RIP Harold Ramis

 Jeez.

writer Animal House, Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day
director Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, Groundhog Day
actor Stripes, Ghostbusters

some pretty fine comedies.

Garden 12 Feb

 almond tree flower

 Crocosmia, i think

Mujadra / Mejadra

Spelling, grain, spices are different in every recipe, but basically it's lentils + a grain + allspice / tomato paste with onions on top. It's damn good. I've been making the Claudia Roden version for at least 15 years. Hers uses bulghur, red lentils, and caramelized onions. In 'Jerusalem' they use rice, green lentils, and deep fried onions. It's all good. We've been making it lately with freekeh, green lentils, and leek tops and swiss chard cooked with the grains. Great cheap nutritious dish. It's of Syrian orgin, eaten during Lent if you gave up meat.

Mujadra - Claudia Roden the Book of Middle Eastern Food
1c lentils
4c broth
1/2 t all spice
chili powder
salt/pepper
1T tomato paste
1 1/4 c bulghur
olive oil
2 onions

Cook first 6 ingredients for 20 min, add bulghur and cook for another 20. Saute the onions in oliveoil for a long time, about 30 min, till they are nice and brown. Stir some in and serve some on top. Good with yogurt and/or hot sauce.

'Jerusalem' Dinner Party

I got the Jerusalem cookbook by Ottoloenghei and Tamimi very recently, and a couple of days later we did a dinner party somewhat based upon it. We made hummus, flatbread from pizza dough, green zhoug, roasted butternut squash with tahini sauce, Steph brought some veggies to roast and made the spinach with dates salad, and Erin made a rose water cake. So good.

 selective focus action

 these were the 2 dishes that were from Jerusalem. the rest were from Claudia Roden's Middle East food and Jewish food. Both were killer.

San Simeon area trip

Quick little weekend trip, Cambria Brewing, Washburn campground, elephant seals, southern Big Sur, Hearst Ranch beef, Moonstone beach. The new discovery was Frutiland in Arroyo Grande. Killer mexican food. I shot the D600, mostly with the 300mm, some 16mm. Sara the D200 with the 55mm. Full albums here, here.

early morning long exposure

pink eye

this dude had trouble finding the nipple...

Salmon Creek Falls

16mm fisheye

Piedras Blancas lighthouse

dry as heck mountains

Now for the lady not first D200 photos:

gang of babies

lots of nursing going on

family unit

selective focus

the corduroy lines are from the swell that caused the Mavs contest to run

Salmon Creek trail

Piedras Blancas again

Frutiland. Fish tacos, Azteca tacos (pasillas + cheese, fried), cantaloupe agua fresca, papaya/pneapple agua fresca. So good.

a couple of videos from the D600:

Holidays 2013

Full album here.

Hello old friend

Manzanita, Lizard's Mouth area

We got a Meyer Lemon tree again

Chicken Cacciatore

post-surf, Christmas morning lox and bagels

stuffed faces

i usually don't photograph well, but notice the joy when i unwrapped my mexican pan dulce gingerbread pigs...

funky cookie cutters. cactus, squirrel, t-rex, and Unicorn

zuni bracelet from my mom

Christmas sunset from E Camino Cielo

laser Christmas lights, looked very cool

nativity scene at the mission with a real donkey

fish taco with Ojai Lemonaise

mussels, mmmmmm

i've put a similar shot on the blog a couple of times now, doesn't get old