Monday grab bag

I have to start every post all week with the obligatory reminder that the next Verge movie night is THIS THURSDAY at 7:30 pm.  The movie is a fascinating documentary called Marwencol about ahem, an outsider artist, for lack of a better term.  Our panel has a neuroscientist, a gallery director, and Skinner.  

 Cherry season.  I was going to make a clafoutis, but instead I just snacked on the cherries.

 I took this picture at the Davis Beer Shoppe.  They let you bring in food, so I got the Milano sandwich (salami, mortadella, peperoncini, meunster, oil and vinegar) from Zia's and a Hansen's gueuze.

This is the ice cream sundae from the Ginger Elizabeth ice cream social.  The combo of the honey ice cream and the soft, stewed apricots was dynamite.  My only quibble, which won't stop me from trying next month's sundae, is that I wish they would not serve it in a paper bowl.  I would love to have a glass dish.  It just makes it feel fancier, and for seven bucks, I want it to feel a little fancy.

  This image, and the one below are from the Non Solo show at CCA on 19th street.  This pretty lady (such dewy skin!) was part of the installation, and was enmeshed in a big piece of fabric on the ground. Non Solo is a group of Brooklyn-based artists who take a cue from the punk world by touring together in a tricked-out van. They also sell merch, which makes it seem more like a show and less like an art piece.

Also interesting is the Bren Ahearn show at Evolve in Oak Park.  He does needlepoint and stitchery, and some textile design.  I like his series focusing on the Ultimate Fighting Championship.  His work is very focused on masculinity and homerotiscism (fuck, how do you spell that?)  He lives in  Midtown and he's a super nice guy.  I hope to profile him at some point.

We also stopped by the "that's so gay" them show at Tangent Gallery on Franklin.  There's been a bit of controversy in the local artistic community about that theme, and Gale Hart, who took issue with it, was outside in a sort of friendly protest.  She had made some thought-provoking posters riffing on the theme such as "that's so retarded" for art by developmentally delayed adults.  You get the idea.

 I've had a recipe for a "rustic breakfast sandwich" by Nancy Silverton on my fridge forever, and I finally decided to make it.  Anyone who is even partially responsible for the pizzeria at Mozza is OK in my book.  These are chives and scallions from my garden (is that a brag?)

 You make scallion oil with olive oil in the blender.

 
 This is manchego and speck.  I was supposed to use serrano ham but I like speck, so sue me.

 One of those Grace Baking pugliese loaves from Corti Bros.

 I got this Basque cider at the Davis Beer Shoppe.  I loved it!  Perfect for morning drinking.  It's acidic, funky, apple-y, and crazy.  It has the hugest chunks of yeast in it.

Here's the finished sandwich.  You toast one piece of bread per sandwich, rub a cut piece of garlic on it, add some thin shavings of manchego and some scallion oil, then the ham, then a poached egg and some cheese and oil for garnish.  The best thing is that the scallion oil will keep and it's a great sandwich spread.  The recipe called for arugula, but my arugula got roached because of the hail and storms, so I left it off.  If you wanted to make a vegetarian version you could just add the arugula and cut out the ham.