I live on a peninsula, and my rides generally take me the same route-- south. My riding time is quite limited these days to commuting. When I manage to get out, I need to maximize my workout, so I head for the hills on a personal time trial--- hitting about 1400 feet of elevation.
Starting out a little after 6am while the kids are still asleep. The light isn't the greatest for photos.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Ride report
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday Photos
On the move, albeit very slowly. The Saipem 7000 is so huge, it has its own Wikipedia page. You would think with 76000 horsepower, it would be something of a speedboat. We passed quite closely on our ferry to Kvitsøy. 
Earlier this week I took Julian out for a ride. He loved it. I think he was too young last year. I foresee many more rides together.
He insists on putting his cap on himself.
Eight weeks old, and exuding pure cuteness.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Still owe a proper posting about Dubai
I don't know where to begin. Perhaps my thank you email from the hotel gives some perspective. I will try to cover the highlights:At night, I thought I saw a foggy haze over the city, but the air was much too dry to be fog. Also the air was too clean to be pollution. It turned out to be fine dust--- sand from the desert.
It takes more energy than contained in a gallon of gasoline to desalinate a gallon of water. Dubai is in the desert.
I saw nothing on sale in any stores. Nothing. Everything was full price. No bargain shopping here. Malls are huge-- since the climate can be quite hot. I was lucky.
There is no place to walk in the city. I was told it was because normally it is too hot to walk anywhere.
Dubai is not a democracy. It is run by a prince or something like that, and all the government officials are appointed. The upside to this is that there are few politics to sort through--- which is why the entire city sprung up practically overnight.
As an Islamic state, there are all sorts of religious "laws." Alcohol is only found at hotels. I encountered a restaurant that was briefly *wink*wink* closed for evening prayers. I was, however, served.
It is strange doing business with unshaven Ivy League educated men who are wearing sandals, a white robe, and a white "head dress" wrapped with a black cord. It is even stranger seeing women in burkhas in a business setting. The women were segregated from men during lunch--- and not one singe Muslim woman spoke to me all week. The only women I spoke to were the Chinese working the hotel.
It is common to smoke tobacco from a hookah in the outdoor seating areas at restaurants.
All the food served is halal.
Racism is alive and well in the U.A.E. While there are all sorts of expats in the area, there is a real hierarchy. It was embarrassing how much respect I received being a white westerner. I met up with a coworker from our office in India--- and someone started bossing him around, thinking he was a laborer working at the hotel. It was absurd.
At the airport, I had to go through security to enter the airport. Next came ticketing, then I had to go through passport to leave the country. Next was another security (second set of metal detectors). Then I was free to go to the gates.
The city has the best quality roads I have ever seen anywhere---- but virtually no public transportation, except buses. How can a city so new lack public transportation infrastructure?
Most vehicles are white.
The city has no soul or character--- it is much too young. It lacks any local culture, and in many ways, it is depressing--- akin to placing a Disneyland in the Vatican.
From a business perspective, it was a very good trip. I am sure I will return.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Dubai Photos
World's tallest building.
Entire city under construction.
Outside the indoor ski hill.
Inside--- at Mall of Emirates.
All this way to find Norwegian water in my room.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Dubai
Where do I begin? Maybe with, I have been working non-stop since I have arrived and haven't seen the outside of the hotel in a few days? Such is glamorous work travel.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Greatest Cat in the World
When Elijah was a kitten 17 years ago, I never considered the day he would be no longer with us. He has been the best cat imaginable--- with a personality more in line with a puppy. He hasn't been doing too well lately--- and today was the day for his one-way trip to the vet. I will miss you, dear friend.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Emil
There is something about this show that fascinates me. Perhaps it is because it is far more honest than any American show of its kind. It is set in Sweden when the economy was terrible and people were emigrating to the US. The adults get drunk at parties, and Emil's father is borderline abusive when he loses his temper at Emil.
How NOT to make a burger
We ate out at a restaurant last night-- the four of us, along with my wife's family. I almost never order a burger when I eat out, but I had heard good things about the burgers where we were eating, and I wasn't feeling particularly creative. It was alleged to be American-style. When it arrived, my wife and I were both convinced they screwed up and served us lamb burgers--- there was an overpowering minty rosemary flavor to the meat, and the texture was unlike any burger I have ever consumed. Lise asked the server about it-- he claimed the meat was seasoned, but I am still convinced we ate the wrong species of mammal.
