Snow and Sweets

Well, we finally got some snow to speak of, which is the only reason for it to be so damn cold outside.

I spent quite a few minutes with the fella flashing my camera into the night and watching the air fill with tiny lights.

We also have had some beautiful days since that night. Warm and with sun and the windows open and they came just in time.

There is a light at the end of the Winter tunnel. I have never noticed a winter so tough. I am sure that the atmosphere around the country has it’s say in what is going on this Winter. In these last days, though, you can feel the spring coming. My Lilac tree has tiny little buds. The other night when the fella and I were getting out of the car on the farm, you could smell it. The moon was working up to tonight and the hills were bright and the deer were foraging and you could smell the earth for sure.

Good sign.

Also, in the land of random kitchen/food projects some of us manged to make a very successful batch of caramels.

We also managed to get another delicious dinner out of Elsie while we were there. She is getting the short end of the stick, but don’t tell.

We celebrated our achievement with homemade mac and cheese and golden beets.

Some pics.

Sweet.

xo,

LB

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Fail/Pass

So,

I didn’t take down Christmas. I have decided that instead of being embarrassed about this I will try to pass the decorations off as a legitimate treatment for Seasonal Defective Disorder (or whatever). Anyway, they are pretty, so there.

I will say in my defense, I got some other things done. I made dinner, like for real and in amounts enough for lunch, including a bonus pot of beans. I cooked them in leftover potato water. Is that weird? I’ll let ya know when I taste them, but it was just sitting there all potato-y and I couldn’t bring myself to pour it down the drain. hmmm.

This was actually two dinners for two plus lunch for one. yay.

I also completed my first “no knead” bread. I followed the very “Elsie” directions I got from Elsie and then looked at the “real” directions and figured the Elsie ones worked fine. I may try shaping the dough a bit next time to see if it makes a difference. I used 2 cups local flour and one cup bread flour the KP brought me back from a mill in Georgia. How could you not like bread that requires NO WORK!!

Fresh. Still in the dutch oven I baked it in.

Yum. We ate it with local raw butter. I made crostini with the store bought loaf that was stale and had to be booted from the bread box. They were also good and devoured in total tonight before dinner by a certain someone I know who was really hungry. So, I didn’t do any laundry but I did tidy a bit and get a few important meetings taken care of. It is the little things.

xo,

LB

Some Brief Things

No not underpants.

I must take down the tree this weekend even though it is so pretty and so cheery.

(The twelve days are over, friends)

Tomorrow I get raw milk and butter!

I must cook this weekend for the week ahead. I must.

Had a date with my Mum tonight. She is faboo.

Next projects up:

caramels.

Lip balm/ body butter.

All my theatre homework.

Did I mention the butter?

xo,

LB

Xmas all over.

Running around like crazy working and shopping and wrapping and practicing

+

Time spent with friends making pressies, holding the 5th Annual Country Christmas Show, giving gifts that folks enjoy

=

Fabulous seasonal fun.

Also, there is much more to come. Christmas number two with my family, Lots of delicious sweets, exchanging gifts with friends and hopefully a bit more holiday cheer!

Merry, Merry!

xo,

LB

Thankful, again.

I have to first say that I am not that into Thanksgiving. It was a day that we celebrated growing up, but our hearts were never really in it. An excuse for turkey. However, these days my Mother usually works, my Sis has in-laws to celebrate with, the fella goes to see his family and I usually only have that one day off so I stay put.

The last two years I have done nothing for Thanksgiving. This year I had no plans (other than laundry) and it turns out neither did my friend Tron. So we decided to get together and cook whatever the hell we had. He rode over with his fixins and fried himself some chicken and made brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes and I made the pasta with spinach and tuna I was planning on. I made some rice pudding and he brought himself a pumpkin pie. We opened some wine and cooked and talked and ate and talked and he even did the dishes!

Then Tron headed out and I got a call from Starrhillgirl that she was home safe and sound from her T-day trek and heading over for a drink. She is on vactation don’t ya know? We jabbered into the wee hours and then everyone went to bed. I enjoy my no plan Thanksgivings. Though, this year I wound up doing quite a bit I just didn’t have any plans. I am also very grateful and maybe it is easier to remember when you aren’t whizzing around trying to make a feast happen, I don’t know. I know  I have a warm home and lovely food, not to mention coffee! I have a fabulous family and super-human friends and my fella is better than any other fella. It was a nice day.

Wine Dinner Loire

We finally made our third wine dinner happen! We chose wines from the Loire Valley and it was J and T’s turn to host. So Jedidiah came to fetch me and the salad and we stopped to grab another bottle on the way out of town. It is important to note that Jedidiah was actually wearing the infamous “driving mocs”. He also speeds. Maybe it is the shoes?

We arrived at J&T’s a bit late after getting lost, but luckily, Jedidiah was also driving at 90 miles an hour so it didn’t waste too much time. J came to meet us at the car and we stepped out into the night. The wind was blowing just a bit, carrying the smoke of the wood stove. The Black Walnut trees were standing like giant dark skeletons against the royal midnight colour of the sky.

Gross, huh?

