She and her husband had Yellow seats, so they could leave at a more respectable hour. The metro was running every 3 - 4 minutes, so  we missed one train as it was packed, but were easily able to get the next one. We got off at the Judiciary Square station, along with thousands of others. The energy was amazing. I could feel the goosebumps on my arms - not from the cold. A black lady with an amazing voice broke out into song and we all sang along. There were O-BA-MA chants. We got off the metro station escalators. It was only 6am and the crowds were SCARY. I thought "no way in hell is this real". Crap! Should have gotten up sooner. We walked into the 3rd street tunnel (was closed to traffic). This is the tunnel that gets you across the Capitol grounds. The tunnel was packed with people but it was moving. I'm sure you've heard or read of the horror stories of people being stuck there for hours, but we missed that. Another hour to go before that mess started. Thankfully!

We made it out the tunnel and easily followed the directions to the BLUE gate. Now, the fun starts. It is 6:30am, and as you can see above, the Capitol is luminescent. We got in line (there were already about 500 people ahead of us - now when did they wake up??). Within a half-hour, the line grew all the way back and around the building. I felt very grateful for my position in line and sorry for the folks way back there. It was cold!! We stood in that line for 2 hours. How I wished I could have a cup of coffee. Renee had made coffee in the morning, but I took a mere sip and left the rest. Long lines and a diuretic? Bad idea. I so so wanted some, but I even held off on water. There is no way I was leaving my spot to find a port-a-potty. Paula and I ate some trail mix and some apricots! Hey, 5 more minutes had passed. Yay!

The gates were supposed to open at 8am, but no such luck. The crowds were getting restless. People started cutting in line. Folks in line started chanting "Don't cut the line, Don't cut the line", but as one gentleman put it, "the shame angle isn't working today". I am amazed that there wasn't a riot, and that is good, because if one were to break out, there was no security to handle that. We made some good friends. Hey, when you rub up so close to folks for so long, I guess it is more like family. Finally, at 9am, things started moving. Awesome! We made it through security. The TSA folks were surprisingly cordial. We were in! Paula and I found a spot at the base of a cherry tree - it was elevated about a foot, so it gave me a good view. We were surrounded by a nice group of folks and we all watched out for each other and militantly guarded our space from unwelcome intruders. The rest, I'm sure you all caught that on TV. It was a beautiful sunny day. I knew it just had to be. It somehow seemed so wrong to have anything but blue sky on such a historic day!

 

The way back home was long. More walking, more waiting. But we made it home at 4pm. Time to grab a quick nap! The Western Ball starts at 8pm.

We got ready and headed out the door at 6:45pm. Our gracious hostess drove us to the Metro Station. Our ball was at the Convention Center alongwith 8 other balls, but still 8,000 - 10,000 people would a breeze compared to the 1.8 million this morning. The metro ride was super stress-free and we made it to the convention center by 7:30pm. My first ever Inaugural Ball!! Yipee. I had no idea what to expect. Well. not exactly true. My friends, who have been to these before warned me that it was conference-like in atmosphere, crappy food, many long hours on your feet, and then a 5 minute appearance from the President and Vice-President. They were mostly correct. The bartender I had set me up with an uber-strong Long-Island iced tea, we danced to a great cover band playing 70's music and lots of ABBA, and then we made our way across to the main stage. We met some fun press folks and some fellow ball-goers. Thankfully, the main act was Marc Anthony who played fantastic Latino salsa music and even brought his lovely wife Jennifer Lopez to sing. That was fun! At 11pm, Joe Biden and Jill Biden came. Joe gave a charming and short speech, they danced and left. 11:15pm. When is President Obama going to come? At 12pm, the marching band came on stage and played 'Hail to the Chief'. Then President Obama and the charming First Lady came on stage. Speech and a nice dance to the tune of 'At Last' and they left. That was more than worth it! When else would I get the opportunity to see the President 40 feet away. And on Inauguration night? And dancing? Once in a lifetime.

 

The Ball was uneventful after the President and First Lady left, except for the Coat Check. It was a mess. It was 2am, the party-goers were exhausted, their feet hurt, and everyone was dreaming of being horizontal on their beds. As is in any situation, there were a few cheaters, but for the most part folks were polite and patiently waited in line to retreive their coats. It was a mess, but I think everyone got their coats. Made our way home at 3am. Long day, but oh-so fabulous. I think I need a vacation!

Friends have asked me what I enjoyed the most. For me, it was the Concert. I loved the music, I loved seeing all the big-name performers, but most of all, I loved the crowds. The very same crowds that I was cursing while in line, the very same crowds I fought with to get on the bus, the very same crowds I cursed in the hot dog line. The very same crowds that made this such an exhausting weekend. But I cannot shake off the feeling I got when I was standing in these crowds singing, swaying, and dancing to 'Lean On Me'. It was America at its best! I was proud and overwhelmed with a sense of joy, and promise of better days to come.

Below is my 6 1/2 year old son's interpretation of our President. He drew it from memory after watching the ceremony. I thought it was beautiful!