Regardless, it brings up an interesting point that was recently discussed over lunch at work--- how to make a perfect burger. I as asked as an American who should know how to grill. I offered by expert advice: use ground beef that is not too lean, pack into patties, salt, and grill. My coworkers were dumbfounded. It seemed each had some crazy "recipe" of adding all sorts of herbs, spices, and filler-- mixing in food processors, and so on. It could explain why I have never eaten a decent burger anywhere in Europe.
Regardless, it brings up an interesting point that was recently discussed over lunch at work--- how to make a perfect burger. I as asked as an American who should know how to grill. I offered by expert advice: use ground beef that is not too lean, pack into patties, salt, and grill. My coworkers were dumbfounded. It seemed each had some crazy "recipe" of adding all sorts of herbs, spices, and filler-- mixing in food processors, and so on. It could explain why I have never eaten a decent burger anywhere in Europe.
Passports, Etc.
Having two kids is four times the work. I have been quite busy the past two weeks. I am preparing for a trip to Dubai toward the end of the month, and I really don't have the open-ended time available in the evening to work--- at least no time I can depend on.
This week we took care of all the paperwork for US passports for the kids. Here is the deal: it is much easier to obtain Norwegian passports. However, for tax purposes I need social security numbers for the kids to claim them as dependents. The only way to obtain these numbers while abroad is to use a passport as an ID. The only way to obtain a passport while abroad is to appear in person before an officer of a consulate-- usually at the embassy-- and the only embassy is in Oslo. This means we would all normally need to travel to the capital to appear in person so our signatures could be accepted. But this week, there was a consular visit to the international school here in Stavanger. This would save us the huge inconvenience of an Oslo trip. To apply for a passport, we needed the births to be registered by the US--- Norwegian birth certificates could not be directly used. We also needed passport photos.
The afternoon before the consular visit, we headed downtown to a photography store for the kids photos. It is quite a challenge getting the eyes open/mouth shut pose for a month old infant, but we managed. We met another American family going through the same thing-- updating the passports for their teen kids. We walked out of the store about $100 lighter. Getting social security numbers is expensive business.
The next morning we showed up at the international school a little before 9 am when they were scheduled to open the visits with the consular officer. The atrium as crowded. We were there none too early. Julian somehow managed to wait the two and a half hours without too much trouble, although undoubtedly he was bored out of his mind. Of course, a few hours in nothing compared to an Oslo trip-- and we would still need to queue up at the embassy as well. Now we just need to pay hundreds of dollars in fees--- in cash--- in US currency, and we will be all set.
I really hate US tax law-- that subjects ALL citizens to income tax-- regardless where you live in the world. Imagine if state income tax did the same thing.
This week we took care of all the paperwork for US passports for the kids. Here is the deal: it is much easier to obtain Norwegian passports. However, for tax purposes I need social security numbers for the kids to claim them as dependents. The only way to obtain these numbers while abroad is to use a passport as an ID. The only way to obtain a passport while abroad is to appear in person before an officer of a consulate-- usually at the embassy-- and the only embassy is in Oslo. This means we would all normally need to travel to the capital to appear in person so our signatures could be accepted. But this week, there was a consular visit to the international school here in Stavanger. This would save us the huge inconvenience of an Oslo trip. To apply for a passport, we needed the births to be registered by the US--- Norwegian birth certificates could not be directly used. We also needed passport photos.
The afternoon before the consular visit, we headed downtown to a photography store for the kids photos. It is quite a challenge getting the eyes open/mouth shut pose for a month old infant, but we managed. We met another American family going through the same thing-- updating the passports for their teen kids. We walked out of the store about $100 lighter. Getting social security numbers is expensive business.
The next morning we showed up at the international school a little before 9 am when they were scheduled to open the visits with the consular officer. The atrium as crowded. We were there none too early. Julian somehow managed to wait the two and a half hours without too much trouble, although undoubtedly he was bored out of his mind. Of course, a few hours in nothing compared to an Oslo trip-- and we would still need to queue up at the embassy as well. Now we just need to pay hundreds of dollars in fees--- in cash--- in US currency, and we will be all set.
