2011 July

I’ll Show You A “Girl Burger”

I HATE this shit. Granted, I am immediately turned off by any condescending, patronizing attempts to market to females (love Bethenny Frankel, but ‘Skinnygirl margarita?’ Come on.) So this tweet by the Cooking Channel grabbed my wary eye right away.

The “girl burger” in question was, in fact, not a burger. No, it’s nothing more than a pile of grilled vegetables and goat cheese on a ciabatta roll. So let’s just call it what it is: A VEGETABLE SANDWICH. (I’m surprised it didn’t come on scooped-out bread, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Carbs are EVIL.)

Certainly, I wasn’t offended by the recipe itself. It actually looked pretty good. What got the rage flowing was the implication that women don’t eat beef burgers. That we’re all watching our figures. That it’s unladylike to order “man food.” That a large, traditional burger would somehow eclipse our femininity, as we’re expected to remain dainty.

There’s a reason I don’t read traditional women’s magazines, with their contradicting (and insulting) “life advice” about diets and trying to snag a man. And I really didn’t appreciate the spillover into my daily food media consumption.

What’s that, Cooking Channel? I can’t hear you. I’m ripping into my own “Girl Burger” – this bloody masterpiece from MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine.

“You Had Me At Meat Tornado” – The Zen of Ron Swanson

It should come as no surprise that I – like many food lovers – am completely and utterly obsessed with “Parks and Recreation” character Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman.) How can you not love a man who’s so enamored with meat?

And it also shouldn’t surprise you that Rob got me this T-shirt for my birthday – a gift I loved just as much as the bottle of 2007 Rodney Strong Rockaway that he smuggled home from California.

Heirloom Tomatoes Return

When I found one of the summer’s first heirloom tomatoes at my local farmstand last week, I rejoiced, and shot this photo to commemorate the occasion.

Apparently I missed the memo that the tomato was, ahem, suggestive-looking.

ANYWAY. I used half of this mutant-looking fruit on a Caprese flatbread that night, and the other half in last night’s rocking spaghetti sauce.

I should keep a running tally of how many heirlooms I end up purchasing this summer.

Southern Maine: Bite By Bite

It would take me less time to describe what I didn’t eat in Maine during my five-day vacation. (One word: Vegetables.) Here’s a photo roundup of our trip’s most delectable moments. And some scenery for good measure.