Friday, 21 December 2012
We participated in the flip side of flinging* today. Two confederates and I checked out formal storage curation areas, with official escort, in unnamed locations over there where the bulldog reigns. We saw whale bones and these guys en route to the boxes holding the paperwork we were interested in. We just did an initial assessment, leaving more complete snooping evaluation for later.
* Flinging is often mentioned these days by KW over here….
Thursday, 20 December 2012
PV: Sangria roja carafe and two glasses….
Sad-for-us news: Pura Vida is closing at the end of the month.
Tough on the staff, but Chef Hector Santiago will get the breathing room to create his next genius idea.
We sangria’d and postre’d and everything in between’d tonight—a happy (extended) family-of-five dinner. We tried nearly everything vegetarian (including feeeesh), and a few of the meat dishes, and, I think for the only time I’ve dined here…we had dessert.
Oh, yum.
Sigh.
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
I took a stroll down memory lane today, working on a double batch of bourbon balls. In my mother’s kitchen, we made what today I’d consider a huge variety of Xmas sweets, but I manage only one or two.
At the top of the list is bourbon balls. No bake.
I learned to make them in pre-food-processor days, and I remember crushing vanilla wafers in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, cookie dust seeping out here and there, making a bit of a mess. I remember long sessions with the Big Knife, chopping the pecans to the right size. I remember sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa together, wheeling the handle round and round, to leave tiny gravely bits in the screen.
Now I do each of those steps in the food processor, zip zip, and I’m left with the contemplative time, amidst the bourbon fumes, rolling the spheres and dredging them in more of the white powder, and putting them away, at least temporarily.
This year, the film cans, now lined with fresh wax paper, have come to my household from Mom’s kitchen, and once again they will store our bourbon balls and Xmas goodies for both bold and surreptitious hands to nab through the season.
If you’re so moved, here’s my version of the recipe, so you can assemble the ingredients and have your own version of reflective time while you roll the spheres. Optional: find one or more friends to do this in a group, talking and laughing.
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Now that some of the wine-geography of France makes more sense to me, I know just enough to ask for wine from specific regions that are a bit unusual for these parts (in the stores I shop in), that often seem to garner me a bit of respect from the store wine-stewards. Not that I ask merely to impress….
Up in MI recently, we were steered to a 2009 of this same Château du Donjon* red. From the Minervois AOC**. If you have an excellent memory and are a regular reader, you may remember that on 7 October we wandered the northern Minervois….
Here in ATL, the Guru tracked down the 2008 version of same. We will try it with our Sicily traveling companions tomorrow, I think….
* In English, a donjon is the fortified main tower of a castle complex. It’s from the French. I guess the “more” English word for that architectural feature would be keep. FWIW. Note that on our Minervois day, we did see several donjons. Is it okay if I say I miss France a tad? Happy holidays.
** And AOC means appellation d’origine contrôlée. Verrrry French.
Monday, 17 December 2012
Grey day (pretty much) here, so I’m reaching back to early this month, when Kel and I walked the wilds around the Dartmouth golf course. Looks a bit like a shot in a Peter Jackson movie, no? Instead: New Hampshire.
Pondered gremolata for a bit today…for the Xmas menu.
Sunday, 16 December 2012
Today, we partied with Pumpkin (with fur) and Gingerbread-Cat, and the lovely lady holding these prize cats. And their many friends. Such fun.
We now have arrived at holiday-spirit time.
Saturday, 15 December 2012
This year has been one for the books. With our losses have come some lovely gains. D&F gave us this quince to honor M&D (thank you!). I was worried that our low rainfall had taken the ultimate goal on this new shrub, and I am so happy to report that it’s put on buds. I just hope that it isn’t too soon….
Our city water comes from Lake Lanier, which now is 14.65 feet below normal—that is WAY WAY low. Our rainfall has been about half of normal this year. Thankfully, some rain is expected tomorrow. Mild rain. Still, better than nothing.
Friday, 14 December 2012
I don’t remember the redbud leaves hanging on later rather than dropping sooner, so I’m a tad surprised to see them still on the branches. This one is progeny from the neighbors’ tree.
Appalling news out of CT. How terrible.
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Those who are…tired…of finding flower pictures on this blog, remember (most of) this is not a flower (the red leaves are bracts modified via photoperiodism).
The LadyNell has kindly graced our home with a fanTAStic poinsettia (thank you!). The seasonal spirit has arrived!
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Global warming? No systematic data, but our camellia has blooms ready to open…seems early to me.
Thanks so much, commenters, for the action on yesterday’s post….