Travel Lust: Key West

It's still cold. There's still snow. I need to escape to somewhere warm.

At least in my mind!

 

Ahh.... Key West. The southernmost  point in the United States. I can feel the sand in my toes already.

Who could resist this 5 square miles of palm trees and white sand beaches? I love the bright- colored buildings that you find in cities by the beach. It adds so much charm!

Wouldn't it be lovely to rent a cute beach cruiser and explore the island? 

 

And with all that bike riding I could eat more of this:

Bad news though- the Blond Giraffe, the winners of Best Key Lime Pie eight years in a row, is no longer in business. Now I'll never be able to try their famous pie on a stick! 

I don't think I'd be able to resist taking a boat out for a spin. As a passenger, that is.

 And of course, I would have to stop buy the house Ernest Hemingway resided in when he lived on the island. Have to add in a little culture- can't be a complete beach bum!

Most of all, I would like to just park my tush in the sand and watch this every night:

Ahh.... What an unbelievable view.

Ever been to Key West? Let me know about you trip!



Photos from: akeywestwedding.com, virtualtourist.com, eatonbikes.com, southernliving.com, guardian.co.uk, vistadude.deviantart.com

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Frittata: One More Reason Italians Rock in the Kitchen

Stop what you're doing, go to the store, and buy one of these:

Meet the Calphalon Unison Slide Nonstick Fritatta Pan. My new favorite toy.

If you have never had a frittata before, it's Italy's take on the French omelette. Instead of folding cooked eggs around a filling, the ingredients get mixed into the egg mixture and they are all cooked together.

Oh yea, and it's about a dozen eggs large.

The most wonderful thing about a frittata is that you can do absolutely anything with it. Add any mix of cheeses you like, your favorite combination of vegetables, even fresh herbs and meats. It's perfect for cleaning out the refrigerator- and it looks so elegant!

A frittata could not be easier to make. You beat up some eggs, throw in some vegetables and cheese, and stick it on the stove.  But before we add the veggies, we must cook them (in some butter, of course)!

After sauteing my veggies, they get added to the eggs along with some fresh tomatoes, parsley, and a mixture of cheeses.

And now- to the pan!

The egg mixture gets poured into the hot pan and a spoon is run along the side, letting the raw egg run underneath until the egg begins to set up.

Now the little pan gives the big pan a hug. And magic happens.

For this next part you have to be a little coordinated- the pan gets flipped upside down. This is why these pans are so awesome!

And then you have this:

Yum!

Can you tell that my stove is not level?

If you don't want to go grab yourself a super awesome pan set, you can always finish your frittata under the broiler. It's just not as fun.

Frittata Verdura
12 Eggs
1/2 c Ricotta
1/2 c Gouda, shredded
1/2 c Parmesean, shredded
1 Yellow squash, chopped
4 c Spinach
1 c Tomato, chopped
1/4 c Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Butter

1. Saute vegetables in butter until soft. The tomatoes can be kept raw, as they will cook with the egg.
2. Beat the eggs and mix in the cheeses until smooth.
3. Add in the cooled vegetables, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the larger pan over medium heat with 1 tbs butter and pour in the egg mixture. Run a spoon along the edge of the pan to allow the uncooked egg mixture to move to the bottom of the pan.
5. When the egg begins to set up, cover the pan with the smaller pan and let cook 6-8 minutes.
6. Pull the pan off the heat, uncover the dish, and heat the small pan over medium heat with 1tbs of butter.
7. When the pan is hot, recover the large pan, flip the egg mixture into the smaller pan and place back on the heat for 10-12 minutes.
8. When the mixture is cooked, flip the pan one more time and slide it onto your serving platter.

Tip: Don't rush the eggs! Make sure you cook them over medium heat, not medium-high or they might become tough or worse- burnt!

What will be your favorite frittata combination?

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What I'm Reading: La Bella Lingua

Travel literature is one of my favorite genres to read- especially if it is set in Europe.

