My new kick seems to be using very thin Asian noodles as a pasta base for nearly anything imaginable. Meat is only optional due to the high protein content of the noodles. My latest experiment was Marsala sauce. Here is what I did:
Heat light olive oil, crushed red pepper, and garlic in pan until oil is almost at smoke point. Add Marsala and chicken stock, keeping at a simmer to cook off the alcohol. Cook pasta for about 1 minute (this is very, very thin pasta) so that it is not fully cooked. Add anchovy, thyme, and basil, and squeeze of lemon to the sauce mixture. After about 5 minutes, add a small amount of cornstarch and reserved pasta water solution to thicken the sauce. Dump noodles in the sauce, heat until it thickens, and serve.
Overall lunch rating: [8/10]. Pleasantly surprised at the richness of the sauce even though no butter was used.
-DV
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
What's For Lunch?: Grilled Swiss, Turkey, and Salami with Tangy Mayo
Like any other week, our refrigerator is stocked with an assortment of deli meats, including (this week) turkey, Swiss cheese, and hard salami. Generally, this translates to a week full of boring meat-and-cheese sandwiches, but my being home grants me access to the panini press, perhaps our most transformative, if not respected appliance. This implement can turn any sandwich into a crusty and juicy masterpiece, granted copious amounts of extra virgin olive oil is spread on the contact surfaces. Still, this sandwich could not be grill-worthy without one more ingredient: gussied-up mayonnaise. Much unlike the panini press, special mayo garners an almost divine respect in our household. Heck, my mother literally preaches to all who will listen the wonders that this sometimes-not-so-simple condiment can work. Neither of our go-to mayos (chipotle and pesto) were suitable for this application. I needed something more savory and tangy, but not spicy, to offset the overall unoffensive deli meats. This is what I came up with:
-In order of amount-
-Low fat mayo
-Dijon mustard
-Worcestershire sauce
-Finely chopped olives
-Balsamic vinegar
-Basil
-Oregano
-Thyme
All of the ingredients were then placed on two slices of crusty Trader Joe's Panini Bread and grilled on the press until golden. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised of the result. The Balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire don't add bite. but rather a nice tang that cuts through the fatty salami. The herbs add nice depth to the sandwich, and you can't go wrong with mustard. Overall lunch rating : [7/10]. Not bad for the unassuming ingredients.
-DV
-In order of amount-
-Low fat mayo
-Dijon mustard
-Worcestershire sauce
-Finely chopped olives
-Balsamic vinegar
-Basil
-Oregano
-Thyme
All of the ingredients were then placed on two slices of crusty Trader Joe's Panini Bread and grilled on the press until golden. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised of the result. The Balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire don't add bite. but rather a nice tang that cuts through the fatty salami. The herbs add nice depth to the sandwich, and you can't go wrong with mustard. Overall lunch rating : [7/10]. Not bad for the unassuming ingredients.
-DV
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Altra Samson Shoe Review
Today I'll be reviewing the latest offering from Altra Running, the Samson. Unlike many other companies, Altra focuses on zero drop shoes rather than minimal cushion, but they offer several shoes that have little in the way of cushioning. In fact, Altra was the first to coin the term 'zero drop', a term now used regularly throughout the natural running sphere. In the Altra portfolio, the Samson slots in between the heavily cushioned Instinct and the sandle-like Adam. Altra has added an even more supportive shoe recently, the Provision, which apparently aims to appeal to runners used to more traditional running shoes.
Description: The Samsons are built on the same 3.4mm sole as the Adam. Both the Samson and the Adam also come with a removable 3mm EVA insole called the "Strengthen Footbed". The main difference of the two shoes lies sandwiched between the two aforementioned layers. The Samson has a 3.5mm EVA midsole while the Adam does not. With all the layers stacked up, then, the Samson has an overall stack height of around 10mm. Without the insole, it is about 7mm. It is, of course, a shoe with no heel-toe drop.
