What I’m doing on my summer vacation. (A play on the standard children’s essay, the ubiquitously titled “What I Did On My Summer Vacation”. But less grammatically correct. And rife with incomplete sentence fragments. But isn’t that the beauty of learning how to write? Once you’ve learned, you’re allowed to unlearn. Take some creative license. Scatter letters all over the page like Jackson Pollack in literary form. And then call it art.)
Ahem.
(Yes I do liken myself to Jackson Pollack, thankyouverymuch.)
(NOTE – That is exactly what I mean about creative license. See how I took out the spaces in-between those words? That’s art baby. It’s abstract. Existential. Metaphorical. Besides, doesn’t it just make your knees weak?)
Focus.
Back to the essay.
What I’m Doing On My Summer Vacation.
(1) I’m going back to my roots. And by that I mean doing something that actually matters rather than worrying about whether I’ve read the right random sentence in the right textbook and committed to memory the right esoteric fact that’s going to appear in one question on one exam.
Pipetting. Splitting cells. Fluorescing proteins. Knocking down genes. In short, rotating in a lab.
Even after just a week. I feel like I can breathe again. Think again.
I’ve been delving into the literature. Committing insulin signaling pathways to memory. Akt. Rab10. AS160. All of these proteins that come together to move a glucose transporter to the surface of your cells. Or not. As the case may be.
(My summer project is basically to take some of these proteins out of commission. Intervene. Play god. And see what happens. In the hopes of discovering new roles for them in the regulation of glucose uptake. Why is this important? Well, as well all know, a dysfunctional insulin signaling pathway is the hallmark of diabetes. So some of these proteins may be good therapeutic targets. Also, a dysfunctional insuling signaling pathway is also a hallmark of certain cancers. Cancer cells need a lot of sugar. And insulin helps them get it. It’s the drug dealer of the endocrine system. Not the kind of hormone you would want your daughters around.)
(2) Bone density scans. I’m getting them. Along with rheumatologist visits. And enough blood tests to transfuse the majority of the northern hemisphere. Just so that we can all be sure that my lovely stress fractures are just some idiopathic thing and not due to an underlying disorder. So at the moment my arms kind of resemble that of an IV drug user.
My insurance company is going to love this.
(3) Cooking meat. Because that’s what people do during the summer, right? They throw things on the grill. Talk about the difference in quality between different brands of wood chips and charcoal. Discuss the virtues of rib-eyes and porterhouses.
Well. I don’t have a grill.
But I do have a perfectly functional oven. And a Michael Symon cookbook. And an overly active imagination.
So while I sit at my desk. Eating this absolutely mouth wateringly moist roasted pork. While pretending that I’m sitting on a beach being served hand and foot by fantastically beautiful cabana boys.
You guys can sit on your front porch and grill this hunk of meat. While pretending that you’re sitting on a beach being served hand and foot by fantastically beautiful cabana boys.
And then everyone will be happy.
Roast Pork Loin with Grilled Peaches and Wildflower Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 4, adapted from Symon’s Live To Cook and Pam’s Midwest Kitchen Korner
Pork Rub/Marinade (from Pam!)
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp pomegranate juice
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of ground allspice
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Pork, Vinaigrette, and Peaches (from Michael Symon!)
1 1/2 lb pork loin (Symon actually calls for a center-cut rack of pork but Whole Foods didn’t have any such thing)
salt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp wildflower honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
1/4 cup sliced fresh parsley (Symon originally calls for cilantro but mine had turned to mush in my fridge)
grated zest and juice of one orange
4 peaches, halved and pitted
1. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the marinade ingredients and brush onto the pork. Roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140, brushing with more marinade every twenty minutes or so. This should take about an hour.
3. Mix together the ingredients for the vinaigrette (garlic through orange). Add salt to taste. Brush over the peaches and grill on a George Foreman or a real grill until charred and tender.
4. Serve peaches with the pork and sprinkle the leftover vinaigrette over the top.
This is my submission to this week’s Symon Sundays!
