First Friday

Our first date was at what locals call "First Friday" on Abbott Kinney in  Venice, CA.  The first friday of every month shop owners keep their shops open late and galleries offer wine and cheese.  My husband and I sat on a stoop and ate pizza from Abbott's Pizza as we got to know each other. 3 years and 2 months later (yesterday) we went, as we do every First Friday to celebrate our first date, our love, and good food.  First Friday has evolved somewhat since that day three years ago.  Now it is home to the Food Truck phenomenon.  Gourmet food trucks gather from miles around and line the street and fill the parking lot at the Brig (a bar who's owner probably makes bank off the trucks). Korean BBQ, Dim Sum, Hot Dogs, Grilled Cheese, Cupcakes, anything you can possibly imagine and in small affordable portions so that you can have a little something here and a lot of something there.  Some of you might think, eew, roach coaches, but these trucks have to pass the same inspection process more rigorous than most restaurants. 

Last night I got Shrimp Hargow and Sesame balls from the Dim Sum truck and my husband got a Kobe Beef and Grilled Onion Slider from one of the many BBQ trucks. I could have probably gotten fries with vegan chili from the Fry Smith truck but I wanted to be fairly healthy.  Husband probably would have gotten an ice cream sandwich and an extra slice of pizza from Abbot's but the good angel on his shoulder won out.

Suffice it to say, I don't cook a meal on first fridays but we still make light the Shabbos candles, etc.  I baked my first Challah yesterday!  It turned out surprising well for a first go around.  I am unashamed to admit that I rely highly on modern technology.  I got the Cuisineart Convection Breadmaker http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cuisinart-convection-bread-maker/?pkey=cspecialty-electrics%7Celectric-cookware which certainly helped a great deal.  Instead of letting the Challah bake all the way through though I took it out after the last rising cycle, and then followed the directions from the Kosher by Design Cookbook http://www.amazon.com/KosherDesignPicturePerfectHolidays/dp/1578197074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288386252&sr=8-1  

which tells you to divide the dough into two balls, then divide each ball into 3 more pieces, roll out into a long strip and braid. Then let it rise again for a half hour.  In retrospect I probably could have let it rise even longer and made the dough ropes shorter for a thicker more compact challah. Then bake for 30 minutes at 350 and voila!  Challah!

I'm excited to try and make chocolate chip challah, cinnamon and sugar challah, raisin challah and all the other bread recipes.  By the end of my challah and bread trials I'll be 500 pounds but who cares, I'll be full and happy.