Indian-spiced braised Swiss Chard with Tofu

 

Cold, wet, dreary day. I love to cook 99% of the time, and then the remaining 1% of time, I am just done. Dinner seems like a huge chore, and yes, takeout is very tempting. I do yield to this temptation quite often, or more likely, J takes over dinner duty that day. He says he can see that look on my face and immediately takes charge of dinner that evening.

Well, a couple days ago was that day. I was about to dial for Teriyaki takeout, but then I made the mistake of opening the refrigerator and seeing two bunches of swiss chard staring back at me. Damn! I am going out of town this weekend (to DC, for the inauguration - more on that when I return), and the swiss chard is likely going to die a sad, wilting, slimy death. Oh no! Oh well, let me make something quick with it. Oh! protein - ah! here is a block of Tofu. Perfect!

 

Friends, this insane dialogue takes place in my head very very often. I usually tend not to cook from recipes, especially on weeknights. I am a huge fan of the 'kitchen sink' school of cooking (use whatever you have on hand). It is a much more efficient way of cooking. I know some of you (you know who you are) tend to set up their entire week's meal plan and then shop for ingredients. Nope not me. That is way too much organization for me. Plus, here is a perfect excuse why that does not work. The weekly CSA box is always a surpise, so you can't totally plan for it (especially the winter CSA as not much grows in Seattle at this time of the year). Its like a box of chocolates "you never know what you're gonna get'.

Anyway, I can promise you that this stew will warm your tummy, satisfy your tastebuds, and is oh-so nutritious and good for you. I served the stew with brown rice, but quinoa or couscous would also work nicely.

I am even more amazed that I actually was motivated enough to grab my camera and take pictures. But I think I know why I did it -- I always find that meals made in a hurry and with no agenda in particular always taste yummy....

 

 

Indian-spiced braised Swiss Chard with Tofu

Serves 4

2 bunches swiss chard (approx. 16 - 18 leaves)

1 block extra firm tofu, sliced in half and then cubed

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp ginger, minced fine

3 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup water

1/4 cup roasted cashews, for garnish

Method:

1. Trim the stalks from the swiss chard leaves. Set stalks aside. Cut the chard leaves crosswise into thin strips, and wash and drain thoroughly. Chop the stalks into a fine dice.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute a few minutes till golden brown. Now add the chard stalks. Saute 1-2 minutes more. Add the turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Saute a few minutes till fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook till mixture is pulpy.

3. Add the swiss chard leaves and cook on med-high a few minutes, just until the leaves wilt. Now add the tofu and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and simmer 15 minutes till chard cooks down and the flavors meld together.

4. Serve stew alongside rice. Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro just before serving.

Maple Almond Granola

 

   

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a good holiday. We sure did! I'm not sure if it was the economy, the snowstorm, the change in political hands, or nothing in particular, but I was extra thankful and had an especially wonderful time with my family and friends this holiday season. I feel very fortunate to have all these great people in my life.

I like to make holiday treats for friends and family every holiday season. I like to make something different evey year, and I decided on Granola for this season. I managed to get packages out to the kids' school teachers, and then the snowstorm hit, and brought with it an end to my plan of hand-delivering granola to my close friends. Oh well, we had a huge cookie party instead and at least those who lived close enough to walk/sled were able to come. If you didn't get the granola, I promise I will make it up to you :-)

I have had many requests for the Granola recipe, and I think I know why. I have tried many granola recipes - some are way too greasy, some too dry, some too sweet, some too dessert-like, some way too lowfat (yuck). Not many hit the mark. This one is a great master recipe. Add/substitute nuts of your choice, add in more/less dry fruits, your call. But in my mind, why mess with this. The almonds and pepitas add lovely color and crunch, and the cranberries are oh-so-pretty and lend a welcome tartness. If you like ginger, some chopped up crystallized ginger would be great, but I left it out since ginger is not universally preferred.

Sprinkle the granola over your favorite yogurt, have it with some milk (this is the one time I abandon my non-fat milk and grab the whole milk), or simply have some around as a snack.

The recipe can easily be doubled or halved, but if you double it, you will still want to cook it in two batches. Unless you have a double-oven in your home (I hate you). Don't even think of cramming the doubled-amount onto 2 baking sheets! You want the granola to bake evenly!

The granola will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze.

Maple Almond Granola

Adapted from Gourmet

Makes 8 cups

6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups untoasted sliced almonds

1 cup green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp fine-grain kosher salt

3/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup maple syrup (add a few more tablespoons if you want it sweeter)

1 cup dried cranberries

Method:

1. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Stir oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, salt, oil, cinnamon, and maple syrup together in a large bowl.

3. Spread mixture evenly on two large jelly roll pans (or lipped baking sheets). Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until mixture is golden brown, approx. 45 - 55 minutes. Every oven is different, so keep a close eye especially towards the end. You can tell the granola is done when it starts smelling toasted. Don't worry if it looks a bit 'wet'. It will crunch up when it cools.

4. Cool the granola completely on the baking sheets placed on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, stir in cranberries and ginger, if using.