Right now I am reading La Bella Lingua  by Dianne Hales.

I purchased this book because I expected it to be centered around the Italian language in relation to her travels around the country and interactions with everyday Italians. Instead, it is more focused on the historical origins and evolution of Italian.

Though the book does not meet my original expectations, it is quite interesting and offers entertaining lessons in Italian vocabulary. I enjoy how she explores using the many Italian suffixes to subtly change the meaning of a word. I also discovered a word I can relate to- Goloso: a lust for food. Italians would have a word dedicated for this purpose- I will be using this one in the future!

You really can't go wrong if you talking about Italians if you ask me!  I would recommend this book to anyone interested in languages, travel or the lovely country of Italy.

Have you read or heard of this book? Let me know!

Buy it on Amazon!

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Dining Out: Brady Tavern

Before heading to the ballet Saturday, we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy dinner. We wanted to go somewhere downtown that we hadn't been to yet and we could not have chosen better.

I give you: Brady Tavern.

Situated on Main Street in the Brady Arts District, this little strip of old brick buildings feels unlike any other place in Tulsa. Although I was looking out the upon the rooftops of the Mayo and BOK center, I felt like I was transported to a neighborhood restaurant in New York City.

The interior was covered in dark wood, old pictures, and art that give it  a cozy but crisp feel. They also had a wonderful bar you could cozy up to for hours and share some delicious bar food (including deviled eggs, yum!).

And now for the main event: The food!

While perusing the menu, the waiter brought out an amuse-bouche (or as D calls it: baba ganoush...moush caboose...)- bite-sized pieces of medium-rare steak on a rosemary skewer.

I now want to skewer everything with rosemary. Delicious.

For an appetizer, we ordered the smoked trout dip. Luscious cream cheese with delicate smoked trout and crispy fried capers... HEAVEN! The dip is made for 4-5 people... needless to say the waiter had to take it away from us before we devoured it all.

For the main course, I chose the  risotto cakes. Two creamy yet crispy medallions of risotto topped with tender mushrooms and an arugula salad. Light and delicious. Not to mention elegant.

But I must admit, I had food envy the entire time.

Across the table from me sat this:

The most perfect burger and fries.

D now calls this The Steak Burger because if it had no bun, you would think you were biting into the most tender, delicious steak. It was topped with Stilton cheese that gave it the perfect amount of blue cheese zip and a mushroom cognac cream that made this burger melt in your mouth. Even the bun was amazing! Made of challah bread, it was tender and actually complimented the burger instead of distracting from it.

I almost forgot about the fries! Those crispy, shoestring babies were tossed with rosemary and thin slices of garlic. When doused with malt vinegar they were french fry perfection!

Did I mention that that glorious duo was only $13?

I highly recommend you check out this fabulous restaurant. If not for me, do it for The Steak Burger!

You can check out the rest of their menu here: www.bradytavern.com

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At the Ballet

Saturday night, I got treated to what is probably my most favorite of date nights: dinner and the ballet.

Tulsa Ballet put on a great production of Taming of the Shrew that made even my boyfriend laugh! And on his own freewill, nonetheless! There were no tutus in this ballet- it appealed to a broad audience with its laid back feel and comedic scenes making it a wonderful ballet for couples to enjoy.  The choreography did an excellent job of portraying all of the details of the plot just in case you weren't well versed in ballet pantomime. I also noticed that the symphony used a piano for this production- something I don't recall them doing in most of the ballets I have seen.

Going to see any performing arts event can be pricey. We were able to get our tickets half off and our seats could not have had a better view! Through subscribing to Tulsa Ballet's mailing list, you can receive great offers that make such luxuries affordable. You can visit their website here and enter your email address in at the bottom right hand side of the page.  You also may want to check with your employer- many businesses are offered discount tickets.

Tulsa Ballet still has two productions left in their season- don't miss out!

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