ROAD FOOD

There are people who have written whole books about delightful food finds off the beaten path. We are not them and that has not been our experience for the most part. We recently took a car trip to Ashland, Oregon for the Shakespeare Festival. Ashland has a season that runs from April to October each year with various Shakespeare plays and also others, some new. It was a long trip and we drove via interstate 5 which takes us through a whole lot of nothing. It bypasses citties and has a lot of roadside stopping places with fast food as well as gas stations and in some places, chain hotels. Since we occasionally drive that highway when we go to the Bay area to see Bonnie, we have become somewhat familiar with the food offerings along the way. Big name fast food places like McDonalds show up regularly. I have never been a fan of fast food but one of the things I have come to appreciate about places like that is the very thing that is tiresome about them:standardization. You always know what you will get at a place like that; and it will be the same anywhere. And, besides, they generally have clean bathrooms, no small thing when you’re driving long distances. The last time we took that highway the timing was such that we had to have a breakfast of some sort. So, for the first time ever I had an egg mcmuffin. I have to admit it was pretty good. Of course I customized it by having the cheese and bacon left off so what I had was a toasted english muffin with some scrambled egg. It cost just over a dollar and was prepared in minutes. When you’re trying to get somewhere in a timely fashion that can be important. This time we decided to try another fast food place that claims they have “home style” biscuits for their breakfast sandwiches. Again, I had mine slightly customized as did Steve. We both had to admit that the biscuit was almost as good as advertised and much better than many. Our fallback position with road food has been Starbucks. We usually make them a regular stop because we know they always have clean bathrooms. Incidentally they have coffee, which sometimes is handy. But the food is very convenient. They have tidy sandwiches that are ideal for splitting and eating on the road. Steve prefers not to spend time eating at the roadside since there is seldom anywhere that’s worthy of spending any time. This trip took us further north and once past Sacramento we only encountered stops in the larger cities like Redding and Red Bluff. We blew right past those places this time and looked for a place that Steve had in his mind as a place to stop for lunch, a town named Dunsmuir. Well, if you’ve never hear of it there’s a reason why. There is not much there there. We had no high expectations. I have learned that a simple sandwich is usually obtainable and keep my focus there. We got off the highway and went down the main street looking for a coffee place figuring that they might have something to eat. There was in fact a little coffee place but no food. They steered us to the local pizza parlor they said had really good sandwiches. So we went there. They actually did have a few sandwiches that looked okay and we split a tuna melt which was okay. Nothing I would ordinarily eat but this one was made with a nice homestyle bread that made the difference. And, surprisingly, they had a little salad bar which looked fresh and acceptable. It was as good as one I had seen at Carl’s Jr. which is I know damning with faint praise but it was Dunsmuir, after all. After Dunsmuir a couple of hours later we reached Ashland. Other than the fact that it was bloody hot, it is a lovely town. small, lots of trees and pretty houses, and good food! I guess if you go somewhere in August it's fair to assume it will be hot. During our stay we had an excellent meal at a place called Larks, which was housed at an historic hotel in the downtown, and another at Amuse, where Steve says he had the best halibut he has ever had. (it was very good) We (Steve’s find) also discovered the “locals” coffee place in our neighborhood,Noble Coffee, a place that had really amazing coffee of the regular type, not necessarily whipped drinks. They also had pastries among which was a marionberry scone that was fabulous! Steve had one every morning. Since we were staying at a B&B it really wasn’t necessary but it became part of his routine. On our last day there we discovered a close by bakery named Deux Chats which had so many amazing pastries that we had to stock up for the journey home. The absolute best thing was a personal sized roasted vegetable galette. We got two and had them for lunch on the road on the way back. They were so good that I have been thinking about how to recreate them. Let’s see. A galette pastry is something I can do and am quite familiar with. Just a matter of splitting the dough apart and making small ones. The filling appeared to be leeks, yellow peppers, zucchini and summer squash, cheese of some sort, maybe kalmata olives or capers or mushrooms or carrots. I imagine it’s what appeals. I think I can do that. If this run-on Blog piece makes you crazy I apologize. Somehow the paragraph breaks aren't showing and alas, I am not the most proficient techie so haven't quite figured out what Google has done to this that created the situation.

Beginnings

Blogging always seems like a good idea when you start doing it. Yet. eventually the reality of having to keep it up hits and then it becomes a sort of chore, like having a job. For those of you who actually have real jobs that probably doesn’t seem like a big deal. But for me, who left the daily grind by the wayside a while back, it’s a little more than I bargained for.

