Eye Level Pasadena

Backyard moss, 1

Backyard moss, 2

This recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman’s “White Beans, Tuscan-Style” on page 509 of How to Cook Everything. As Mark Bittman notes, great olive oil makes a difference in this recipe.

Anasazi Beans with Sage

About 1/2 pound dried Anasazi beans, washed and picked over
20 fresh sage leaves, rinsed (Optional: We also like them tied into a bundle with cooking twine, or enclosed in an improvised cheesecloth bag. This way, we can pull them out easily before serving.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I like Trader Joe’s Extra Virgin Unfiltered California Olive Oil)
Optional, but delicious: a little aged Cabot cheddar cheese, also available at Trader Joe’s

1. Soak the beans overnight.

2. Drain the beans, then place them in a pot with water to cover. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the sage; adjust the heat so the beans simmer. Cover loosely.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thebeans begin to soften. add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper.

4. Meanwhile, lightly saute the minced garlic in the olive oil. (Heat the oil over over a medium flame for a minute or so before adding the garlic. Stir it until you can smell the garlic and it just slightly starts to turn a deeper golden color. The original recipe calls for raw garlic; I prefer the mellower taste of lightly sauteed garlic for this recipe.)

5. While you are sauteeing the garlic, the beans should continue to cook until they are very tender; add additional water if the beans dry out.

6. Drain the cooking liquid if necessary, remove the sage leaves if you like, and then stir in the garlic and olive oil, along with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve.

Bonus optional step: place a slice of aged Cabot cheddar cheese on top of the beans once you have served them into small bowls, and let it melt before bringing to the table.

After our dog died last week, a friend sent us flowers from local florist Jacob Maarse, who grows roses for his shop in his own Sierra Madre garden.

Purple

More purple

Pink

More pictures here.

Friday at twilight I saw a bat flying and swooping in the space above our yard and our neighbor’s yard.

Artichokes growing in Houston’s herb and vegetable garden

The American Friends Service Committee is offering a Listener’s Way Workshop in Claremont this Saturday, April 28:

“Frustrated that ‘they’ just won’t take your views?”
Listener’s Way
Effective Advocacy

The Peace with Justice Center of the Pomona Valley with support of by the Claremont Friends Meeting will sponor AFSC’s popular Listener’s Way workshop. Based on the experience that arguing will only make walls higher and gaps wider, the Listener’s Way method builds on the effectiveness of listening and empathy as a first step to engaging people with different opinions on issues from personal relationships to social justice, war and peace. Join the Listener’s Way workshop on:

Saturday, April 28th, 10am to 2pm
Claremont Friends Meeting
727 West Harrison Ave
Claremont, CA
($15 suggested donation, incl. materials and snack lunch)

To register or for information, email or call Gerald Haynes at haynesqdh@aol.com, (909) 624-5008.

More information available here.

Vertical Wine Bistro street view

Up the stairs

Bar (in the afternoon)

Vertical Wine Bistro
70 N Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-3999

The next Eye Level Pasadena office hours will be this Saturday, April 28, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the new Vertical Wine Bistro in old town. We’ll either be in the bar area, or outside in the enclosed patio/stairwell.

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Eye Level Pasadena office hours for Saturday, April 28
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Vertical Wine Bistro
70 N Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-3999

We had a rough weekend here at Eye Level Pasadena, and we ended up having to put our dog to sleep this morning.

Congratulations to Pasadena resident Jonathan Gold for winning the Pulitzer Prize in the criticism category. His is the first Pulitzer awarded to a food writer. Our pig ear adventure a few weeks ago was inspired by this Jonathan Gold review.

Congratulations to Aaron Proctor on being nominated to the Pasadena Human Relations Commission. Aaron has good ideas, a lot of sense, a passion for Pasadena politics, and a big love for Pasadena. Bravo!

Congratulations to Hollywood Flakes on continuing to be hilarious, even after having just given birth. When Sarah’s at the keyboard, even a review of a crock pot liner is pure pleasure.