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What is dirt candy? Vegetables, of course. When you eat a vegetable you’re eating little more than dirt that’s been transformed by plenty of sunshine and rain into something that’s full of flavor: Dirt Candy. It’s also the name of my restaurant, which opened in October, 2008.

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Last week’s family meals in all their glory. This was Jesus’s first week back making family meals after he got August off from making them as his birthday wish. See his comeback family meals after the break.

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Jesus’s month of birthday family meals is coming to an end. First, three meals from the last days before I left for Italy.

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Tuesday: Swasti the intern made today’s family meal. Garlic broccoli, spicy potatoes with tofu, and a banana jam for the potatoes (lurking in the background).

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Wednesday: we’re obviously all desperate to go away on vacation. A salad and fried tofu.

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Thursday: broccoli, eggplant curry, jicama, mango banana smoothie and a salad.

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After the jump, the last of the non-Jesus family meals, plus treats from a regular customer.

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Finally, I found the missing photos from last week’s family meals. I’m sure all of you were sitting on the edges of your seats, gnawing your fingernails and waking up in the middle of the night screaming, “Did she find them? Did she find them?”

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After the jump, don’t worry. I found them.

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After Barbara Kwon set the bar high cooking family meal for the Dirt Candy crew, we really didn’t think anyone could ever impress us again. Were we wrong! Roopa Kalyanaraman and her husband Matt are two of my regular customers, and they produced the second guest family meal at Dirt Candy. Barbara blew us away, but Roopa literally took the cake. Also, +2 bonus because she and Matt are scientists and +4 against damage because Roopa is one of the people who were lobbying to get the soda tax passed. She wrote up the meal on her own blog, Raspberry Eggplant, but here’s how it looked in the wild:

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Censored to protect you from seeing the most

awesome thing in the world before you’re ready.

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Here’s her menu:

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Tofu, long bean, and cucumber salad
Green curry with Thai eggplant, long beans, snow peas, and edamame
Black and basmati rice
Drunken noodles with seitan
Coconut milk mini cupcakes with kaffir lime cream cheese frosting
Thai chocolate chili-lime coconut ice cream
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I’m a sucker for the multi-dessert attack, but Roopa won a place in my heart forever with the main dessert. After the jump…marvel at the wonder of…

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I finally got my replacement phone and so not only are the family meal pictures looking better, but last week the family meals themselves started looking prettier and more photogenic.

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After the jump, pretty pretty family meals.

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Jesus’ birthday was last month and his one wish was that he wouldn’t have to make family meals in August. His wish was my command, but because I’m lazy I invited anyone who wanted to do so to come on down and make family meal for us here at the restaurant. The first person to take me up on my offer: Barbara Kwon, my lawyer. Barbara is the person who guided Dirt Candy through the tangled process of getting a liquor license and who sat through that 6 hour community board meeting with me. She’s a hell of a cook, as well, and here’s what she made:

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Bow down before this family meal!

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The menu?

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Sauteed Ferns with Shittakes and Soy Garlic Sauce
Sesame Spinach
Sauteed Lotus Roots with Pine Nuts and Soy Garlic Ginger Sauce
Kimchi Pancakes
Sweet Tofu Skin stuffed with Sesame Spinach Rice
Sweet Tofu Skin Stuffed with Ume and Nori
Japanese Mountain Yams with Ume and Shiso
Veggie Got Dog Banh Mi
Pear Juice

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The aerial view!

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Freshly picked veggie dogs!

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But this amazing meal deserves more, so after the jump, we use super-science to show you what it really looked like when it arrived….

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Anyone noticed how quiet the blog has been for the past couple of weeks? It’s been hot, really hot, and there have been a million tiny issues monopolizing my attention, from the theft of my phone (replacing a stolen phone from Apple and AT&T practically defines “blame the victim”), then there’ve been some issues with the restaurant construction (that again – too boring to go into details), and we had the whole Fourth of July kerfluffle. But I’m back and focused and we’re going to catch up with family meal pictures or die trying. So let’s go on a Family Meal Adventure!

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Two days ago was Jesus’ birthday! I’ve been working with him for years, and despite the fact that we occasionally butt heads, there’s no one I trust more in the kitchen. Every time I go to a new job, Jesus is the first person I hire, and having him backing me up gives me a sense of security. No matter what, I know Jesus has got my back.

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Danielle and I baked him a red velvet

tres leches cake.

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I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, and he said he didn’t want to make family meal for a month. So, starting this week, we’re doing family meals differently. For the next 30 days, Danielle, AJ and myself are responsible for it. Yesterday it was my turn and so I went to the Mexican place down the street and bought family meal, and we’ll figure it out for the rest of the month, but we could use you.

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Yes, you!

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From now until the end of July, let me know what you want to see us make. I’ll even take pictures. Because, frankly, I’m out of ideas. Consider this my attempt to outsource my responsibility for family meal to you. This isn’t a meal there’s much appreciation for – it’s mostly us sitting in opposite corners and not talking to each other for five minutes. And you don’t have to limit yourself to just making suggestions. If you want, come to Dirt Candy and make family meal, or order us family meal, or make family meal at home and bring it on down. Just email or call the restaurant in advance and we’ll set it up. And you can post your suggestions on Facebook or via email.

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Birthday family meal!

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There are five of us, and we’re vegetarian. And there always needs to be a vegan and a wheat free option. Hope to hear from you – because I hate making family meal. I hate thinking of what to make for family meal. And actually, I just plain old hate thinking.

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The theme of last week’s family meals? Tomato paste. For some reason, it suddenly made an appearance everywhere, symbolizing both tomatoes and paste.

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Tuesday: starting the week out with fried eggs over tomato paste and fried mushrooms and eggplant. Also, cherries and a salad.

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Wednesday: fried polenta squares, salad and tomato paste sauce for the polenta squares.

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Thursday: rice noodles, banana and strawberry smoothies, broccolli and mushroom stir fry with tomato paste.

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Friday: fried rice noodles with mushroom soup, salad and lemon soda. No tomato paste, surprisingly.

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Saturday: cheese curds and caremleized onion pizzas (with tomato paste), strawberries and marscapone, and corn bread puppies that we’ve been making for a regular customer’s birthday that we’re catering.

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Last week’s family meals (in which we learn lessons about sharing and are scared of vampires).

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Monday: Jesus went out and bought himself a slushee. I made him go back and buy slushees for everyone. If you bring something in you have to have enough for everyone. This is called “sharing” and I learned it from Big Bird, whom I trust completely.

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Tuesday: noodles (the white plate) with broccoli stems and mushrooms. On the end is eggplant garlic toast. This is the anti-vampire, super-garlicky toast. Customers love it when we eat this…unless they’re vampires! Then we drive a stake through their hearts and kill them.

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Wednesday: strawberry acqua fresca. This is a theme these days for some reason, a lot like fried eggs used to be a theme. Also, a salad and, because AJ the intern was feeling poorly, a lemon and ginger broth.

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Thursday: fried egg and tomato paste sandwiches and strawberry acqua fresca. Holy cow! Fried eggs? Strawberry aqua fresca? Two old friends, together again…for the very first time!

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Friday: salad, banana smoothies and deep fried tofu, corn and mushroom thing.

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Saturday: very garlicky baba ganoush, (again: vampires), toast, salad with sundried tomatoes and Kristen brought in cookies for everyone. Kristen knows all about sharing. Big Bird has spoken to her already.

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