Still I do enjoy sharing something when there is something to share. It’s now January, a time for new beginnings. We just got past the ultimate new beginning, New Years Day. Habit, or ingrained work ethic makes me want to start something new and satisfying. The great thing about new recipes is that you not only get a new challenge, but also something to eat! Win Win.

This is not actually my recipe. Steve spotted it first and mentioned it as something he wanted to do. Well, if he wants to cook, who am I to stop him? A new type of recipe usually means that I will participate in some way, even if it is only shopping, making suggestions, or hanging around the kitchen with a glass of wine while he cooks.

So it’s January, cool weather even in California, and soup seems appropriate. Cioppino is a fish stew which Wikipedia says originated in San Francisco. Usually made with catch of the day which can include any number and types of fish like crab, shrimp, mussels, squid and fish. It is related to fish stews from countries like Italy and Portugal and, I suspect from practically any fishing area locale. The local name comes from “to chop” as in chopping up various leftover of the days catch. In any case Steve spotted the recipe in the LA Times and the article about it claimed it was easy, calling it “no work” cioppino which helped sell it. It apparently is a dish from a restaurant in San Luis Obispo.

With the holidays over we are settling back into normal routines, which we dearly love. That includes cooking and eating a little different than we do over the holidays. Lighter, hopefully because we are acutely aware of all that holiday overeating because of being faced with so many choices.

Steve made this last Saturday for us and we invited his mom and sister to enjoy the food. I added a small salad comprised mainly of Point Reyes blue cheese, a few greens dressed in a light vinaigrette and with some slices of pear. We served the cioppino with a hearty bread to help mop up the sauce. We all voted a thumbs up on the recipe- It was wonderful! Delicious flavors, satisfying and beautiful.

My impression was that the most tiresome part of prep was the cutting up of the vegetable and herbs. We believe that you can prepare the sauce a day or two ahead and keep in the refrigerator and then heat up when ready to add the fish and use. The fish don’t take long to cook so it really can be a last minute preparation as far as that part goes.


Ciopinot's 'no work' cioppino

Servings: 4
Note: Adapted from Ciopinot in San Luis Obispo.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound (about 1½) leeks, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally ½-inch thick
1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 dried bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch dice
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup dry white or red wine
1/2 to 1 cup clam juice
Salt
Hot sauce
4 to 6 ounces large shrimp (16 to 20 count per pound), shelled and deveined
1/2 pound large scallops
6 ounces firm, light-flesh fish steaks (such as swordfish), cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped
Freshly chopped basil and oregano, for garnish

1. In a medium, heavy-bottom pot heated over medium-high heat, add the oil, then stir in the onions, leeks, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, pepper and saffron. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the herbs are fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and wine. Cover and simmer gently to develop the flavors, 30 to 45 minutes. Thin if desired with 1/2 cup to 1 cup clam juice. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste. The cioppino base can be made ahead of time to this point; remove from heat, cover and refrigerate up to one day (reheat before continuing).
3. To the pot, add the shrimp, scallops and fish. Cover and simmer gently just until the fish and shellfish are firm and opaque, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and remove from heat. Stir in the chopped cold butter, stirring just until the butter melts to add a little richness to the broth. This makes about 5 cups cioppino. Ladle the cioppino into wide bowls, garnishing each serving with freshly chopped basil and oregano. Serve immediately.


Happy 2012! Bon Apetit

LET US EAT PIE

As much as I like my routines and the familiar, every so often I feel a need to challenge myself. In life, this can be taking on a new responsibility like a new volunteer gig; or as simple as working to see something from another person’s point of view that is totally different than mine.

With food it means trying a recipe different than what I normally would try. Recently I had the fortunate situation of receiving some WONDERFUL homegrown tomatoes from friend Sandy grown by her husband Dan. I also had some delicious sharp cheddar cheese I had left over from a recent dinner. Then one day I was in the library looking through their cooking magazines and came upon a recipe for a tomato and cheddar pie in Bon Appétit. Well, it was fate I thought. I must make this pie! It didn’t hurt that the picture they had looked amazing, and decadent Those food photographers are real pros at that. I figured that if the one I made looked and tasted anywhere near as good I would love it, and also knew Steve would love it. Fresh tomatoes, melted cheese and pastry; what’s not to like?

