WWLD?

I woke up this morning to film crews on the Green AGAIN. Yep, Kew Green appears to be quite the picturesque spot for commercials -- Mars last week, Activia today. And -- sigh -- 2 more opportunities to get my big break lost through lack of initiative on my part.

If I were Lucy, I would've manufactured 101 ways to get into either of those commercials. Perhaps impress the director by scarfing 100 Snickers bars in 10 minutes, for a little product knowledge? (and then of course being too sick to film the actual commercial...)

Of course, if I *were* Lucy, then my husband would already be in the commercial himself and I'd spend most of the day trying to get on camera while simultaneously disguising myself so he had no idea I was there. And hilarity and hijinks would ensue.

Ah - simpler days... I've just decided my new life motto: What Would Lucy Do?

Margot in the kitchen

No, not the sequel to Margot at the Wedding . Rather, Saturday afternoon saw me at my friend Margot's flat, trying to cook as many freezable recipes as possible in a couple of hours. Why? To see her through the next couple of weeks as she recuperates from surgery to repair a skiing mishap-caused torn ACL. So, sending many get-well-soon wishes to Margot -- hope you enjoy the defrosted veggie soup, chicken cacciatore, and teriyaki chicken! It's amazing what you can freeze -- did you know there's a whole movement dedicated to freezing food for a month, so you only cook that one day a month. I think that requires more dedication and planning than I'm capable of!

And to Kim, who suffered the SAME injury on the same ill-fated trip -- I wish I could come to New York & cook with you as well! At least home delivery is that much more prevalent in NYC...

mmm... steak

What goes better with last week's potatoes than a juicy steak? And now, having been sucked into watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares for the first time (I swear - I only turned it on while folding laundry!), I now want to try a steak at the Olde Stone Mill Steakhouse in Tuckahoe -- according to Google Maps, only 7.2 miles from White Plains! Though I'm slightly disappointed Gordon took the signature funnel salad off the menu -- that would have been a sight to behold.



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*really - I'm not being ironic -- I do want to check this place out. Gee, I guess I *am* influenced by celebrity, however tenuous.

My cup runneth over

Can you believe it? It seems that not only is this British Pie Week, it is in fact the whole Year of the Potato. And that’s backed by the mighty UN, so it must be for serious.

Some little known facts about the potato:

• It does not, in fact, end in the letter ‘e’ (ok, most people know that already, but in an election year, I thought it was a fun reminder of some lighter moments in Republican party ineptitude. Makes a change from the more serious ineptitude of late)
• There’s not only a year dedicated to it, but a new book -- and Marie Antoinette was a potato promoter... so perhaps she could've said 'let them eat pommes de terre'
• The potato is the world's fourth most important food crop (answers to 1,2,3 most important below)
• The potato was first domesticated by hunters and gatherers around Lake Titicaca (I think it probably looked something like this)
• If you're lucky, you too can read the very first issue of the Frozen Potato Product Newsletter -- and get in there on the ground floor
• There are 7500 varieties of potatoes (how come there are only about 3 or so at the grocery store then -- tiny, a little bigger, and baking size?)
• And finally, the best mashed potatoes in the whole world are made by none other than Ashley Paul Agar. And reader, I married him.

*top 3 crops ahead of potatoes are maize, wheat & rice, btw

mmmmm.... pie.....

Clearly I was meant to live in the UK, given my love for foods stodgy and carbohydrate-intensive. Baked beans -- mmm. Mash? Can't go wrong. But nothing beats a good savoury pie. Yum and double yum, so let's all celebrate British Pie Week.

Of course - I completely disagree with Jus-Rol's site -- puff pastry topping is *not* the way to go. Far too light and fluffy. You need a good solid crust, such as found on Square Pie pies.

Only 5 more days left of Pie Week, and I've yet to have a single pie. Guess I know what's for dinner tonight! (I wonder if I can get take-out from the Greyhound next door...)