Don't Think, Just Buy

Hi, my name is Celeste, and I am a candle snob. That's right, I'm not proud of it, but I like fragrances with such depth that I can practically smell the dollars bills I am burning when I light a candle. However, I am not without reason: I know a candle bargain when I smell it!

Despite my general candle snobbery, for several years I had a (rather serious) thing for the seasonal Glade "Glistening Snow" candle. That's right, I said it: There was a Glade candle that I liked, and I'm not even calling it Glad-Ay. Unfortunately, Glade had the idiocy to discontinue the scent which is why two-year old Glistening Snow candles are now being sold on eBay for $25.00 (I'm not kidding).

After a couple of Glad-Ay-Free years, I have to admit: Glade has struck gold again with its newest seasonal scent: Cashmere Woods. It is so, so lovely! In all honestly, the name is a complete misnomer: It smells nothing like cashmere and/or woods. However, it is a completely toasty, yummy, warm-n-cuddly scent that fills up a room in the very best way. For around $2.50, you too can have the best smelling home on the block. Grab a few while they are still available! Buy even more and you can sell them for $25 a pop on eBay in a couple of years.

Book of the Month

I've been reading a lot recently, and I have come across some good reads. However, it takes a lot for me to recommend a book. In part, I hesitate to recommend books because my taste tends to run almost exclusively to 1) historical fiction, 2) murder mysteries, 3) some combination of the first two categories. However, sometimes I find a book that I think my friends might enjoy despite the fact that it fits into one of the above categories (I say "despite" because, much to my surprise, I find many of my friends do not enjoy the same literary predilections as me). I think that The Pindar Diamond just might be one of those books (although, in all fairness, I read the book while performing my civic duty of sitting in the juror assembly room, so watching paint dry would seem comparatively fascinating).

Seriously, who wouldn't like a book that includes a woman who washes up on the Italian shore but left her memory at sea, the glamorous gambling houses of 17th century Venice, a daring woman who leaves a harem to return to a convent, a child that may or may not be a mermaid (I'm going to go ahead and tell you that it falls into the "may not" category), a motley crew of circus freaks, a man who lost the love of his life and possibly his fortune, and (perhaps most importantly) an absolutely enormous and impossibly lovely diamond?!?!? Sure, there are a few things that seem a little coincidental about the story, but don't the best stories usually involve a little bit of luck?

The Pindar Diamond might not be the most intellectual read of 2010, but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable. Fair warning: it is the second book in a loose series, but stands alone extremely well. I can sum up the first book with the following: Guy loves girl; guy loses girl. Not much to it. The interesting part is what happens to the guy after he loses the girl and the discovery of what exactly happened to the girl, and this book provides some of the answers.

Let me know what you think about the book! Do you think that there is a happy ending for the characters involved? Who do you think is the strongest female in the story? Do you like Paul Pindar? Do you trust him?

The Taste of the End of Summer

Although it will probably feel like summer for at least another two months, we are officially in the last few weeks of summer. I guess my culinary clock must be off by about three months, because this is the time of year I get the urge to brew my own iced tea and to fire up the grill (I go through a ridiculous amount of hot dogs during the months of August and September. You might want to buy stock in mustard).

The following salad is the perfect dish for this time of year: It is cool, refreshing, and makes good use of seasonal produce. Perhaps best of all, the salad takes about 5 minutes to make. The tangy fruit flavors make it a natural pairing with fish tacos, but its peppery bite would make it feel right at home next to a simple dish of pasta with olive oil and fresh sauteed veggies, especially if you substituted basil for the mint.

But as many of you know, I firmly believe that most good cooking begins with a cocktail, so let's start there.

I have been promising to post my favorite white citrus sangria recipe for a while now, but I have been putting it off because I simply can't find where it is hiding. Honestly, I haven't stressed out too much about locating it because I found a much simpler but equally delicious substitute . . .

