don't judge a fruit by its cover.

so, a few days ago, i saw ugli fruit in the produce section at bloomingfoods and just couldn't help myself. they're supposed to be ugly, but, come on! this one was kind of cute! sure, it was flat on one side, as if it had been dropped, but the color was a brilliant, jamaican green. most of the ones i've seen on the internets, on the other hand, are a sickly kind of yellow. jamaicans call it "hoo-glee," americans call it "ugly," and i like to call it "ooogly." it's a citrus hybrid, and really, not as bad as my initial googling left me to believe. most called it "like a grapefruit, but not as good."

make your life a little easier by removing the membrane before digging in. it is JUICY, and messy, and the membrane is too tough to eat. i don't mind the membrane of, say, an orange, (mmm, fiber!) but nothing doing in this case.

so, hey, if you come across one in the winter, give it a try. no, it didn't make me want to sing and do a happy interpretive ugli dance, but it's not bad at all. just beware the juice. beware.

you might have noticed that i have some advertisements on the top of the page now from the nice people over at foodbuzz. they're nice enough to sponsor the almost sustainable kitchen. this was a long time coming because i was wary about keeping control over the ads - this blog doesn't promote most of the food being advertised out there - but i think we worked it out, and i'm glad they want to support our little niche here. if you see an ad that bugs you, email or comment to let me know.

happy holidays out there! keep it safe, and eat well!

comment away

hey, did you know that blogger made it easier for those of you without blogger accounts to leave comments? try it, i dare you! feel free to really let loose. or, why not read this new nyt article by michael pollan and make a comment on that?

powering through!

whew! as of friday, i had two christmas presents purchased. as of today, i have all but one. internet shopping - with so many choices, sometimes you've got to just power through. the one present i don't have is probably the most important of all: my 4-year-old niece. alas, this is a joint venture entered into with my oldest brother, the one inevitably slips out the door on christmas eve to wrap up his shopping. not this year, bro! just wrapped up my giving by sending $10 to the UN World Food Programme via Menu for Hope. what's menu for hope? well, they get a bunch of food bloggers together to put up delectable prizes to raffle off. each donation equals an entry. thanks, smitten kitchen, for the donation and the heads up. yes, i will put my name in the hat for some cookies. you bet i will. if you like raffles and food, and dislike hunger, take a look.

jiminy christmas!

ack, help, what happened? it's been a week since i blogged? actually, i do know what happened. i've been very engaged in this other, very time-consuming hobby. "what time consuming hobby, kelley? do tell! we're just on pins and needles out here." why, thanks for asking. i just joined the bleeding heartland rollergirls. "um, what? roller derby?" sure! it's all the rage. "are you still going to blog and stuff?" of course! having this blog, working an interesting and fulfilling job, and doing roller derby makes me feel like a very interesting and well-rounded human. anyways, let's catch up. check out mary's comment on the super-easy bread recipe from the new york times. she subbed whole wheat flour with no problems. i'm a little floored that this could possibly be so simple. thanks, mary! christine set me straight on FARM bloomington (not to be confused with one of our portland favorites, the farm). the long and short of it: there's a coffee counter and gifty market open now, and the kitchen opens soon. i'm sure there's something else i forgot, but off to bed.

local reminder: FARM Bloomington is opening soon

the website says it's opening tomorrow, but you know how restaurant openings can be. still, i have some library books to return tomorrow morning, so maybe i'll buzz by and see if the alley window is open for business. it's not clear exactly which services of the operation will be up and running tomorrow. by the looks of the website, this is an ambitious (and, to be honest, confusing) project. if anyone has a report, let me know. this morning we had a beautifully simple and delicious breakfast: french toast with sauteed granny smith apples. the apples weren't local - we're way past the local supply this year, with the bad april freeze killing so many early blossoms. this meal a simple process: soak your french toast well, cook it quickly, then set in a 350 oven for 8 minutes or so. while your toast is baking, saute thinly-sliced and peeled apples with a little butter and a sprinkle of sugar until soft and floppy. apples and toast should be done about the same time. serve apples over french toast with a drizzle of warm maple syrup. thick-cut bread works really well, and if you have a day-old loaf of challah at your disposal, by all means. use it. mmmmmm. you could always saute the apples (one per serving) the night before, place them in a pan, layer bread on top, pour custard over the top, and keep covered overnight in the fridge for baked french toast in the morning. mmmmm again.