I really hate US tax law-- that subjects ALL citizens to income tax-- regardless where you live in the world. Imagine if state income tax did the same thing.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Flirting with Ohm's Law
I had a very nice halogen floor lamp that we moved here from the US. I had a vague plan to covert it for European voltage. After three years, I finally managed to do something about it. It has a dimmer switch on the floor, and I considered the possibility of just rewiring the cord going into the dimmer. It seems most light bulbs are half the watts as in the US--- and twice the voltage, of course. But I chickened out. It seems to me something is squared in Ohm's law. I didn't want to risk running twice the voltage through the dimmer, and rather purchased a new dimmer, and just reused the internal wiring. We now have the perfect lamp for the dark corner we created when we rearranged the furniture.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The same madness I biked home in
It took nearly an hour to bike each way--- but hey, I was moving. Traffic was completely stopped along the main roads. Some people spent two hours driving to work. It was the roughest ride ever, so I left my laptop at work. No sense destroying it in a crash.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Friday, February 06, 2009
New Addition
Aurora was born yesterday morning at 7:50. She was 3.6 kg and 52cm-- a good sized baby girl. We used the birthing loft again, and had nothing less than an excellent experience-- again. It is facing budget cuts, and it would be criminal to let anything happen to this wonder addition to the hospital.
Wednesday, Lise went out to Kvitsøy with Julian to visit her parents. She returned around 8 in the evening. At 2am she woke me to say we needed to head to the hospital. About 3am we moved our plan into action, and started preparing to leave for the hospital. We called a friend who spent the night to look after Julian. We arrived at the hospital around 4:30 in the morning. Intense labor started about an hour later, and by 8am, our daughter was in our arms--- with no complications or issues--- a perfect little girl and a perfect birth. We could not be happier. We left the hospital around 1 pm today.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Back to my normal commute
My week of riding in low gear meant taking the hilliest route possible to work--- meaning I was either crawling uphill, or coasting down. The flat pavement was quite unsatisfying. Today was pure bliss, despite the sub-zero temperature. My bike now shifts better than when it was new. I am not convinced the bike shop knows how to tune a drive train. I chalked it up to mid-level components. I readjusted everything last night and it is crisp, quick, and quiet. Now I can only hope more parts implode so they can be upgraded.
And still no baby yet.
And still no baby yet.
A thing of beauty
My new derailleur arrived yesterday-- duty free as it should. It is a thing of beauty compared to the old one--- and it arrived with a cable (something I overlooked). It was a simple installation. Best of all, I could salvage a fastener from the old unit for the brake fluid reservoir. Somehow one of the tiny screws had worked its way out. Now I won't be stuck in low gear.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
With every silver lining, there is a dark cloud
Am I lucky or unlucky that I still have my wisdom teeth? One is starting to seriously act up. I did a bit of research online, and the US-based Mayo site states that I should seek immediate attention from my dentist. Interesting how different medical advice and treatment is in a litigious society-- versus here in Norway, where common maladies are considered normal. I will be calling my dentist quite soon, although this may collide with the impending birth. I don't expect much sympathy right now from Lise. On a related note, I recently discovered that my dentist is the dentist of choice among American ex-pats. He did a fine job of upgrading my fillings.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Limping to work
Since my shifter I broken, I can only ride in the lowest gear in the rear. I have been taking the hilliest route possible to work this week, since I either am riding up steep hills, or coasting down. It is less frustrating than taking a flatter route. Coincidentally, this is the same route where my shifter exploded. I have been obsessed with finding it. Fortunately we have ever-growing daylight. My efforts were rewarded yesterday when I found it on my way home. I don't know what I will do with it-- maybe patch the shifter up until the one I ordered arrives.
I am frustrated with the bozos at Chain Reaction cycle. I emailed them along with my order reminding them specifically not to include shipping in the customs declaration-- otherwise I will pay a massive duty due to bizarre laws in Norway. Shipping places the order above 200 kr. I received a reply stating they cannot lie on a customs form. I am not asking them to lie. I am reminding them on the regulations--- something that is occasionally missed by ham-fisted web retailers. I will not be happy if I end up paying the post office on this one. And that is the trouble. Kiwi-- our version of the "Kwik-E-Mart" serves as our local post office. Throughout Christmas they struggled to find our packages. These folks are not people to negotiate with about improperly marked customs forms.