New Age Wine

This has been a great summer for trying new wines, and I have found some lovely ones (Do yourself a favor and go buy a bottle of Hedges Family Estate's CMS White right now). However, the distinction of being named "The Wine of the Summer (and Probably the Early Fall Too)" goes to a light-hearted beauty from Argentina . . .

(view of the back of the label through the bottle . . . this one's for you Mom!)

. . . the charming New Age Wine. This crisp and slightly-effervescent blend features loads of sauvignon blanc flavor (without the bite), and is perfect for beating the heat. It has quickly become a dinner-party favorite around here (and at around $10 a bottle, what's not to like?). It is available at Spec's, World Market, and some high-end grocery stores.

My favorite way to enjoy it is as the Argentines do: With a slice of citrus! I know it sounds strange to squeeze fruit into your wine, but it is SO.DARN.GOOD. You must, must, must try it this way (Note: I am not advocating that you go around squeezing juice into all of your wines. This recommendation is limited to this particular wine). Simply pour yourself a glass of New Age and squeeze a juicy slice of ripe orange directly into the glass. Perfection! Salud!

Now you're ready to move on to the next step . . .

Cool Watermelon Salad

• One good-sized hunk of seedless watermelon (see photo)
• Two juicy limes
• Eight to ten mint leaves (washed)
• Fresh-cracked black pepper (to taste)

1. Cube the watermelon and place in bowl.
2. Roll the limes on a counter to get the juices flowing, cut them in half, and squeeze the fresh lime juice over the cubed watermelon.
3. Rough-chop the mint leaves, discarding the stems.
4. Add 2/3 of the mint leaves to the watermelon. Toss gently.
5. Transfer to serving platter or bowl.
6. Using a pepper mill, crack black pepper over the watermelon in the desired amount. (Note: I normally use the amount of pepper from 5 turns of my pepper mill)
7. Garnish with the remaining chopped mint.
8. Serve immediately. (Note: You can cube the watermelon the day before, but the rest of the steps should wait until close to serving time if possible. The salad is best eaten soon after it is made, but it will last through the next day if kept covered and refrigerated)

THESE ARE MY FAVORITE END-OF-SUMMER FLAVORS . . . WHAT ARE YOURS?

Cicada Season

There isn't much to like about summer in Texas. It's so hot that your tires practically melt where they meet the road, everything is so sticky that you feel like you have to shower every hour on the hour, and the mosquitos that swarm around your ankles the moment you set your flip-flopped foot out the door are roughly the size of hummingbirds. But there are a few things that make summer in Texas tolerable: Fireworks, margaritas, and cicadas.

I'm sure that there are some folks out there who would disagree with me about this last bit, but those people clearly lack poetry in their soul or they simply just aren't from around here. To a Texas girl, the hypnotic part-rattle-part-whirr of a cicada is the sound of summer. It is the soundtrack to some of my favorite summer memories: Splashing around in the backyard pool as a child, drifting off to sleep at summer camp, taking an evening walk with my mom during the year after I graduated from college.

For a while the sound stopped, and I was convinced that cicadas didn't live here in Houston. Perhaps I was just too busy to notice, but I like to think that they just don't like apartment living. One of the true joys of becoming a suburban homeowner was the return of cicada season. I never actually see the little guys, but I can't get away from their noisy chatter and the remnants of the empty shells that they shed and leave behind.

After a long day, there is nothing lovelier or more soothing than to come home and sit on my velvety couch (it is too hot to sit outside), wineglass in hand and dog by my side, and listen to the cicadas singing their song of summer. Before the cicadas are gone, take a moment and try it for yourself (the dog is optional, the wine is not), because, in the end, taking time for yourself to listen and reflect is the ultimate indulgence.

Olive Oil 101

I am deeply, madly, truly in love with olive oil. I have flirted with butter and held hands with a spray substance that I actually can believe is not butter, but at the end of the day I am an olive oil girl at heart, so when Central Market recently offered an olive oil class, I jumped on the opportunity.