Joanne… Your recipes might turn me back into a meat eater! I know the hubby will love this one. I’ve never grilled peaches but it always sounds like a fantastic idea.
Another lovely post, my friend!
wow, so instead of just drooling out my window while the neighbor is grilling I can actually make my own beach meal in the kitchen – brilliant!
Grilled peaches sound fabulous to go with the richly flavoured roasted pork loin.
First time on your blog. What a beautiful pork loin with amazing ingredients! I have a pork loin in my fridge that I am about to get marinading in a recipe a friend shared w/me but this is in the near future! Great photos too!
This pork and its sauce look absolutely divine. They can compensate you for not sitting on a beach.
This is such an awesome pic!
I love the thought of peaches with this – it seems so summery!! your lab work is fascinating ( the work you’re doing, not getting obvi)
This looks delicious! And your work sounds fascinating!
Whatever you do have a fun filled and memorable Vacation Joanne. The roasted pork loin is so appetizing that even I would like to savor it (P.S: I don’t eat Pork or any other red meat perse)
Your presentation is beautiful and these pictures are just gorgeous! The recipe was a big hit in our house and one I see us making again soon.
I say bring on the cabana boys and the dishes:D
i feel like i can smell it through he photos. so divine!
xo Alison
I will try to make this similar roast pork loin, hmm…can’t resist it after seeing yours.
So what you’re saying is…when Trevor doesn’t use complete sentences or pronounce his S’s well, I should foster this…he will grow up and be thought as artistic. Maybe famous. Rich…. he certainly is cute. Cabana boy cute. God help me when he’s older and has the ability to get girls pregnant. Gulp. But I digress.
We went to our local u-pick farm last week and bought a bounty of apricots and peaches (which were intended for pie, of course), but I have plenty for this pork dish, too. Win win.
The pork sounds fantastic!
im starving. Reading this post was a huge mistake. I am searching for a remedy for this giant meat craving.
thanks. a. bunch.
Mmmmm, delicious! This is definitely one to hit my menu plans soon.
Just caught up on all I’ve missed since my last visit. I think my favorite for this week is the Zucchini pizza. Yep, another one going on the menu plans.
Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing summer *hugs*
Oh Joanne, this is so very beautiful! 🙂 Pork roast is one of my most favorite things and I haven’t had it in far too long. You just reminded me how much I love it. 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!!
Sounds like you have a hell of a summer planned…doctor visits alone 🙂
Meat looks wonderful
I totally need a bone density scan! I am kind of scared to get one because a. I’ve already single-handedly supported Aetna for the last 5 yeras, and b. I’m nervous about the test results. Good luck with yours!! Let us know how it goes.
I don’t know about the lab, the bone scans and Dr. visits certainly don’t sound like fun. The grilling sounds a bit more fulfilling. Hopefully inbetween all these necessary events you can stop at the beach. I know, how about you take the lab work, the grill and meet the rheumatologist AT the beach!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my Godddddddddddddd grilled peaches are heaven and perfectly medium-rare pork loin is like heaven times two. I need to make this immediately!
You’re the fancypants now! All the elements here sound incredible – except for the pork, o’course 😉
Signed,
The Jew
ps – I’m sure it would be delish with a turkey tenderloin though!
you are making it really hard for me to give up meat! that piece looks AMAZING!!!
im getting bone density scans this summer too! so hopefully it’ll be good results for both of us. and i know how hard uve worked to get a good reading and get back to running and more of that freedom <3 <3
Mmm, I’ve fallen in love with grilled peaches this summer. So good! Great post!
Wow! What a great pork recipe..sweet and savory..yum! Sounds like you will be working hard in the lab and, of course, in the kitchen. Hope you get some time off to enjoy yourself. I like the idea of pretending to be served by a cabana boy:)
This looks delishious but I think you are developing a Psych Students complex 🙂
Oh wow, looks so so delicious. Love the new look of the blog too!
The recipe is amazing, your artistic wordage wonderful, and fluorescing proteins…what more could I ask for??!!
Those grilled peaches are food for the imagination and the brown crusty outside of the meat is making my mouth water. Bravo!