I bought the ingredients and mentioned to Steve that I was thinking of making this for our Sunday dinner. Sunday dinner typically might consist of pizza or bowl salads so this was a bit more but still in the spirit I thought. He thought we might invite Larry over since I was making something that should be appreciated by more than just us. Larry is a lovely guest; he’s like Mikey of the old commercials, he will eat anything. This is a good quality as we don’t have to dance around special diets or sensitivities. I am all for accommodating peoples’ tastes but sometimes it’s nice to be able to treat a guest like a family member. It makes for a comfortable experience for whoever is cooking to just make what we would normally for ourselves. Maybe it’s equally easy for him as well. We don’t make him do the dishes or anything like that. The price of admission is usually just a bottle of wine.

Well, I made the pie and impressed everyone. I say everyone because I include myself in there. It turned out as good as I had hoped. And it looked beautiful. I am used to making galettes which have a different type of pastry dough. This one is, as mentioned in the article about it in the magazine, more of a biscuit-y type of dough. Both good in their own way and it was nice to have had the experience of making this new version. Not sure what other ways it could be used but I will have to try. I had to take a picture so I could include it in this writing. To go with this I made a light-tasting corn salad inspired by all the great corn that is currently available at the farmers market. I served that under a lump crab cake purchased from my local Bristol Farms store. Yum, just thinking about it makes me hungry.


Tomato and Cheddar Pie

Ingredients

Crust
• 2cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
• 1/2teaspoonbaking soda
• 1/2teaspoonkosher salt
• 6tablespoons(3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1cupbuttermilk

Filling
• 2poundslarge ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4" slices
• 2 1/2cupscoarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar (8-9 ounces)
• 1/4cupfinely grated Parmesan (1/2 ounce)
• 1scallion, trimmed, chopped
• 1/2cupmayonnaise (I substituted dijonaise)
• 2tablespoonschopped fresh dill
• 1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
• 2teaspoonssugar
• 3/4teaspoonkosher salt
• 1/2teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2tablespoonscornmeal
• Special Equipment
Use a 9"-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish

Preparation
Crust
• Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms and some small lumps remain. Stir in buttermilk and knead gently with your hands until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour.
Filling
• Lay tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with 2 layers of paper towels. Place another 2 layers of paper towels on top of tomatoes. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain.
• Preheat oven to 425°. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11" round. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Invert dough onto pie dish. Carefully peel off plastic wrap.
• Toss both cheeses in a medium bowl until evenly incorporated. Reserve 1/4 cup of cheese mixture. Whisk scallion, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over bottom of crust, then top with 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Arrange 1/3 of tomatoes over cheese, overlapping as needed. Spread half of mayonnaise mixture (about 1/3 cup) over. Repeat layering with 1 cup of cheese mixture, 1/2 of remaining tomato slices, and remaining mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over, then remaining tomato slices. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese mixture. Fold overhanging crust up and over edges of tomato slices.
• Bake pie until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown, 35-40 minutes (check crust halfway and tent with foil if it's getting too dark). Let pie cool at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Bon Appetit!!

In Praise of the Ordinary

I found this recipe somewhere recently and it called out to me since I had been seeing carrots at many of the stands at the Farmers Market recently. When I see that with any fruit or veg it indicates to me that they are in prime season. I have to admit carrots are not a particularly interesting vegetable, at least to me. They don't have the exotic quality of say, artichokes. I know celebrity Chefs are always coming up with out-of-the-ordinary items fixed in interesting ways - Cardoons come to mind. Not every new thing is successful since many of us would agree with Fran Leibowitz that "if someone has not thought to put together those items before perhaps there's a reason". With carrots I suppose their familiarity is what appealed. Well, that plus their bright color. We all know what a carrot is, even or especially children. This Spring I seem to be on a roll, using carrots far more than I remember ever doing in the past.

This would have been a great dish to take a picture of for all to see. But alas, I made it last week and did not take a picture. I almost didn't write about it but was going to send the recipe to daughter Bonnie because it was so simple and good and vegetarian. I had already sent the recipe to friend Maureen since she had heard me talking about it and asked for the recipe. Then I thought, why not write about it? Lots of people would like a dish that's simple and good and vegetarian.

Nothing is ever as simple as we think, I suppose. Through this recipe. I was exposed to some new things. I discovered that buying good fresh carrots like you get out of the farmers market or perhaps your own garden, does make a difference. Until I started cutting up these carrots which I made a point of buying fresh from the farmers market, I had not seen how moist carrots can be. All the ones I remember seem pretty dry by comparison.