The class itself consisted of a lecture portion (and by lecture I mean we were lectured over and over to only buy extra virgin olive oil . . . duh!), an olive oil tasting, and then a hands-on cooking experience. The essential wisdom imparted by the class can be distilled to the following:

• Only buy extra virgin olive oil. Never buy light olive oil.
• Olive oil only stays good for about a year and should be stored in a cool, dark place.
• Everyone should have at least two olive oils: One for cooking and one for "finishing"

Finishing oils are what you use to drizzle over fresh pasta, use in dressings, and use as a dipping oil. If you are meant to taste the olive oil in a recipe, you should use a finishing oil. Discovering your perfect "finishing" oil is the fun part, and it turns out that tasting olive oils is a lot like tasting wines. What is the color and clarity? What does it taste like? Grassy? Fruity? Spicy? After tasting about a dozen pre-selected high quality olive oils, a clear winner emerged: Daniele Salvagno's Novello Prime Olive.

I am going to warn you right now: If you don't have a Central Market near you, skip on down to the next photo because what I am about to write will break your heart.

Novello Prime Olive is only available at Central Market, there are only around 1500 bottles of it (mine is hand-numbered 282), and it is around $20 a pop. But if you can clear the first two hurdles and live with the third, this stuff is the nectar of the gods! The flavor is fruity with a hint of spice on the finish (according to my very developed palate. Alright, I'll confess: According to the lady who taught the class who had a very developed palate). It is a gorgeous shade of emerald green (see the photo above) with a faint swirl of something slightly cloudy in it. The cloudy stuff is what makes this olive oil so delectable: This unfiltered olive oil is ribboned with the tiniest bits of olive pulp and skin. Soooooo delicious. In fact, it is so good that you can understand why the owner feels compelled to sign his name in gold on every box. If I made something this good, I'd be signing autographs too.

http://moreplease.centralmarket.com/foodie-faves/central-market-exclusive-olio-novello/

I have used it on pastas and pizzas, but my favorite way to enjoy it is as a dipping oil.

Dipping Oil

Gently stir the following ingredients together and serve with fresh chunks of ciabatta bread:

• 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
• pinch of salt
• couple turns of fresh cracked black pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 clove of garlic, minced
• Optional: a few leaves of fresh basil (chopped), grated parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes, or whatever sounds yummy to you!

No Central Market? Want a quality olive oil for about $5? Ybarra Aromatico was a very close second to the Novello for me. This inexpensive olive oil is widely available at grocery stores and online, and it has quickly become my everyday olive oil. It is good enough to stand on its own and use as a dipping oil (see the recipe above).

What about olive oils for cooking and baking? My two favorites were the Iliada and . . . (surprise!) the Colavita, which can be found on the shelf of every grocery store in the United States. Either of these would be lovely when baking the . . .

Olive Oil Cake

(by Emily Swantner)

• 3 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of EV Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest
• 5 large, cold eggs
• 1 cup of sherry
• 2 teaspoons of demerara sugar (a grainy, raw sugar)
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with the demerara sugar and then top with the slivered almonds.
3. Thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside
4. Using a mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and orange zest on high speed until well-blended.
5. Add the eggs one at a time to the step 4 mixture while continuing to beat until thick and pale.
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
7. Add 1/2 of sherry. Beat on low speed until blended.
8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
9. Add 1/2 of sherry. Beat on low speed until blended.
10. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
11. Pour the finished batter into the pans, covering the sugar and almond layers.
12. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes (or until cake tester comes out clean). Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

Don't Think, Just Buy

I love Lands' End. I still don't understand why the apostrophe comes after the "s" in its name, but I love it none the less. For those of you who don't think Lands' End is cool, you are soooo missing the boat. Sure they still cater to the older set, but they have more modern fits for us fashionable gals, too. And if you haven't checked out their "Canvas" line (think J.Crew-style clothing and accessories) you should do it now!

http://canvas.landsend.com/

Anyway, the above top may look plain in the photo, but it is a FANTASTIC piece and you should order one in every color. I initially bought this tank thinking that it would be something cute to toss on while I attempted to beat this Houston heat . . . the less clothing, the better.