Ahh! I don’t know how you do research let alone bench work but more power to you! Boy’s a fan of bench work too. I just nod and eat another spoonful of ice cream. This meal looks like pure heaven. I’ve been thinking about grilling peaches for a couple weeks now and seeing them is seriously making my mouth water. I wish I had a grill.
Gorgeous looking roast, Joanne, but I prefer NOT to be fed by cabana boys. That creeps me out. 😉
Happy 4th!
That’s a gorgeous hunk – too bad I don’t eat pork. You’re getting bone density tests? best of luck with all that.
I’ve heard grilled peaches are so delicious! I have never tried it but your recipe makes me want to!
oo looks amazing! Love pairing pork with fruits!
You have quite the busy summer going . 😉 Loving the pork with the fruit and honey–such a great combination.
That is the most amazing-looking dish and I would go out and buy the ingredients immediately if only peaches were in season here at the moment. 🙁 Peaches and pork just make so much sense together, but I’m not going to do the meal a disservice by using tinned peaches, so looks like I’ll have to bookmark this one for sometime around November. Sigh!
So will you be doing knock-downs/knock-outs of genes related to insulin function? In culture or in vivo? I kind of miss wet-bench work a little now that I’m in a human cognition lab and only have live humans to work on!
ohmigarsh, you make me laugh!! Thanks for the good chuckle this morning…and I fancy myself an artist, as well…taking license in creating words and splattering my writing with fragments and non-sensical phrases. LOL!! Plus, YUM! 😉
You knocked it out of the park with this one, Joanne! Great combo of flavors. I’m sans grill too, so have to improvise on a lot of recipes. But it CAN be done, as you have proven.
Happy 4th!
The insulin demon! I am so glad you discussed this cause I just blogged about it a few days ago. We had to kick the white devil to the curb just this week due to some of our returned test results and you are so right! Cancer loves him some sugar!!! Of course for us that means changing everything we put on our plate!
I’m sure you have some advice for me given that you have lost the weight you have.
http://giovannacooks.blogspot.com/2010/06/breaking-up-with-white-devil.html
Pork and peaches, mmmmmm………yummmmmmm! I have never tried grilling peaches, they don’t last that long with my little girl around!
These pictures are stunning Joanne. Honestly, they look amazing enough to be in a tres chic food mag. And grilled peaches…OMG, I’ve missed them! 😉
Thanks for the laugh! Here’s wishing you the best with your medical issues!
Your pork loin looks delicious and I know it tasted great! I will have to make the peaches addition now. Thanks for the nod and I’m glad you like it!
what i’m doing on my vacation…going back to my roots..aka being likea little kid and NOT working for the first time in YEARS!!!!
sorry about your medical issues. =(
and pork is awesome. reminds me of to kill a mockingbird…POooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOrk.
hahaha glad you like this. J.C. he was asking about guys in my life. strange. more in email to send you. =D
What a juicy looking chunk of meat! Love the marinade and vinaigrette.
This is a gorgeous meal and your photos of it are spectacular. I’ll be giving this one a try really soon. I love pork! I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
ooh, lab work, akt, and grilled peaches 🙂 lol, not many would pick those three from your post i bet. i’m totally wishing i had summers off, as i’m kinda done with lab work… we’ll see how things shake out. keep eating this delicious food, next time we meet up we should cook together!
Lovely clicks joanne, have a wonderful weekend…
Another Summer must do…hang around Joanne’s when there’s grillin happening!!!
Am loving ur pictures, the deliciousness is captured so stunningly …i need some tips gurl…u git the lighting so so rite!!!
Have a wonderful 4th July weekend !!!
joanne, you vixen, this is gorgeous! ‘the other white meat,’ my caboose–pork is THE white meat! i love the combination of flavors here. bravo to you, pam, and mr symon. 🙂
your pics are awesome, I love the light..i love the rub and pork an peaches go so very well together, girl you are too busy this summer, try to relax, and not work so hard,
sweetlife
Those pork loins usually leave me feeling ho-hum, but this looks super! I love that topping too 🙂
this looks amazing your a pro love the photography first class its hard in the medical field hubby is a Dr. his bro and his sis! busy folks
I went through bone scans and rheumatology crap about a year ago – hope it goes well for you!
