Category: backstory

walked the beach in a t-shirt and capris.

i thought for a while about what I would like to give as the last in the series of stand out recipes for the year. I thought about foods eaten with specific people such as beer braised short ribs. I thought about food eaten in restaurants and taken photos of to take home and recreate like truffled yukon gold puree. I have thought about the food consumed during Brian’s transplant like macaroni and cheese and the better version we eat at home. I thought about flavors that have defined the year like sweet and spicy bread and butter jalapenos, and super thick bacon and fresh zuchini in spaghetti carbonara, and roasted corn mingled with cream and chipotles in soup. I even think about two of the cookbooks that have come into my possession in the last couple of months that are begging to be opened, ogled and cooked out of. I am not sure how to end this complicated year in any way than to look towards the new one.

So, I guess sit down with a cup of tea. We visited Celestial Seasonings this year with friends. Or have a glass of wine. I was thankful that Robert Mondavi 2005 Napa Merlot was in the toe of my stocking. Or shake up a Gimlet and sip it icy cold. Take time out to reflect if it brings you comfort and joy but more importantly, take time to plan and dream because next year beckons.

Gimlet
1 part Gin
1 part Rose’s Lime Juice

Shake over ice. Strain and Pour. Enjoy!

>
happy birthday! to Jesus, or I have recently heard, to Frosty. This is what he says at the beginning of the episode that so often reduced me to tears as Frosty melted away each year. It’s Christmastime and we are celebrating the birth of Jesus with gifts, the mall and exhausted busyness but we took time out to have a bit of an extra special date last weekend and headed to ICE! which is a carved ice exhibit housed at a local resort/hotel. A jillion pounds of ice carved into submission in shapes of the Nativity, reindeer and unicorns. They sort of force you into a big shiny blue parka which is interesting because, after all it is Orlando and it was 85 degrees and they keep it at a brisk 9 degrees inside. We loved the 9 degrees business and brought our own tuques and gloves. The worst of it – a promise of hot cocoa that is served at the end in a disappointing dixie cup.

>I saw a flock of turkeys driving home from work today. Kind of peculiar all things considered. Then, I turned into ‘that girl’ flipping u turns to try to get a photo. Turkeys are fast.