I am frustrated with the bozos at Chain Reaction cycle. I emailed them along with my order reminding them specifically not to include shipping in the customs declaration-- otherwise I will pay a massive duty due to bizarre laws in Norway. Shipping places the order above 200 kr. I received a reply stating they cannot lie on a customs form. I am not asking them to lie. I am reminding them on the regulations--- something that is occasionally missed by ham-fisted web retailers. I will not be happy if I end up paying the post office on this one. And that is the trouble. Kiwi-- our version of the "Kwik-E-Mart" serves as our local post office. Throughout Christmas they struggled to find our packages. These folks are not people to negotiate with about improperly marked customs forms.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dressing
This animation pretty much captures the manic effort involved with Julian's new found affinity for dressing himself.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Exploded shifter
This morning I opted to ride to work entirely off-road. It is a rather byzantine route, through a forest, around the NATO base, up a hill, across a farmer's field, down a service road, across more fields, and through the woods. As I was tearing down the service road in the predawn hour, I was vaguely aware that I really couldn't see where I was riding. At that moment, my entire rear shifter fell apart. I skidded to a stop and begin a frustrating search for the shift lever. Eventually I found it in the dirt and gravel. I resumed my commute in my lowest gear-- the default. It was a long ride in.
This evening I went down to reassemble the watch-like parts yet again. When I started lining up the lever, I noticed I had nothing to line it up with. Both levers had fallen off. I only searched for one. There would be no rebuild. It is below freezing-- I need this bike with the studded tires tomorrow. Looks like I will be limping in again.
I consulted my online options. I had no hope that a local bike shop would sell a lone rear shifter, and it was a good time to upgrade anyway. This shifter never really worked as advertised-- or perhaps I am spoiled by my crisp Dura Ace performance. I consulted a duty-free Swedish online shop. It would cost a small fortune-- like 700kr for a set. I checked my UK connection--- 191 kr--- beneath the 200kr threshold. Duty free for me. Paying the COD and import duty would nearly double the price. Let's hope they don't include shipping in the customs declaration.
It will be a rough week or so riding in on a "3-speed" mountain bike--- but I figure I could be dispatched to the hospital any day now. Julian should have a sister any day now.
This evening I went down to reassemble the watch-like parts yet again. When I started lining up the lever, I noticed I had nothing to line it up with. Both levers had fallen off. I only searched for one. There would be no rebuild. It is below freezing-- I need this bike with the studded tires tomorrow. Looks like I will be limping in again.
I consulted my online options. I had no hope that a local bike shop would sell a lone rear shifter, and it was a good time to upgrade anyway. This shifter never really worked as advertised-- or perhaps I am spoiled by my crisp Dura Ace performance. I consulted a duty-free Swedish online shop. It would cost a small fortune-- like 700kr for a set. I checked my UK connection--- 191 kr--- beneath the 200kr threshold. Duty free for me. Paying the COD and import duty would nearly double the price. Let's hope they don't include shipping in the customs declaration.
It will be a rough week or so riding in on a "3-speed" mountain bike--- but I figure I could be dispatched to the hospital any day now. Julian should have a sister any day now.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration Party
We attended a local inauguration party. The place was crawling with media. I saw a camera crew from NRK, radio from NRK, and both local papers. Julian charmed one of the newspaper photographers, and ended up in one of the local papers.
DIY Auto Repair
Yesterday Lise was downtown and called me to say the car would not start. We encountered the same issue a few weeks ago in Kvitsøy, but it appeared to be an isolated incident. Now I knew it needed a new battery. She asked if she should call for a tow. I said I would be there ASAP with a new battery. I couldn't bear the thought of paying a thousand dollars for a dealer to fix it. I have no idea what it would actually cost, but I imagine a tow in Norway and a battery would cost close to that amount.
A coworker was kind enough to drive me. We stopped by a parts store and picked up a battery for 1500 kr--- more than $200. I thought that was a bit steep for a battery, but remembered how much I was saving. We found the car downtown, and I set about removing the old battery. It was in the car, accessed through the rear hatch above the wheel well. I have never seen a battery so well attached. My crecent wrench was no match, so I had to make another errand to pick up a socket set. By the time I returned, Lise had convinced a building contractor to crawl back there and remove the battery clamp. And I mean crawl. With the battery disconnected, the hatch would no longer open. Crazy BMW.