And there were other discoveries. As I stood at the counter matchsticking all those carrots,a tedious task, I wondered why there wasn't an available tool for easy "matchsticking/julienne" of vegetables like this. Well there is! Afterwards, I visited two kitchen gadget stores in my area and found the tool, which I haven't bought yet. I have to figure out how often I do julienne vegs (not often). I do have another recipe where I matchstick carrots, zuccinis and summer squash but it hasn't seemed quite as laborious as just carrots. I don't know that it's important to have a special gadget for just that. One thing leads to another. Life becomes more complicated all because of a simple vegetarian recipe.

But getting past all that, it is a good recipe. I added a parsnip to the mix since I like the flavor and texture of parsnips and they are the same shape as carrots. I only added one because I was aware that the bright color of the carrots was an important factor for the dish and I did not want to overshadow that. The parsnips tasted great and next time I will add two! The fresh tarragon that's called for was wonderful and distinctive on this too.

Maybe next time I will remember to take a picture.


Braised spring carrots & Leeks with tarragon

(Serve this sweet springtime dish as a starter or side dish, or as part of a vegetarian main dish with grains or pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound leeks halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound carrots, peeled, halved or quartered lengthwise if thick, then cut in 2-inch lengths (matchstick)

1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan or lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently until just about tender, about three minutes. Do not allow the leeks to color. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the carrots, water(I used chicken broth) and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife. Stir in the lemon juice and tarragon. Taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a platter if desired, making sure to scrape out the tasty residue from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Serve hot, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. If serving at room temperature, sprinkle with additional fresh tarragon just before serving.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead without the pasta or grains and reheat gently. Then add to your selected starch. Add more tarragon before serving.

I put this on 1/2 lb of linguine. I imagine that fettucini or penne would be just as good but used linguine because Steve likes linguine.

Doldrums A period of stagnation or slump. A period of depression or unhappy listlessness So says the dictionary.

This time of year seems to have this atmosphere. Although I am aware that in some parts of the country January, February and March have more exciting weather than we do. In southern California mostly it is pretty blah. When we have what I call “real weather” it is not a good thing. Right now the calendar says it’s Spring. Really. officially a couple of days ago.

As relates to food, these months are also pretty uninteresting. I don’t have to try to impress anyone as chefs in restaurants do, but I do try to cook with what’s in season. Perhaps impressing myself is inspiration enough and I do become more inspired by seasonal produce. In midsummer when I walk through the farmer’s market and see stacks of ripe tomatoes I can’t help wanting to do something like a tomato tart or confit or as my friend Alice says,, just have big slices of ripe tomato on bread with mayonnaise. And then there are figs to have with good cheese, and fresh peas, asparagus…well, I could go on and on. But this time of year, particular creativity is called for.

Soup is always good now but not as interesting to me as other types of dishes like pastas or savory galettes. Luckily recently I did come upon a recipe that did not require any of the lovely produce of summer. What it did have is one of the more basic root vegetables that I could think of – carrots! I do like carrots but tend to think of them as a boring vegetable. We all have had carrots in our childhoods, usually limply overcooked. Yes, Bugs Bunny carried around a carrot which made you think it was special in some way. But the ubiquitousness made it, conversely, not stand out somehow. However, a recent issue of Eating Well tells us that carrots are good for memory, having something called luteolin which they explain is a flavonoid believed to reduce inflammation that can lead to cognitive decline. In these days that we are all trying to be aware of nutritional elements in our food, that would seem to be a plus.

Anyhow I found this recipe somewhere and thought Aha! Something different to do with carrots which are readily available year round and cheap as well as being colorful and good tasting.As for creativity, I think next time I will substitute another of my favorite root vegetables - parsnips - for a portion of the carrots. Could be interesting.
So I tried the recipe as it is, and it was easy and tasted good. What else can we ask for in a dish. Oh yes, Steve liked it too. That’s another thing I ask for. It's very colorful as you might expect with orange carrots.

Pasta with carrots- risotto style
>8 cups Chicken Stock
5 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 lb. gemelli or fusilli (uncooked) *
10 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and diced
1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 4 sprigs parsley, chopped

1. Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to keep stock hot.
2. Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, stir in until coated and then add,uncooked pasta and and cook, stirring often, until pasta is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup of the hot stock at a time to the pasta, stirring constantly; wait until almost all the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking and adding stock (you may have some stock left over) until pasta is tender but firm to the bite, 10–15 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp. butter and the parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve with more freshly grated parmigiano, if you like.


