One Direction

I have two daughters. I have heard the song "That's What Makes You Beautiful" more times than I'd care to to count. As a defense mechanism, I go to my happy place when the song gets played in the car. Earlier tonight I was able to take a few photos that basically provide the slide show that I see as the song drones on for the gazillionth time.

If only you saw what I can see

You'll understand why I want you so desperately

Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe

You don't know (oh, oh)

You don't know you're beautiful (oh, oh)

That's what makes you beautiful.

Back to reality, the white clam and bacon pizza was the best I've had at this Pepe's outpost. Reminded me of 1988 at the mother ship in New Haven. The teamwork that goes into these pizzas is pretty impressive. It was a little crowded around the pizza oven when we left so I was unable to get photos that tell the whole pizza creation story. Next time, I'll try to take a movie. Empty peel, nothing up their sleeves...

 Moments later, two pies ready to go into the oven. They get slid in together.

Co-Op Lunch

I like to hit the Honest Weigh Co-Op for lunch when I am in the area. I like going there. I don't usually buy much more than lunch and popping corn, but it is a fun store to walk around and browse. Plus, the occasional vegan lunch helps me fulfill my destiny of slowly evolving into my parents. Nothing in the hot foods section caught my eye today so I went with the cold section.

First things first, I had read about this vegan dill dip yesterday. Had to try it.

I also picked out a small container of sun dried tomato tofu

some roasted beets,

and a bag of toasted sesame chips for the dip.

Then I reluctantly headed back to the office. As promised, the dill dip is quite good. Good to the point where you think, "Is this really vegan?" And the chips were good too. I think these chips (and the dip if it is available) will be making an appearance at Thanksgiving.

In case you were curious, the dip is also good on potato chips. Ask me how I know. If there is any dip left over, I think I'm going to try some on a turkey sandwich tomorrow. I picked up another turkey breast and will attempt to roast it without an explosion for Tuesday's dinner. The beet salad was just OK. I think the beets would have been better with red wine vinegar. The pistachios mixed in there were a nice surprise. The sun dried tomato tofu was also very good.

Good job with the dip, Lilimonster. I would definitely get it again. And if you happened to email me the recipe for the dip and sun dried tomato tofu recipe, I promise not to sell it across the street from the Co-Op.

Epic Dinner Fail

Awww. So stupid. I managed to explode a Pyrex dish with dinner in it. Cleaning up took hours. Oven is still in a self clean cycle.

Pizza

I just read a great thread on NY style pizza. It started out with a little bit of name calling, as many internet discussions do, but quickly evolved into an impressive discussion about differences between flours, hydration time, oven temperatures and that kind of stuff. Just when I think I'm a little too into this, someone comes along and shows me that I have barely scratched the surface. Although someone in Lake George is selling a pretty tempting wet saw on Craigslist....but it is too soon to buy one.

One of the best parts of the thread was this link to Michele Tomo making pizza at Pizza Town USA in Elmwood Park, New Jersey. I've never heard of it and now I think I might need to swing by this place sometime. Maybe on one of our Baltimore trips. The pizzas in the video look delicious. Plus she can make them so fast. In about 40 seconds she works the dough, sauces it, adds seasoning with a flick of the wrist, tops it with cheese and puts it in the oven. It is really impressive to watch. Almost a choreographed dance. If you've got a spare 2 minutes and 23 seconds, check her out.

Labor Day Ring of Fire

This year's Labor Day came complete with swag courtesy of my sister-in-law.

I fell into a burning ring of fire 

I went down, down, down and the flames went higher 

And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire 

The ring of fire

Add a few logs, two stumps and a trailer full of free slab wood and you get this year's bonfire.