I finally managed to swap out the battery, and the new one was a perfect fit--- I mean it was the identical size. This often is not the case with replacement batteries-- so I was feeling like it maybe was worth the price. As I replaced it, I noticed a small tube passing through the fender well. I assumed it was some sort of vent. When I returned home I did a bit of research, and realized I needed to connect the tube to the battery itself--- as it vents off the explosive hydrogen gas that is a byproduct of the recharging process. I can see the advantage that it is easy to change, and it stays clean, but I have no idea what was ever wrong with keeping it under the hood.
A coworker was kind enough to drive me. We stopped by a parts store and picked up a battery for 1500 kr--- more than $200. I thought that was a bit steep for a battery, but remembered how much I was saving. We found the car downtown, and I set about removing the old battery. It was in the car, accessed through the rear hatch above the wheel well. I have never seen a battery so well attached. My crecent wrench was no match, so I had to make another errand to pick up a socket set. By the time I returned, Lise had convinced a building contractor to crawl back there and remove the battery clamp. And I mean crawl. With the battery disconnected, the hatch would no longer open. Crazy BMW.
I finally managed to swap out the battery, and the new one was a perfect fit--- I mean it was the identical size. This often is not the case with replacement batteries-- so I was feeling like it maybe was worth the price. As I replaced it, I noticed a small tube passing through the fender well. I assumed it was some sort of vent. When I returned home I did a bit of research, and realized I needed to connect the tube to the battery itself--- as it vents off the explosive hydrogen gas that is a byproduct of the recharging process. I can see the advantage that it is easy to change, and it stays clean, but I have no idea what was ever wrong with keeping it under the hood.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
There goes the neighborhood
There is talk of building Norway's tallest buildings down the hill from where we live. I will believe it when I see it. I am all for it. There is nothing historical about the area--- it all was underwater at one time. Many years ago they drained it. People stood on the shores with baskets, waiting to pick up all the fish. They didn't realize it would take days if not weeks to empty.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Maintenance Weekend
We are in the dead of winter-- rain, rain, and more rain. Late last week I noticed my rear tire wasn't holding air, my bike wasn't shifting so well, and the front brake was a bit weak. I expected I would need to replace the pads (for a disc setup), but it turned out the fluid reservoir was missing a screw, and I was leaking fluid. Topping it off fixed the problem, but I will need to find a new screw somehow. The rear tire turned out to have a leak from an old patch, so I patched the patch. We will see how well that works out. I disassembled the shift mechanism and gave it a quick fix. I really should replace the entire shifter, but at least I can use it now. It has a bad spring. Commuting is hell for bikes.
Of course this morning it was quite warm. Very windy, but warm. I rode the regular wheel set, rather than the studs. What a difference that made. I just need to make sure I replace the winter wheels before it is too late and I crash on some ice again.
Julian ran a fever over the weekend, and wasn't quite himself. So far this is the worst thing about being a parent--- dealing with him when he is sick. It is not that he is so difficult to handle, but rather that there is so little that we can do to make him comfortable. We managed, and he was better by Sunday and went to daycare today. I picked him up, and found him and a bunch of other two year olds all sitting around a table with Play-Doh. He wasn't too motivated to leave.
Other than that, I am starting to feel like we are just waiting for the baby to come. We are almost at the point were it could be anytime. This week we have our meeting at the hospital-- but it seems like we just had Julian's meeting, and I doubt there is anything new. This time we have the added dimension of having someone take care of Julian during the birth. Overall, we are quite ready.
Of course this morning it was quite warm. Very windy, but warm. I rode the regular wheel set, rather than the studs. What a difference that made. I just need to make sure I replace the winter wheels before it is too late and I crash on some ice again.
Julian ran a fever over the weekend, and wasn't quite himself. So far this is the worst thing about being a parent--- dealing with him when he is sick. It is not that he is so difficult to handle, but rather that there is so little that we can do to make him comfortable. We managed, and he was better by Sunday and went to daycare today. I picked him up, and found him and a bunch of other two year olds all sitting around a table with Play-Doh. He wasn't too motivated to leave.
Other than that, I am starting to feel like we are just waiting for the baby to come. We are almost at the point were it could be anytime. This week we have our meeting at the hospital-- but it seems like we just had Julian's meeting, and I doubt there is anything new. This time we have the added dimension of having someone take care of Julian during the birth. Overall, we are quite ready.