* I took the opportunity to try some whole grain organic fusilli in this, trusting that the sauce could hold up to a hearty pasta of that sort. It did. With new awareness and availability of this type of “good for you product”, why not?

Greeting 2011 and Clearing Christmas

I have always loved the holidays. Thanksgiving is a lead-in for Christmas and lots of good food so what’s not to like? Christmas brings lots of things; festive décor, lighted houses and trees, cheery music and various sorts of traditions according to each person’s background. And, of course, food. We have lunches, dinners and other get-togethers specifically to touch base around the holiday. All involving special food. Many of us bake special things to give away as small, personal gifts. I know people (women) who attend cookie exchange parties – How fun is that?

Then there is the decorating the house for Christmas. This typically happens around Thanksgiving and everything stays up until New Year’s. I have to admit as much as I like Christmas, by the time this comes around I am generally ready to have it be done with. Over the years my decorating style has changed somewhat. I used to do a lot. Nowadays even though I still have the interest I have modified downward. Some of that comes from living in a smaller place than I have in the past. Space does not permit. Then there’s the getting older thing. And extreme decorating is most satisfying when you have young children to be in awe of it all. Steve does appreciate, but appreciate on an adult level. Not quite the same.

But at least I’m not like many people I know who move the tree out almost immediately after Christmas day. Too many messy needles on the floor, don’t you know. Or another friend who takes everything down a few days after Christmas so it’ll be clear when the cleaning lady comes. I can understand the inclination but I’m not that compulsive so far. I try to keep everything up until New Year ’s Day which has always signaled the official end to the season to me.

Now that a new year is here I can stop thinking about holiday food and concentrate more on the regular day-to-day stuff. This time of the year that consists of soups and stews and hearty pastas. Yum, yum, just thinking about the possibilities makes me hungry. Lasagna is always good, since having the oven on these cool evenings is a good thing. I don’t make lasagna as often as I could, for two of us it seems like a lot of trouble. And, doesn’t seem special enough for guests somehow. I will have to rethink that.

My inspiration for this writing is a recipe I spotted while browsing through magazines at Barnes & Noble recently. That’s another fun thing to do during these wintry days – visits to the bookstore and/or library. I always look through the cooking magazines even though many of them have recipes that are far too exotic for me. But, I like to look at the pictures.

So I was looking through a recent magazine and spotted a great looking pasta dish picture. As I read the recipe and saw how simple the ingredients and the preparation were, I determined that this would be my first recipe for 2011. It’s something I have heard of for years but never paid much attention to. Not a new trendy dish but one of the tried and true ones.and, after I trying it I am certain it is a “bread and butter” type of recipe. Not elaborate at all. Just sort of plain home food. That said, it is delicious and a worthy winter recipe. I made it with penne and think that next time I may try it with spaghetti. The eggplant cooks to a softness that becomes “saucey” and I think it will not overwhelm the spaghetti, which was my concern this initial time.

Pasta Alla Norma
Alla Norma after the composer Bellini's (born in Catania) Norma. This dish from Catania is usually made with Ricotta Salata cheese. The semi-hard salted ricotta gives it a distinctive flavor and should be available in specialty shops and some supermarkets. If need be, substitute pecorino for it, it will not be the same, but still delicious.

2 medium eggplants, cut into 2” cubes
1/2-cup olive oil (less if baking eggplant)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 t fresh oregano leaves, chopped or 1/2 t dry oregano
5 or 6 leaves fresh basil, shredded
1/2 t red chili flakes, more to taste
2 lbs roma tomatoes, ripe, seeded and chopped or use 128 oz. canned Italian tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated ricotta salata or pecorino
1 lb spaghetti or penne rigate
Sprinkle the eggplant with salt.
Place in colander and let stand for an hour or so. (If not bitter, omit, salting removes bitterness.)Place on paper towels to drain.
toss eggplant with olive oil, place on cookie sheet, bake in a pre-heated 450º F oven for 15-20 minutes or till nicely browned.

Heat 2 T olive oil in a pan.
Add onion and sauté till golden.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the tomato, fresh oregano, pepper flakes and basil.
Raise heat so sauce cooks at a fast bubble.
Cook about 10 to 15 minutes; do not allow sauce to dry out.
While tomato sauce cooks, bring water to a boil.
Cook pasta and drain when done.
Place in a bowl, pour tomato sauce and 1/4 cup cheese and mix.
Add eggplant and toss again.pass grated cheese at table
.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!