I completely underestimated this top.

With its uber-fine knit and adorably pleated scoop neck, I find myself throwing one of these on once every few days. Because they don't look t-shirt-y, the are totally work appropriate. I use them as the shell layer when I am wearing suits.

The best part? Currently $6.99. Yes, that's right: $6.99!!!!!! Buy one in every color right now while they are still around.

I bought it in coral, navy, and white. Runs true to size.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/SleevelessCottonJerseyPleatedScoopneckTop~208782_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::HKN&CM_MERCH=IDX_00002_0000000020_0000000117&origin=index

Book of the Month

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society was first published in 2008. WHY THE HECK DID I WAIT TWO YEARS TO READ IT?!?!?!

Actually, I know exactly why: One afternoon I was strolling around Barnes & Noble with my Passion Fruit Tea Lemonade in hand, when this book jumped out at me from its place on the shelf. I flipped it over, read the back, and immediately placed it back on the shelf before quickly scurrying away, and it was two years before I took a chance and read it based on a friend's recommendation.

The problem was that the description on the book's cover doesn't reveal one iota of the book's wit, charm, and depth. It truly does this fantastic book a disservice. In fact, I hesitate to describe this book simply because I think that there is a very good chance that I am going to do it a disservice. However, I feel that that I should at least give you some idea of what its about, so here it is in the broadest strokes:

A single girl living in post-World War II London tries to figure out her career, friends, love life, and travel plans. The entire story is told through letters (something that turned me off the first time I picked up this book, but it completely and utterly works for this story) which alternate between being hilarious and poignant.

Anyway, if you haven't read it already, you place it on your "must read" list immediately! I actually "read" it by listening to it in audiobook form . . . If you are an audiobook fan, this is a particularly good one, and it might even be better to listen to it than read it.

For more information, visit the book's website:

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/guernsey/

Diary of a Busy Girl

"It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time."

- Tallulah Bankhead

The last time I kept a diary I was twelve years old and had nothing better to write about than what I bought at the Gap that day and how dreamy that guy in pre-Algebra was (In all fairness, his blue eyes were pretty dreamy . . . I ran into him years later at a holiday party). Over the years I have bought a few journals, but they are notable only for their very pretty covers and completely empty insides. I mean, really, what is the point? And who has the time?!?!?

One recent rainy day, I braved the elements and made the trek over to a newly-opened stationery store on Westheimer during my lunch hour (Ok, ok. It was more like a lunch hour-and-a-half). I had no problem passing on the store's lovely picture frames that matched my living room (oh my goodness . . . WHY didn't I buy them?!?!) or the cards for any and all occasions, but when my eyes locked on a Tiffany blue book on a shelf across the room, I was smitten. Gold flourishes on the cover indicated that that the book was **gasp** a journal, but after half a second of reflection I convinced myself that a journal was exactly what I needed. When I saw that writing was limited to just a few lines per day, I was sold. This was a journal that I could live with.

And you know what? I have, and on a daily basis. I keep it on my coffee table, and I can knock out an entry about the time it takes to get through a commercial.

When you have to distill your day to two or three sentences, it becomes apparent what is truly important to you. Sometimes, I surprise myself with what makes the cut. I get a kick out of the fact that when July 3, 2011 rolls around and I return to the "July 3" page, I will have a chance to relive that memory of spending my 31st birthday at a small-town farmers' market.

Fair warning though: While using this journal, it becomes readily apparent where there is room for improvement. I winced when I realized that I was writing an awful lot about restaurants (fellow dieters, take note!). Hopefully, in the future I will see a few more trips to the museum and a little less Tex-Mex.

