Just wanna burger

...and onion rings!
...and french fries!
...and a chocolate shake! Root beer! ROOT BEER FLOAT EVEN!!



Okay, but really. You know what, I'm not one of those people who goes abroad and starts looking for McDonald's. In fact, I never, ever look for McDonald's (okay, maybe once), but that's beside the point. Either traveling or living abroad, it's unbelievably hard to resist wanting to find any of the comforts from home to make being where you are seem more comfortable. I think this is only natural, so even though a previous version of myself might have scoffed at anyone who makes a beeline for KFC when they're in Paris or somewhere, I at least understand what's happening. Let me just say, though, that that trip to KFC on vacation should probably be limited to just that one time and then you should go find yourself a colossal eclair and some crepes and some espresso. Anyway.

It's called culture shock! And whether you've just arrived and you're stressed from your bazillion-hour flight or you've been in a foreign country for months, sometimes it's just nice to have something that reminds you of home--or tastes like home.

Even though Edinburgh is chock full of recognizable American fast food joints, I'm not a fast food person. So BK, Mickey D's, KFC go pretty much ignored. However, the truth of the matter is, sometimes I just really. want. a hamburger. And believe me, I've tried hamburgers here. I ordered a really lovely Angus burger at a pub the other day, for example, and while the burger itself was great, the bun was floury and they put unmelted shredded cheese on it. What is with the unmelted cheese on the burgers!!? Another time, I had a really tasty buffalo burger from a stand, with fried onions and some approximation of barbeque sauce. It was fine. The venison burger was sort of the same way... burger was fine, bun was dry, nothing else spectacular. Forget the cheese. I just don't understand the cheese.

BUT THEN. One of my classmates alerted us that there was an independently owned 'American fast food' cafe nearby, all made to order, and whoa. WANNABURGER. Not only do they serve burgers and hotdogs, but their products are all locally sourced. This isn't super hard in Scotland, since it's small, but it's a good feeling to know that you're getting food with a traceable history. And they melt the freaking cheese! They serve skinny fries, root beer floats and the kind of bacon cheeseburger that immediately says to me, 'You are going to crave one of these every day for the next month.'

Which is exactly what's happened.

So anyway. Musing on the little things... as much as I like the fish and chips takeaway places, the stellar Indian restaurants, the baguettes and sandwiches, the coffee shops, and so on... sometimes I just want an American hamburger, and yes: one with a fried egg, bacon, cheese, mayo, every goddamn thing, because you better believe I'm going all out!

Cheers!
Kate xx

Bourbon & Tunns Tavern

Yesterday was yet another part of my visa application puzzle put in place with a brief appointment for fingerprinting at the application processing center, which was just another name for the Department of Homeland Security in Milwaukee. So, I was dually printed and handed my receipt, all before 11am, and it was off to try to find some place that was open for an early lunch.

We intended to stop at a tapas place my mother had heard about from a friend, but we were disappointed to arrive there and find the door locked, even though their posted hours suggested they should be open. Needless to say, we had to find someplace else, so we drove back to the historic Third Ward neighborhood, parked, and go out to stroll for a block or two.



In all my years in Wisconsin (most of my life) and all the trips I've ever taken down to Milwaukee, I have never been in the Third Ward! It's one of the nicest areas I've been in that city, and I don't know why I didn't stop there sooner. The things that sway us, eh? We found a place just opening up, and were drawn in by the decor, first and foremost, and the lovely pub tables butted up against open air windows. So we could be next to the sun, but not in the sun, and enjoy yummy Arnold Palmers before lunch.



The place was Bourbon and Tunns, an apparently newish/rebranded restaurant with a really sweet interior theme of dark wood, copper tile, exposed brick, and sturdy furniture.



The lunch menu was simple and delicious, and we were starving, so everything looked amazing (and was reasonably priced). I settled on the catfish po'boy (because if I see the word 'po'boy on a menu, I'm not not ordering it), and my mother had the Chattanooga salad. Both were very good, especially with the side of fresh pub chips that were still warm and perfectly seasoned. Alas, their bar area looked really wonderful, but we were a little early for drinks, but it looks like a place worth stopping. As for lunch, we'd definitely do a repeat.



Absolutely gorgeous weather we've had the last couple of days. Summer perfection.

_______

I've finally got all of my forms filled out and other components collected; all I need to do is send in the visa application! Perhaps all these hoops are designed to be so annoying that you wouldn't even bother if you weren't serious about your trip. ;) Time is a-dwindling.

