Episode 14- In which we dream about opening our own business.

Oh, and grad school? Grrrr.

So maybe the key to this whole "job" thing is not to try and fit myself into a job posting that I find on the world wide web (most of which never answer me back- WHAT'S WITH YOU JOB PEOPLE?) but rather to make up a job for myself that fits me perfectly. People have suggested this to me before and I quite like the idea, but am deterred by the fact that I have no money. Which is sad.

But really, isn't America about the (American) dream and the entrepreneurial spirit and being able to do whatever you want? Shouldn't any double-grad-school-educated person be able to open their own business? Even if it's a business that no one knows about? Even if it's to make food and plan parties for other people? Even if it means I could wear a frilly apron on a professional basis? Even if most of these businesses fail in 2 minutes?

I've always harbored a dream of being a wedding planner (sigh, J.Lo, sigh) and planning extravagant affairs that were like really big formals. Sarah could make the cakes! But probably not happening any time soon. But wouldn't it be nice to plan smaller, classy parties? With cocktails and small bites and cupcakes? Would you come?

So please hire me and my pretend business! Here are things that I could make for you:

Cupakes (duh), filled with jam and topped with a rosewater glaze
Cakes, in the French savory style- goat cheese and walnuts, asparagus and mozzarella, etc
Quiches of all sorts
Tartes, savory and sweet- nectarine and vanilla sugar, portabello and bacon and spinach, etc
Half-moon bites, filled with pesto or goat cheese or anything
Tartelettes, of all sorts
Many many mini-toasts for every taste under the sun
Kir, of course

I think that this is only the beginning of the list, though

Episode 13- Which hopefully is not an unlucky number

When the going gets tough and there's still no job on the horizon, why not make a savory tart?

And if you, like cupcake, cannot roll out a round pie crust to save your life, why not make a rustic savory tart?

These were my favorite during the thesis-writing period, because they are easy, fast and can be made without a lot of pricey groceries. Any combination of meat and vegetable and cheese will work, or it could go completely veggie. Buying cuts of meat and chopping them at home instead of using pre-ground saves money and lets you control exactly what goes in. Plus, you can buy whatever meat is on special! Let's use one of my favorite examples.

The "I just came back from Spain and I want to use some of this delicious smoked paprika" tart

1 pie crust (made with love at home or purchased if you are in France and can purchase a decent crust)
2 boneless pork chops (they don't have to be huge, the idea is to not use very much meat)
1 yellow onion
mild melty cheese, grated (I've used emmenthaler and comte)
a few teaspoons of aforementioned smokey paprika
salt and pepper

*Preheat your oven to 350, if you're the Fahrenheit type
*Cut the onion into quarters. In a food processor pulse into the onion is finely minced. Set aside.
*Cut the pork into several large pieces and chop in the food processor until the pieces are the approximate size of ground pork.
(Alternately you could just mince the pork and onion by hand, as long as the pieces are fairly small.)
*Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, and when hot add the pork.
*When the pork starts to release some liquid throw in the onions. If the pork is too dry add a little olive oil so the onions don't stick.
*Cook the two together until the onions are soft and the pork is done but not dry (it'll cook a bit more in the oven).
*Add paprika, salt and pepper and stir to mix. Taste and re-season. Repeat until it's delicious.
*Roll out that pastry! (or unroll the store-bought from the box)
*Dump the pork-onion mixture into the middle, leaving about a 2 inch radius around the edges.
*Fold the bare sides of the pastry up onto the middle, creating the edge-crust. It will look like a rough circle unless you're perfect and then it will look like a perfect circle.
*Sprinkle with the cheese
*Put the whole thing into the oven until the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and it looks ready. It can take anywhere from 20-35 minutes.

This serves 3 easily, or 2 very hungry people (or boys)

Episode 3- In which the cupcake makes Cosmos

Cupcakes, like most other people/pastries, enjoy a delicious cocktail. And seriously, the only thing better than a delicious cocktail is a delicious pink cocktail (see also: delicious purple lavender martinis only available in Portland, Oregon). The ur-cocktail of the pink lineage has to be a Cosmopolitan, made even more famous by its frequent guest-star roles on Sex and the City. Frankly (franchement), if this cupcake could bathe in cosmos, she would. France marked a dry-spell in the Cosmo department. And even if France has so many other things (wine, Chartreuse, Chambord, other things of the non-alcoholic variety), it does not really have that same fondness for Cosmos. And that, France, is why we are broken-up. Just kidding, I love you.

All this being said, one thing is evident: cupcake in US= obligatory consumption of cosmopolitans. How convenient that BevMo had even supplied the cupcake household with berry vodka. Nice Bevmo, nice. However the shaker gods/stars were not aligned, and the deliciousness had to be made in a make-shift shaker (not that shaking drinks in a glass with tin foil over the top is make-shift...) And they were still DELICIOUS.

Now you shall make your own....

Cupcake's Favorite Cosmos (from Shag's "Around the World in 80 Drinks")

1.5 ounces vodka (regular or "special", although this blog claims no responsibility for injuries incurred if you try chile vodka)
.5 ounces Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier (to be determined by budget)
1 ounce cranberry juice
.5 ounces lime juice (or just squeeze some into the shaker)

Add all elements to an ice-filled shaker. Shake. Strain into classy glass. Enjoy.