The LifeArtDance of Liz Brent

Yesterday morning I was looking through my roommate’s cook books looking for a good recipe to improve upon a classic I make all the time: pasta + sauce. Feeling inspired, I made an early morning bike trip to my favorite little market on Valencia & 24th to pick up a couple things. I ended up getting sweet little tomatoes and a huge bunch of basil. I realized there was no way I was going to use all the basil, so I mentioned it to my “master chef” roomie M, just in case he would have a use for it. He suggested making pesto, which I thought was pretty brilliant.

Midday, a burrito attack waylaid my desire for pasta, but I still wanted to make the pesto. I thought a little pesto and bread would be just right for late night dinner. And then M came up with another brilliant idea – “Want to learn how to make mojitos?”

WOULD I?!*

So M taught me how to pesto and mojitos and I documented the recipes and the process for posterity (which basically means I made him do all the work).

One disclaimer: Our measurements were all eye-balled and based on “what looks right” and more importantly, “what tastes right,” so they may not be completely accurate. That being said, here we go!

Rule of Thumb: The freshest, best, high quality ingredients = the best food & drinks!

Pesto:

5 cloves of garlic

1/2-3/4 cup of pine nuts (we had to improvise with raw almonds that we chopped and roasted and actually gave the pesto a really nice flavor)

3/4 bunch of basil (about 6 stems) – remove leaves from stems & toss stems

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of olive oil

* Add everything to a blender/food processor and mix until creamy. M likes his pesto with a punch (i.e. lots of garlic). If you need to mellow it out, add more cheese.

I toasted French baguette with a little butter and we spread the pesto on. We also dipped the bread in balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a little pepper and ate a lot of those little tomatoes on the side. Deliciousness!

Mojitos:

3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

4 tsps of sweetener (recommended: sucanat/evaporated cane juice/raw cane sugar)

2 shots per person of rum

1 really juicy lime per person (or 2 not-so-juicy limes)

Lots o’ ice

The secret ingredient: Italian soda lemonade!

* Using a muddler (or your closest equivalent) and a shaker tin, muddle together the mint and sweetener, making sure to get all the sweetener off the sides of the tin and infused with the mint. Add the rum to the mixture. Squeeze the limes into the glasses and add lots o’ ice. Pour the sweet mint rum mix over the ice. Top off with the Italian soda lemonade. Add more mint leaves for garnish/flavor, as you like. YUUUUUM!

*Mojitos are my favorite drink EVER.

Random Things I learned:

~ If using high heat, avoid using non stick pans

Next Adventure:

Basil Mojitos?!

Last night, Dr. M and I went out for dinner and drinks. We went to my neighborhood bar, which is literally around the corner from my apartment. Jay n’ Bee’s is quickly becoming a favorite. Last night I tried one of their pizzas, and become even more enamored. The #2 with garlic, Parmesan, and TONS of spinach was one reason. Delicious! But the enthusiasm and energy of the bartenders was the main reason. And it’s just so lovely to sit by the window and feel like, “This is my neighborhood.”

It’s true, 10 months of living in SF, and I’m just now starting to feel like I actually live here.

Next we went to El Rio, which I had never been to before, and loved it! It could’ve been the spacious back patio with wooden seats and trees, where we cuddled on a bench and gazed at the mini shrine festooned with fake flowers, Christmas lights, and various rusting odds and ends. It could’ve been the karaoke drifting on the night breeze. It could’ve been the dogs sitting with their owners, tail wagging excitement bubbling over at every new passerby. Or maybe it was my drink, “Purple Rain.” The special of the evening, the bartender scooped organic blueberries mashed into agave syrup from a mason jar on the counter into my glass, over ice, and added vodka and lemonade. “Only in San Francisco,” was my thought.

Whatever it was, I definitely was feeling in love with the city last night. Driving back home, I watched people crossing Bryant and realized I was no longer feeling like a tourist – a wannabe – in this town, but yes, like someone who lives here.