Poached Eggs and Tomato Sauce

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Despite its simplicity, these poached eggs on tomato sauce is one of the most delicious, comforting foods I’ve ever made. You already know that I find golden, gooey egg yolks to make everything taste better. But when I used my crusty bread to pierce the yolk and soak up a mixture of egg and tomato, the sauce transformed into something dramatically more decadent. This concoction was so delicious that I’m dying to make it for friends, but I’m too embarrassed to eat it in front of them because I just can’t resist licking my plate clean. Even Stella gave me a side-eye.

I started off with a can of marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s. You can start with plain tomato purée and add your own seasonings if you want, but I found this to be faster and easier.

Still, I wanted the sauce to be a little spicier, so I let some minced garlic and red pepper flakes brown in some olive oil first. Then, I added the can of tomato sauce to the pot and let it simmer.

Let your tomato sauce simmer away until it starts to thicken. This should take about 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring a second pot of water to a simmer so you can poach the eggs.

I like using Julia Child’s method for poaching eggs. She recommends cracking your egg into a separate bowl, and then gently pouring it into the simmering water. Once the egg is in the water, use a wooden spoon to gently hold the egg white together to prevent it from getting wispy and turning into egg drop soup. The fresher your eggs are, the easier it is to prevent your egg whites from feathering. You should also use the wooden spoon to make sure your egg isn’t stuck to the bottom of the pot.

After a minute or so, your egg whites should be firm. Then, use a slotted spoon to gently lift the egg out of the water. I put my eggs on top of the simmering tomato sauce to stay warm while I poached the others.

After your eggs are poached and your sauce is thick and warm, transfer some sauce to a serving plate and put the eggs on top. You can top the eggs with some parmesan cheese, or anything else you like. Don’t forget to toast some crusty bread for breaking your eggs and soaking up the sauce. I hope this quick breakfast/lunch/snack makes you feel as happy and content as it made me!

This particular recipe was inspired by Smitten Kitchen, but I have another version that I’ll share with you once I can get my paws on a beautiful box of heirloom tomatoes.

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Best Iced Coffee

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David loves drinking iced coffee, so we found a great way to make it at home. But pouring hot coffee over ice or putting it in the fridge to cool never tastes the same as the iced coffee from places like Starbucks. I’ve had this same experience when making iced tea; cold-brewing the tea leaves always tastes the best. I never thought to use the same technique with coffee until I read this post on Smitten Kitchen.

We’ve been making a batch of this coffee almost every day since. The key to making the coffee most conveniently is to invest in a french press. The french press is great because it has a built-in strainer that pushes the coffee grounds to the bottom when your coffee is done brewing, so you can easily pour the filtered coffee out. You can make this coffee without a french press in a regular container, but you’ll have to pour it through a strainer or coffee filter before it’s ready to drink.

We mix in 1/3 cup of our favorite coffee grounds per 1 1/2 cups of cold water to a french press. Let it sit out or in the fridge for approximately 12 hours. Once that time is up, slowly press the plunger on your french press, and pour the coffee into a jar that you can store in the fridge.

When you’re ready to drink your coffee, pour some of it into a glass with ice. David drinks his straight, but I like mellowing mine out with a little milk. After you drink too much of this iced coffee and get stuck lying awake in bed all night, you should consider reading Chelsea Handler’s new book (or any of her books), Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me. Just make sure to muffle your laughter so you don’t wake your puppy!

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Living in Color

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You already know how much I love black and white film photography, but I really love shooting in color too. One good thing about color film is that it’s much easier to find local places that do in-house processing. Still, I’ve had some serious hits and misses with color film. My biggest miss happened when I forgot to take the yellow lens off of my camera after I switched from a black and white to a color roll. HUGE mistake…I ended up with a whole lot of yellow pictures. Those pictures found their highest calling when a friend and I used them to send out prank “postcards” to people. I’m still taking heat for that…sorry everyone!

Even though color film doesn’t have the same beautiful graininess as black and white does, I’ve often been surprised by the vibrant colors it’s captured. Being surprised is one of the biggest reasons why I like film photography. I never really know what my pictures will look like in the end, and I only get a few good frames out of each roll, but the good ones make me so happy!

I know that film photography can sometimes be inaccessible, but I think that’s what makes it so special. My pictures always feel more valuable because they can’t easily be emailed around or posted to facebook for all the world to see. And they’re not exactly cheap, especially when compared to digital photography. But it’s these exact traits, paired with the surprise and elation over a great shot, that keeps me going back to film.

Film photography is also most worthwhile when I share it with people I love, people who will share my excitement in finding the gems from each roll. After I photographed my first ride in David’s airplane, for example, we practically ran to the store when it was time to pick up our prints! I’ll post one of them next time.

Whether they’re taken in color or in black and white, I love giving framed prints as gifts, especially when they have a personalized meaning. I’m not so sure if everyone loves receiving them though (don’t worry, I don’t think anyone received any of these pictures…Muffin’s cavities aren’t quite sentimental)!

Do any of you like shooting in color film? Disposable cameras don’t count (honestly, I think the grandparents who still use them are the only reason stores still process film at all)!

Next time, I’ll discuss my experiences photographing people (and a special puppy)! Also, please note that these photos are subject to copyright and should not be used for impermissible purposes (like being republished without my permission).

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