Delicious looking pork loin. Love fruit with pork.
Hey Joanne, I don’t have a grill either. Well, I have one, but it’s dirty and I have no idea how to use it. I suppose I should read the manual.
This looks wonderful-I love the photos, and I’m not even a pork eater. Like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction said “i just don’t dig on swine” (smile)! It really looks delicious though. If I ate pork, I would dig on this…
i bet your mom is excited to have you back even just for a short visit. that’s exactly how i feel with my daughter… sorry to hear about your medical condition… i hope everything will be ok… take it easy this summer and enjoy your grilling/cooking at your mom’s
cheers!
malou
I like the twist you put on Pam’s recipe! That is one of my favorite things about a recipe, you can take it and make it your own by being creative in the kitchen.
i never had pork in my life
your post is nice looks great
it seems i will have in future
XXXXX
naveen
http://smsjar.blogspot.com/
I love the idea of this recipe. The flavour combo is amazing and really unique. Do you think this could work well with chicken?
Wow Joanne!
I love the sound of the wildflower vinaigrette! And that is one gorgeous hunk of pork. My Mom’s never looked like that!
Hope all goes well with your medical tests! It sounds like your going to have a busy summer- lab work sounds fun and interesting – enjoy!
Sounds like a great rub! I’d love to try it on a tempeh “steak” some time… 😉
Joanne! We have the same foodie brainwaves! I just made pork with a sweet peach glaze two nights ago!
This looks fantastic and oh so delish!
Have a wonderful, safe weekend!
Cheers~
Beautiful pics and a beautiful combination of flavors. That’s a winner!! ~LeslieMichele
Not being able to grill is one of the suckier things about living in NY. I have been wanting to grill and barbeque so badly lately! But no go.
Your summer insulin project actually sounds kind of fun, but I am kind of geeky, so other people may not feel this way. Are you done with classes now? If so we can play! Yay!
Bravo mon amie, un plat magnifique.
My husband couldn’t agree more: Summer is made for eating big hunks of meat.
Ahh, pork with peaches. A classic combo that I never ever tire of.
wildflower honey is so yummy! i love anything glazed with it.. this looks delicious; tis the season for grilled peaches too 🙂
Yea, I was thinking the grilled peach and wild honey dressing is good with the roast pork loin too but we don’t do grilling during summer cos it adds to the heat :O
Joanne,
Hope you had a great weekend. That is one killer looking pork dish. Two thumbs up.
Cheers
Such a bummer that you can’t have a grill but it looks like your oven does just fine. Yum! Such a delicious dish! Hope all turns out alright with your tests. I’ll be thinking of you. 🙂
This is gorgeous! and thanks for the little insulin lesson…very informative 🙂
Oh, by the way ~ you have never had an Oreo?
wtheck? You need to get yourself out there and get some of those, just so we know you are human 😉
This. Looks. So. Delicious. (How’s that for artistic license?) Pork and Peaches- that’s a great combo. Your photos are mouthwatering! I have a grill but I’d probably roast this in the oven anyway. It’s too stinkin’ hot outside!
Ok so you talked me into grilling peaches.
Busy, busy summer! From the lab to the kitchen you just must be one crazy gal . . . loved this pork roast and the peaches, mmm . m mmm good!
This looks like such an exotic pork roast, I like all of the herby nuances of the ingredients. It’s still too hot on the east coast to turn on the oven, but perhaps I can file this away for the fall.
Sugar feeds cancer? Eep. I’ve been reading recently about how food effects the body in the hopes that it will inspire me to take better care of myself. That wildflower honey vinaigrette sounds yummy! And stating the type of honey (wildflower) makes it seem all the more delicious for some reason. 🙂
Glad you’re enjoying the lab again 🙂 Your pork roast looks so perfect and I love the rub!
That pork looks good! I like the sound of pairing it with peaches!
I think I have to change my menu plans to include this sometime this week!