Is this journal a necessity? Absolutely not, but that makes it even more enjoyable! It would make a lovely (and long-lasting) gift for both the good and bad girls in your life. There is a pink-covered version for the moms (or moms-to-be) you know.

The "One Line A Day" Journal is $16, and is available in Paper Source stores and online at Amazon.com (where it is currently on sale for $11, http://www.amazon.com/One-Line-Day-Five-Year-Memory/dp/0811870197/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

Fish Tacos

For years I bucked the fish taco trend. It's no secret that I am more of a red meat type of gal. At the very least, give me chicken or give me death! Anyway, a couple of years ago I tried a fish taco for the first time, and found it . . . not half bad. Not on the level of an El Tiempo Taco al Carbon, but tasty enough. And then one day inspiration struck, and I saw the fish taco light: I was standing in the checkout line at Kroger (which was taking forever) and perusing the magazines, and there it was . . . Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods. And what was on the cover? So glad that you asked! Fish Tacos looking succulent, colorful, and utterly craveable. Needless to say, the magazine ended up in my grocery cart and then on my kitchen counter where it gathered dust for a couple of months.

And then my mother came to visit me here in Houston.

Frankly, after two delightful meals at Ibiza and Tiny Boxwoods, I was at a loss as to where to take my mom next. Benjy's? Too trendy. Houston's? To chain-y. Lupe Tortilla? Are you kidding? Who would drive us home after the margaritas? And then an idea so brilliant in its simplicity popped into my head: Why not eat at home? Yes! Oh, but what to eat? The answer was right there on my kitchen counter staring right back at me from beneath a thin layer of dust . . .

Fish Tacos.

I capitalized both the F and the T because the tacos we made were so delicious, so simple to prepare, and so perfect for summer that they are deserving of a formal title. There are fish tacos, and then there are Fish Tacos. These are Fish Tacos. Of course with Celeste and Carla in the kitchen, there were plenty of tweaks to the recipe, so, without further ado here it is:

Fish Tacos

• Boneless, skinless tilapia* filets (one filet or 1/4 pound per person)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• one pinch of chili powder per filet
• 1/4 cup sour cream (the light sour cream works well)
• 1/2 lime (for the sour cream sauce)
• fresh tortillas (corn or flour according to preference), 2 per person
• 1 red cabbage
• 1 small white onion
• A truckload of fresh cilantro
• Optional: Peach Salsa (or other fresh salsa)
• Optional: Queso Fresco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat dry the tilapia filets. Place the filets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush each filet with olive oil and then season to taste with the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Flip over the filets and repeat on the other side. Place the baking sheet with tilapia in the oven and switch the oven to a low broil for 5 to 7 minutes. When the fish appears to start browning and is opaque, it is done.

While the fish is cooking, use the juice and zest of 1/2 a lime and mix with the sour cream. For extra kick, add a dash of chili powder and/or tabasco. Mix well.

Remove the tilapia from the oven, and cut each filet in half down the length of the fish. Squeeze a little fresh lime over the top of each filet.

While the fish cools, thinly slice the raw red cabbage, chop the onion and cilantro, and warm the tortillas by your preferred method.

Place 1/2 of a filet in each tortilla. Top with sour cream sauce, cabbage, onions (as you can see from the photo above, I'm not big on onions), and cilantro to taste. You can spice it up with a little peach salsa or queso fresco, but I prefer it simply prepared. Garnish with a lime wedge and extra cilantro.

The whole thing is done from start to finish in about 20 minutes . . . now that is what I call an everyday indulgence!

My mom and I enjoyed these with black beans on the side and New Age White Wine (deserving of its own post), but a white sangria would pair well, too.

*The ancient Egyptians revered the tilapia fish (yes, there are tilapia in the Nile) as a symbol of fertility and regeneration, probably because the mother tilapia fish incubates her eggs in her mouth until they hatch. To the ancient egyptians, the hatching fish looked like they instantly sprung from their mother's mouth. Speaking of Egypt . . . Vote for me in the BudgetTravel.com competition!