Monday, January 05, 2009
-10 C Commute
Back to work, back to biking. My morning routine turned into a harsh reality as it was ten below this morning. It looked like it had snowed, the frost was so thick. But -10C really is not that cold. If I were back in Minneapolis, it could just was well be -10 F. Tomorrow it should be a balmy +3.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Furniture
Do any stores these days actually sell furniture? Or has IKEA made it acceptable to build everything yourself?
We are getting ready for the new addition of the family, and are working on getting more organized. Rather than opting for IKEA right out of the gates, we went to Skeidar to shop for a dresser to use in the entry way to keep hats, gloves, keys, etc. orderly. We found the perfect item, and picked it up at the loading dock--- in two flat boxes. It was quite a drawn out process to assemble a dresser. Each drawer needed to be put together, as did the dresser itself. Unlike an IKEA item, this actually came with its own glue. At any rate, it is solid and assembled.
We next needed a closet for Julian's room. I tore out the old closet when I put in the new floor. We checked a holiday sale at Living, but the small "wardrobes" were very poorly constructed. IKEA had them beat in terms of quality, so we spec'ed out what we needed at the "showroom" and headed to warehouse to pick up the boxes. IKEAs own product list was badly mismarked. It took us a bit of discussion to figure out that the list we were given was meaningless. Nonetheless, we found what we needed. We also picked up a storage chest for Julian's toys. Somehow we managed to load everything into our station wagon and drive home--- with the hatch closed. Sure the steering wheel was touching my chest, and I almost needed to phone the fire department to be extracted from the vehicle. But we made it. Our neighbor helped me unload the closet frame-- the box literally weighed 100 pounds.
Assembling the closet went more quickly than assembling the dresser. Of course Julian only wanted to play IN the closet while I was putting it together. Now his room in complete. Well, almost complete. We conveniently omitted installing the handles to the closet door, so as of now, it is childproof.
We are getting ready for the new addition of the family, and are working on getting more organized. Rather than opting for IKEA right out of the gates, we went to Skeidar to shop for a dresser to use in the entry way to keep hats, gloves, keys, etc. orderly. We found the perfect item, and picked it up at the loading dock--- in two flat boxes. It was quite a drawn out process to assemble a dresser. Each drawer needed to be put together, as did the dresser itself. Unlike an IKEA item, this actually came with its own glue. At any rate, it is solid and assembled.
We next needed a closet for Julian's room. I tore out the old closet when I put in the new floor. We checked a holiday sale at Living, but the small "wardrobes" were very poorly constructed. IKEA had them beat in terms of quality, so we spec'ed out what we needed at the "showroom" and headed to warehouse to pick up the boxes. IKEAs own product list was badly mismarked. It took us a bit of discussion to figure out that the list we were given was meaningless. Nonetheless, we found what we needed. We also picked up a storage chest for Julian's toys. Somehow we managed to load everything into our station wagon and drive home--- with the hatch closed. Sure the steering wheel was touching my chest, and I almost needed to phone the fire department to be extracted from the vehicle. But we made it. Our neighbor helped me unload the closet frame-- the box literally weighed 100 pounds.
Assembling the closet went more quickly than assembling the dresser. Of course Julian only wanted to play IN the closet while I was putting it together. Now his room in complete. Well, almost complete. We conveniently omitted installing the handles to the closet door, so as of now, it is childproof.
World's Best Pizza Recipe Revisited
A little more than a year ago I posted a pizza recipe that has since been modified, and in many ways simplified. For an executive summary of the changes, it no longer involves refrigerating the crust, and the sauce no longer uses tapenade.
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups of flour (heaping, this isn't rocket science)
7 oz cold water
25 g active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Olive oil
I use 25g of fresh yeast. Around here, it comes in a cube. I drop it in about 7 ounces of water. Mash up the yeast so it is mixed into the water. Add a tsp of salt and sugar. In a grand mixer with a dough hook, add a bit more than 2 cups of flour. Coat the hook in olive oil. Add a tsp of olive oil to the water mixture. Turn the mixer to its slow speed.
Mix until the dough clears the sides of the mixing bowl. It will most likely end up as a big lump of dough. If too much of the dough is sticking to the bowl, you probably need to add a bit more flour. The key is to keep it in one, cohesive, elastic mass.
Once you are satisfied that it is elastic, but not too wet or dry---sprinkle a bit of flour into the bottom of a bowl, place the ball of dough into the bowl, pour a spoon of olive oil on top of the dough, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise.