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 58

Orange and red - a simple fruit salad

Yesterday, my youngest sister moved home from college for the summer, so my other sister and I decided we should celebrate / get together and have a good homemade dinner. I also received a wonderful belated birthday gift in the form of some amaaaazing news, but I'm not at liberty to share just yet! ;) There shall be plenty more where that's coming from!

Middle sister made some really fantastic-looking fresh, wild salmon that we scoped out at the deli, and I compulsively filled up my shopping cart with nothing but fruit (and some coconut water). It was only after I got home and realized that much fruit for one person was a little overboard, a salad would be perfect for sister dinner!

It's mostly an excuse to photograph gorgeous summer fruits, but the recipe is below, of course! Easy-peasy and super delish.

Simple Orange and Red Fruit Salad

Serves 4

A good-size bunch of red seedless grapes (up to two cups worth, or so)

8-10oz strawberries (half a pack, usually)

1 naval orange, peeled and separated into segments

1 crispy apple (such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Cameo)

I like a good, chunky fruit salad, so the grapes go in whole. Follow that with the strawberries, using a small knife to chop off the leaves, and then slice berries in half length-wise, or if they're enormous, then to preferred bite-size. Using a sharp knife, trim any excess pith off the orange and cut into bite size chunks. Slice and chop up the apple and toss in a medium sized bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir. Serve and enjoy!

The orange juice keeps the apples from oxidizing and turning brown, but if you decide to skip the oranges, you'll want to drizzle in a little lemon juice to keep them looking white and fresh. Having a really crispy apple complements the soft strawberries and oranges, and the grapes add some tang. Of course the beauty of fruit salad is that just about anything can go in one. I'd be up for some blueberries and raspberries next time, and probably some whipped cream on top!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Herb Sauce

I've been on a prosciutto bender lately (yep, that's a thing). For a while, I was buying cantaloupe and wrapping prosciutto around the slices -- a popular starter referred to in Italy as prosciutto e melone. It just sounds amazing. Anyway, time passed and numerous meloni were consumed, and then I just got plain old sick of it. Except I still had a pricey pack of prosciutto in the fridge, so I decided to use it for good instead of... well, nothing.

Preparing meals for one can be a little challenging when it comes to number of portions and how long leftovers will last. I did a little rummaging around in my fridge to see what I had, other than the prosciutto, and when I remembered a small pack of organic fresh thyme, I thought of this prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin. I adapted this from a recipe in the October/November 2011 issue of Cook's Country Magazine, but I made a few small changes, mostly for ease of preparation, as I was making this to provide take-to-work lunches for myself. Here's the way I did it:

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Herb Sauce

1 pork tenderloin (1.5lb package, pretrimmed)

5-6 slices thinly-sliced prosciutto

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth

juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons minced fresh green onions (or chives)

salt and pepper to taste

Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 450F. Pat tenderloins dry with paper towel. Wrap the tenderloin in prosciutto, covering as much as you can.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Brown the pork on all sides, 5-7 minutes, then transfer the tenderloin onto a wire rack set in a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature of meat reaches 145F.

While tenderloin is in the oven, heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add flour, thyme, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Stir in the broth and lemon juice and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer sauce to a serving bowl and add green onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I suggest skipping the salt as prosciutto is already salty, and the lemon and chicken broth in the sauce will also provide salt). Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Serves 3-4.

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 117

Balsamic Vinegar Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

A year ago, if someone had told me I would be eating brussels sprouts (and like them!), let alone buying and preparing them myself, I would have thought, "Crazy! I hate brussels sprouts!"

I really did. And in fact, I still kind of do, except therein lies the rub. I had a memorable experience as a child, during a visit to my aunt and uncle's house, when I was made to sit at the kitchen table until I had eaten all of my brussels sprouts. If I recall, they were steamed. And they were terrible. Steamed brussels sprouts = I can't handle it. Paired with my stubborn streak (my mom's probably thinking, "Just a streak?"), the whole experience turned me adamantly anti-brussels sprouts. But over the last several months, I've taken a liking them roasted and, as I learned, sauteed. Where roasting gives them a crispy texture, browning them on the stovetop brings out a sweet nuttiness, and when paired with vinegar, it's just the kind of lunch that a rainy day calls for.

And so easy!

Balsamic Vinegar Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Serves 2

16-20 smallish brussels sprouts

2 tsp olive oil, divided

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

pinch kosher salt

pepper to taste

Rinse the brussels sprouts and pat them dry. Chop off the brown ends, peel off outer leaves, and cut in half. Combine brussels sprouts, 1 tsp oil, the balsamic vinegar and the salt, and toss to combine. Heat the other teaspoon of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat, and add the brussels sprouts mixture. Sautee for 8-10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.