Memories of Olive Garden

I can be critical, perhaps even condescending, in my opinions regarding excellent food versus food for the masses. But sometimes I’m torn, because I have a nostalgia for the way I used to just appreciate things for what they are, without fuss or pretension.

There’s been a lot of talk about Marilyn Hagerty’s review of an Olive Garden in Grand Forks, ND. I love that Anthony Bourdain stated that he was enjoying watching Marilyn’s “triumph over the snarkologists (myself included)”. I’ve been to South Dakota, and it was stark in its overall vibe of distances and loneliness, at least to a gal from New Jersey. I can only imagine that North Dakota is similar.

I suppose it’s hard to ever completely detach oneself from a first experience. My first experience at an Olive Garden was in New York state when I was 17 back in the late 90′s. I was on a road trip with my Dad to visit college campuses before deciding on where to apply. We were mainly visiting state schools, and I don’t remember exactly how we decided on going to a particular Olive Garden but there we were. I remember thinking it was damn good. I remember the cheesecake. I remember my Dad liked it, too.

Fast forward two years later, I was in a statistics class in college. The adjunct professor was prone to chatting about his personal life, including one morning about his daughter. He was very proud of the fact that she was attending Sarah Lawrence instead of a state school. He was also very proud about how his daughter saved money by going to the Olive Garden with her friends and filled up on salad and breadsticks. The fact that you can’t win at roulette because of the OO and this little Olive Garden story are the only things I really remember about that class.

Since that first experience at the Olive Garden, I’ve had numerous exceptional meals in New York City, dined on moules and frites in Brussels, and tasted gnocchi in Como, Italy. But I can count on one hand the number of times I had a meal alone with my Dad at a restaurant, and in my memory, the Olive Garden was fancy. To a girl on her way to college from a middle-class background who grew up 15 miles from New York City, a chain restaurant with a Tuscan theme was lovely. I get it Marilyn!

Let’s Talk Tea in Seattle

Do you like tea? Or LOVE tea?

Seriously, who talks about Seattle and tea in the same sentence? It’s always coffee, espresso, sexy baristas, and latte art in my town.

I’m expecting my second child in July, so one of the biggest changes I’ve made to my diet lately is adhering to the well-known “don’t eat or drink” list. You know, don’t drink alcohol, don’t have too much caffeine, no soft cheese, etc. I’m usually a morning coffee drinker, but I’ve rediscovered my love of black and green teas in the past few months.

In Seattle there are a number of awesome coffee shops (which by the way also happen to usually serve awesome tea), but what deserves some attention are the tea shops! I met up with some friends for a tea tasting at Vital Tea Leaf near Pike Place Market. I tried a wide selection of teas, starting with light and subtle green teas, going through a range of oolong and puerh, and finishing with the darkest black tea. I can’t even remember the number of teas I tried, but it was a fun time!

Miro Tea in Ballard has a great atmosphere for getting work done, playing a game of chess, or just catching up on for a chat. A wide selection is available and the best part is that unlike many other strictly tea shops their hours are geared for the person that wants to stay out a bit late. 10PM!

If you want a frilly, ladylike tea experience then there’s nowhere else to go than Queen Mary Tea in Bryant. I went with my Mom one summer day for lunch, and we were surprised by the number of ladies dressed up, girls in tiaras, and general atmosphere of formality. I don’t think I saw a single guy in the packed room aside from the waiters. But the food is great, and you could possibly get the girly tea party experience you’ve always dreamed of!

Tiny field daisies – spring is coming!

I took a plant identification class last spring at the University of Washington, and the main thing I learned is that plant ID is very time consuming, it’s easy to make a mistake, and there are many subtle ways seemingly similar plants are different. I don’t have a Pacific NW flower field guide at my immediate disposal, and plant ID via google is an exercise in patience, so can’t give you the exact name of this little daisy-like plant that Leila loves picking at a park near our house. However, perhaps you can use the name my Grandmother used when she was here for them. “Sto krotki”, or hundred petals in Polish.

Farmer’s Market Basket

I didn’t know that the cardboard versions of these lovely ceramic containers were called “Farmer’s Market Baskets”, but whatever the name they’re adorable and I would put fresh berries or cherries into this immediately.

Available in 4 colors (white, green, blue, and yellow) from Anthropologie

The Edible Front Yard

Upon seeing this book on the shelf, my hands went toward it as if drawn magnetically. Once I had a few moments to read through its pages, I found it to be colorful, unpretentious, well thought out, and useful.

There’s a good blend of plant descriptions, garden design ideas, practical advice on building soil, and using hardscaping materials. Personally, after seeing some photos in this book I’m dreaming of a concrete paver installation in my backyard.

My only slight criticism of the book is that for the gardener outside the year-round gardening bliss of southern California, there was a notable lack of maintaining an edible garden through the winter, and how to actually make it attractive through the long winter months. A few things I’d advise would be evergreen herbs (like rosemary) or plants with bright red berries or fruits (rose hips!) to make the front lawn gorgeous through the colder months.

There’s also a point in the book (“dreams vs. reality”) where the author states that tomatoes aren’t the best used in edible front yards, yet in the photo on the next page (and many other photos, upon closer examination) definitely have tomatoes featured. Ms. Soler even sports a cute bunch of tomatoes behind her ear in her bio photo! She does state that cherry tomatoes are the best bet, so I’ll have to agree with here there. Sure if you’re going to have to blanket a tomato with insulation in order to get fruit it’s not easy on the eyes, but personally I think the bold yellow blossoms, glossy fruit, and the distinct, amazing smell of tomato plants make it a perfect addition to an edible garden.

The Edible Front Yard by Ivette Soler.