So we settled in and opened our first wine. We had Jean Francois Merieau “Bulles”, a sparkling wine that we assume is made from Chenin Blanc.

Before the Pop.

This wine was really good. Full of bright pretty flavours with a dry finish and nice mineral/chalky notes.

We had this before dinner and also with the salad that started the meal.

Our salad was Red Leaf lettuce and Arugula with Chives, Red Onion, toasted Pine Nuts, shaved Parmesan, Capers, Cukes, hard boiled egg and a red wine vinegar/mustard dressing. It was pretty darn tasty and the wine worked really well with it.

After the salad we switched to wine number two. Some how we got through wines #2, 3 and 4 over the main course. It was a little fast for me but we were trying to keep up with Jedidiah! Wine #2 was Domaine aux Moines 1999 Savennieres. It was a beautiful gold colour but initially a little disappointing. Slightly oxidized and not much on the palate. We were served Trout fillets baked, then finished with rosemary butter and a bit of Parsley. With this we had Rosemary, Potato Ciabatta topped with ricotta and Acorn Squash and drizzled with Fig/Date Balsamic. This is when we start to feel a more boo boo than we care to. However, it was deeeeelicious.

Wine #3 three was Clos Delorme Valencay 2006. It is a blend of Gamay, Malbec, Cab Franc and Pinot Noir. The Gamay was the dominate grape in the nose, for sure. It had really nice ripe friendly fruit with a rich body, and a slightly chalky finish.

The Last wine was the Joguet Chinon “Petite Roches” 2005.

This was the best by far, big, serious, dark Cab Franc from the Loire.

We also went back to the Savennieres, which had warmed up and gotten a little action going on. It was honey on the nose with more happening on the palate, too. A bit Creamy and nutty. Much better the second time around. All in all it was a really good meal and some really good wines. I think we also figured out what the driving force of culture, art and creativity is but, I forget what we decided on. Such is life. We roasted ourselves in front of the fire. Discussed from what height a falling Black Walnut would be deadly and had a damn good time. Next dinner is back at my place and I think we will have Rhone wines. Jedidiah said the Rhone is for peasants, but I think he was feeling the Chinon so J and T and I politely let it slide.

A couple more pictures.

During the Silence…..

Family Visits. Birthday Psychosis. New Baby Birthing. Jet Set to New York.

Over the weekend the insolent child turned 3. All the Grandparents arrived to whip her into a frenzy of glee and over-stimulation. A dash of brat was thrown in for good measure. Really though, how could a kid avoid it? She was positively drunk with power . All that love! All that pride! All those high-pitched lovey voices! Finally the plan was complete!

O.K. it wasn’t that bad. She is a perfectly charming tyrant. We cranked it into high gear on the day by having a party with 8 million guests and their squirmy weird little offspring. This ,of course, was the Kingpin’s doing, though she likes to say it is Wistar’s fault. So committing what most people would consider a suicidal act, we headed to a public park to host an frighteningly well attended 3 year old’s party. We loaded up Tables and Blankets and paints and face paints and drinks and snacks and pumpkins(?!) and paper and chairs and enough cake to wreak havoc on the homes of most of the town’s Montessori mummies. The cake, F yer I, was chocolate,vanilla and cherry with a Halloween scene. KP received explicit instructions from the insolent child on that front. It was a beautiful day. They laughed, they cried, they played in the water like tiny well heeled river nymphs. Some got hurt. Most painted something or someone. The IC announced it was “her day”. They kissed etc. etc. Really, tres cute! Stank helped me serenade the IC, much to her dismay. Then we all got sugar headaches and went home………. well that is what we should have done. Instead, we went to the grand unit’s new pied a terre to open all the presents. It was a frenzy of technicolour pressie delights. Each one being ripped open the second the last hit the floor. None more delightful than the brand new pink ballet outfit complete with tutu. After we managed to eat, we dragged IC out the door and home. After a quick story, one REALLY pathetic bedtime song, I collapsed on the floor. The IC had several more minutes worth of energy before finally giving in.  After a brief overview of life and all it’s lessons, KP and I abandoned Grandma KP and hit the road over the mountain to watch Stank play music. In the very same town where we were rockin’ out, our friend was busy trying to get a baby born. As it turns out, a tiny baby girl was born just as we were heading back home. The next morning KP headed out to New York Shitty and IC headed off to the grandparents with the in town flat. AH! Rest and relaxation! Then this morning KP calls from NY to give me the heads up that Granny needs to come get something the IC needs for school. No problem, I’m up a bit early but now I have the chance to get the goods out on the front porch for Granny.This way I can create a “no muss, no fuss” hand off. I carefully hide the ashtray I had so boldly left out the night before and leave the booty on the porch. Done and done, as we say. Uh huh, a little bit later I am on the back porch drinking my coffee and smoking a cigarette when who should appear around the corner of the house? Granny! I helpfully offer that what she needs is ready on the front porch. “Oh? there was more? O.k. I’ll let you in. Oh? you have a key? Oh good”. Totally busted and ambushed I get on with my day. The rest is the usual except KP is roaming round the city and I think the cat might have a bladder infection. Onward!