Fit and Construction: At first glance, the Samson looks quite similar to any other running shoe. It is a laced shoe built with commonly found fabrics, meshes, and synthetics. While I have only run no more than 25 miles in the Samson, my prediction that the upper will hold up just fine, as all of the stitching and seams appear to be first-rate. I will not make a prediction on the number of miles to be expected from the razor-siped sole, as I find that every runner has distinct wear patterns that can drastically alter the life of one. As expected with this type of footwear, the Samson has a wide overall fit that expands into a spacious toe box. Fit of the shoe is perfect for me, further supported by the fact that I have not gotten any hotspots in my first three runs in it. The upper holds your foot into place so that your foot doesn't slide around the footbed, but is still compliant enough to allow freedom of movement and an overall loose feel. The only potential problem with the fit are the 'bumpers' on either side of the front of the shoe. Here, instead of fabric catching your foot as it nears the edge of the sole, two rubber tabs extending form the bottom of the sole do the job. Walking around in the shoe makes these bumpers more pronounced, but curiously they seem to disappear when running in them. I intend to use the Samson nearly exclusively for running, so this does not bother me, but those who purchase the shoe for casual use might want to buy from a retailer offering a good return policy.
Running: While drop numbers and cushioning measurements can give one a fairly good idea of how a shoe will perform, running is the only true test. Most importantly to me is how easy the shoe is to run in with good form in a multitude of scenarios. The Samson has passed this test with flying colors for me. From 10+ mile easy runs to 5 mile tempo runs, proper running form came effortlessly in this shoe. The 3.5mm cushion takes the edge off of the last few miles of a run without seeming cushy. The sole provides great road grip, but I would not recommend this shoe for any technical off-road running. Ground feel is decent; sidewalk cracks are easily felt, but small pebbles are not easily detected. Having been running in thinner-soled shoes for the past couple years, I must admit that my feet feel slightly numb to the ground, but those transitioning down from more built up shoes will find that the Samson allows much better prioreception than their other shoes.
Other Information: The Samson retails for $100, but it is possible to find discounts online and get free shipping and other small coupons. I got the shoe for $90 shipped and delivered.
- DV
Description: The Samsons are built on the same 3.4mm sole as the Adam. Both the Samson and the Adam also come with a removable 3mm EVA insole called the "Strengthen Footbed". The main difference of the two shoes lies sandwiched between the two aforementioned layers. The Samson has a 3.5mm EVA midsole while the Adam does not. With all the layers stacked up, then, the Samson has an overall stack height of around 10mm. Without the insole, it is about 7mm. It is, of course, a shoe with no heel-toe drop.
Fit and Construction: At first glance, the Samson looks quite similar to any other running shoe. It is a laced shoe built with commonly found fabrics, meshes, and synthetics. While I have only run no more than 25 miles in the Samson, my prediction that the upper will hold up just fine, as all of the stitching and seams appear to be first-rate. I will not make a prediction on the number of miles to be expected from the razor-siped sole, as I find that every runner has distinct wear patterns that can drastically alter the life of one. As expected with this type of footwear, the Samson has a wide overall fit that expands into a spacious toe box. Fit of the shoe is perfect for me, further supported by the fact that I have not gotten any hotspots in my first three runs in it. The upper holds your foot into place so that your foot doesn't slide around the footbed, but is still compliant enough to allow freedom of movement and an overall loose feel. The only potential problem with the fit are the 'bumpers' on either side of the front of the shoe. Here, instead of fabric catching your foot as it nears the edge of the sole, two rubber tabs extending form the bottom of the sole do the job. Walking around in the shoe makes these bumpers more pronounced, but curiously they seem to disappear when running in them. I intend to use the Samson nearly exclusively for running, so this does not bother me, but those who purchase the shoe for casual use might want to buy from a retailer offering a good return policy.
Running: While drop numbers and cushioning measurements can give one a fairly good idea of how a shoe will perform, running is the only true test. Most importantly to me is how easy the shoe is to run in with good form in a multitude of scenarios. The Samson has passed this test with flying colors for me. From 10+ mile easy runs to 5 mile tempo runs, proper running form came effortlessly in this shoe. The 3.5mm cushion takes the edge off of the last few miles of a run without seeming cushy. The sole provides great road grip, but I would not recommend this shoe for any technical off-road running. Ground feel is decent; sidewalk cracks are easily felt, but small pebbles are not easily detected. Having been running in thinner-soled shoes for the past couple years, I must admit that my feet feel slightly numb to the ground, but those transitioning down from more built up shoes will find that the Samson allows much better prioreception than their other shoes.
Other Information: The Samson retails for $100, but it is possible to find discounts online and get free shipping and other small coupons. I got the shoe for $90 shipped and delivered.
- DV
Saturday, June 16, 2012
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