shameful and other secrets

annual halloween performance of christian asplund's fall of the house of usher

1) my secret writing place--i found a new spot and no one knows where it is.

don't try to read what's in my notebook.  it's a secret.

2) moses' secret crazy carrot coconut soup & popovers.  if i have the wherewithal, i'll make it for halloween tomorrow night.

digging cheesy new country such as lady antebellum

3) i've been listening to the eagle, 101.5, salt lake city's new country station.

and early zeroes alicia

4) i'm obsessed with mariah carey's butterfly, alicia keys butterflyz, and dolly parton's love is like a butterfly.  what can i say.

questionable television programming

5) i watched every episode of californication in a week's time.

moses and i created this soup last summer.  

Crazy Coconut Carrot Soup

1 ½ T. coconut oil

1 ½ T. vegetable oil

1 ½ c. diced yellow onion

3 large minced garlic cloves

¾ cup diced celery

¼ cup washed and finely chopped cilantro stems

2 ½ t. kosher salt

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. garlic powder

¼ t. garlic chili oil

2 cups cubed  and peeled potato

2 cups cubed and peeled sweet potato

2 lbs. peeled and chopped carrots

6-8 c. water

1 32 oz. can diced tomatoes (including juice)

1 16 oz. can coconut milk

cilantro leaves for garnish

1)   In a large kettle, heat oil to medium and sauté onion, garlic, celery, and cilantro stems.  Saute gently for a few minutes until transluscent. 

2)   Add salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili oil and cook for a few more minutes. 

3)   Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, water, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until all the vegetables are so tender that they fall apart when forked.

4)   Add coconut milk and blend with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender or food processor. 

5)   Adjust salt to taste if necessary, and heat the soup for a few minutes on low.  Before serving, garnish bowls of soup with cilantro leaves.

6)   Serve with Cheddar Cheesy popovers on the side—delicious for dipping in the soup.

Cheddar-Cheesy Popovers

(makes 12 medium sized popovers)

5 medium eggs

1 c. 2% milk

½ c. half & half

1 ½ c. flour

1 ½ t. kosher salt

1 c. of your favorite cheddar, grated

cooking spray

1)   Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a cupcake tin with cooking spray.

2)   Beat eggs in medium mixing bowl.  Add milk and half & half.  Stir in salt, grated cheddar, and finally, flower.  Mix briskly with a wire whisk.  It’s okay if a few lumps remain in the batter—kind of like pancakes, if you over mix these, they will be tough.

3)   Fill cupcake tins 2/3 of the way with batter.

4)   Bake on 450 for 20 minutes. 

5)   Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 12 minutes, then check on the popovers every two minutes until they are brown, dry, and crispy.

6)   Immediately remove from the cupcake tins so they don’t get soggy, and serve right after baking with your Crazy Coconut Carrot soup.

disorder & sublime

michael lee, "the traveller"

last night we performed c.'s extracts from the fall of the house of usher at byu's madsen recital hall.  it was a great crowd, and the piece received enthusiastic response.

max steiner's baton

c. conducted the piece with max steiner's baton.

everyone painted their nails black backstage.  this is the clarinetist.

the musicians painted their fingernails black, donned eyeliner & black lipstick, getting into the gothic vibe.

violinist

today we say good-bye to our good friend michael lee, here from the university of oklahoma to perform as the narrator in the piece, and also to do research in byu's special collections in the max steiner papers (he scored the films king kong, casablanca, and gone with the wind, to name a few).

flute player

mike is a musicologist who specializes in film scoring.  he's also a horror buff, and edits the international journal horror studies.  i'm trying to get him to put together some sort of horror post for halloween, but i'm not sure i can persuade him.

pianist

yesterday michael gave a lecture on the merits of disorder and disorganization.  on the importance of losing and failing.

the traveller makes his entrance

i love a person who comes along and makes you examine and shift your paradigm.  it's been a good few days with a great friend, great ideas, great music, great artists, and people of intensely focused enthusiasms gathered together for a short & fruitful time, making their contributions to the world.

i improvised some black lipstick with an eyeliner

what more could a girl, pulling out her fall tights collection in october, ask for?