Sauce
3 or 4 fresh vine-on tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 tsp plain pesto
salt
pepper
Dice two tomatoes-- and choose tomatoes with flavor-- not the watery cheap ones. Press the clove of garlic. Place into a bowl. Add the pesto and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon. Place in refrigerator until needed.
Topping
Prosciutto (sliced-- enough to cover pizza)
Ruccula (cut up)
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
The toppings are not an exact science, but this is my favorite. Preheat the oven for almost as hot as possible. A hot oven will yield a better crust. Use a light coating of olive oil on your pizza pan, and sprinkle lightly with flour to avoid sticking. Stretch the dough in pan. Spread sauce on the dough and grate a little Parmesan cheese. Evenly spread prosciutto. Apply ruccula. Top with mozzarella, taking care not to drown the pizza cheese. Place pizza in oven, on one of the lower racks. Bake for 7 minutes. After seven minutes, check the pizza. Take care not to overcook the crust. When it is finished, remove from the oven and let it set up for two minutes before cutting. Eat.
Notes:
All sorts of oven temperatures can yield good results. For a chewier crust, cook at a lower temperature and on a rack toward the middle of the oven. Also, the amount of topping will affect cooking times, as will the thickness of the crust. The hot oven technique is not recommended for thick pizzas.
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups of flour (heaping, this isn't rocket science)
7 oz cold water
25 g active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Olive oil
I use 25g of fresh yeast. Around here, it comes in a cube. I drop it in about 7 ounces of water. Mash up the yeast so it is mixed into the water. Add a tsp of salt and sugar. In a grand mixer with a dough hook, add a bit more than 2 cups of flour. Coat the hook in olive oil. Add a tsp of olive oil to the water mixture. Turn the mixer to its slow speed.
Mix until the dough clears the sides of the mixing bowl. It will most likely end up as a big lump of dough. If too much of the dough is sticking to the bowl, you probably need to add a bit more flour. The key is to keep it in one, cohesive, elastic mass.
Once you are satisfied that it is elastic, but not too wet or dry---sprinkle a bit of flour into the bottom of a bowl, place the ball of dough into the bowl, pour a spoon of olive oil on top of the dough, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise.
Sauce
3 or 4 fresh vine-on tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 tsp plain pesto
salt
pepper
Dice two tomatoes-- and choose tomatoes with flavor-- not the watery cheap ones. Press the clove of garlic. Place into a bowl. Add the pesto and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon. Place in refrigerator until needed.
Topping
Prosciutto (sliced-- enough to cover pizza)
Ruccula (cut up)
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
The toppings are not an exact science, but this is my favorite. Preheat the oven for almost as hot as possible. A hot oven will yield a better crust. Use a light coating of olive oil on your pizza pan, and sprinkle lightly with flour to avoid sticking. Stretch the dough in pan. Spread sauce on the dough and grate a little Parmesan cheese. Evenly spread prosciutto. Apply ruccula. Top with mozzarella, taking care not to drown the pizza cheese. Place pizza in oven, on one of the lower racks. Bake for 7 minutes. After seven minutes, check the pizza. Take care not to overcook the crust. When it is finished, remove from the oven and let it set up for two minutes before cutting. Eat.
Notes:
All sorts of oven temperatures can yield good results. For a chewier crust, cook at a lower temperature and on a rack toward the middle of the oven. Also, the amount of topping will affect cooking times, as will the thickness of the crust. The hot oven technique is not recommended for thick pizzas.
Monday, December 29, 2008
In the Night Garden
There are several episodes available on youtube-- of Julian's favorite TV show. A fantastic review is available at Strange Harvest. While it is produced by the same crew that made Telletubbies, it is heaps better. Not that I advocate that two year olds watch too much TV--- but this is something quite unique.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Pedal Tractor
What could be cooler than a pedal tractor? Every time we walk by one parked in our neighbors' yards, Julian want to play on it. Now, thanks to his uncle and grandparents, he has one of his own. Best of all, it isn't a John Deere (not that there is anything wrong with them--- it is just that everyone in our neighborhood rides them).
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Winter Solstice
We are down to 6 hours and 11 minutes of daylight tomorrow, then the days grow longer. Consequently, all the photos I take these days appear they are taken at night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
