On Food.

Money clip, unknown (adjustable) strap, iTouch, and hand grip workout thingy. 

Food, in short, is amazing. The fact that we humans can take random plants and animals and add heat and flavor is awesome. And there are so many foods already! French (very rich, buttery. I'm told something about snails). Italian (uses oregano, basil, excellent herbs and spices, and pasta is shown in many dishes, and of course the Neapolitan pizza). Spanish (spicier Italian? Cilantro/coriander). Mexican (Spicy, uses cilantro and other herbs as well). Continental (Steak and potatoes, surf and turf, etc.). Creole (Crawfish, anyone?). BBQ - many subdivision across US. Argentine (lots of meat). Japanese (use of Hibachi grills, Teriyaki, sushi). Chinese (use of wok, stir-fry, and NOT chinese fortune cookies, an American invention). Thai (emphasis on balance of meals, bitter, sweet, salty, sour, etc. Also in food types - meat and greens, always). Pizza (New York, New England, Chicago, Argentine, Sicilian, Neapolitan, Californian, Tex-Mex). Seafood (see continental, except replace expensive steak for expensive lobster). Greek (gyros and souvlaki - so good). And there are so many more types!

Pizza Dough -

I have been working pizza dough for five years now - and I have come really close to capturing a beautiful dough recipe. Dough is actually really easy to make; the trick is how long you knead it. For a stretchier, more New York style dough, you must add less yeast, a little more flour, and knead a lot longer. Here is a good recipe you can jump off of - 

4 cups flour (preferable bread flour), extra for flouring the cutting board

1 3/4 cups of warm water 

1 packet of yeast (or about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon salt 

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 tablespoons olive oil (extra for bowl and cookie sheet)

To begin, mix the packet of yeast and sugar in the warm water. Pour the flour and the salt into a large bowl and form a well in the middle, pushing the flour to the sides of the bowl. Add the olive oil and then add the yeast-sugar mixture and begin stirring. Stir until a dough ball forms, and if the dough is really dry, add a little more water. Plop the dough ball on a cutting board dusted with some of the extra flour, and knead for 12 minutes (if you don't know how to knead, go on youtube.com). But the flour in a bowl brushed in olive oil and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and brush a cookie sheet with olive oil. Cut the dough ball in half, and roll it into a circle on the sheet, and add toppings. I usually add mozzarella and tomato sauce. I'll do the tomato sauce recipe next time. Thank you!

Cook

So, summer has started but I'm really bored. It feels like I have nothing to do, when in reality, there is so much I must be doing. I need to start my summer reading, do all of my AP assignments, I need to practice the saxophone religiously and I wanted to run every day. Not quite. I will discipline myself. Tomorrow. Procrastination! The best nation in the world. Ponder, eh, I'll do it tomorrow.