November 29, 2016 Lunch – Turkey Dinner, Dinner – Panda Buffet in Las Cruces
I ate yogurt, granola, blueberries, vitamin powder, and milk for breakfast. Today I let the milk sit with the yogurt until the yogurt enzymes eat the lactose and turn it into a light yogurt, which I find interesting. It takes about ten minutes usually with a good yogurt.
I worked and packed up some food and my suitcase until 11:30. Then I filled a plate with PPI turkey, wild rice and fruit dressing, sweet potatoes with red chili marshmallows, corn flan and a scoop of gravy and heated that in the microwave using the sensor reheat function, which I like very much, because it works well. I enjoyed yet another Thanksgiving turkey dinner with ½ glass of Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc.
At 12:11 I left for Las Cruces in the Mini Cooper an arrived at Scott’s house at Radium Springs in less than 3 hours, which is a new record for me. The sand under the RR trestle in the roadway to the Radium Springs Hotel where Scott lives was deep, so I drove the last fifteen miles into Las Cruces to the Motel 6, where Sammie had reserved me a room.
I rested and read until 5:30 and called Scott, who drove to town to take me to dinner.
Today proves that there is good food everywhere there are capable cooks who care about what they serve and use the freshest ingredients.
I offer as an example Panda Buffet in Las Cruces. Don’t let the name fool you, this a small family run restaurant that features fresh interesting Chinese food cooked with fresh good quality ingredients.
There are about thirty hot items and about 15 cold items and four ice creams and four soups, so a rather wide selection of items.
Lunch is $6.69 and dinner is $8.69 and for that you get a really fine selection of items. Among the items I saw or tried were twice cooked pork with vegetables, Orange chicken with fresh orange peel and orange juice in the sauce, baked fish, baked mussels (green lip mussels coated with a congealed cream sauce and a dash of paprika that was out of this world delicious), my favorite - sautéed mung bean sprouts with mushrooms and a few chopped vegetables, an interesting stir fried battered pork with mushrooms, beef and broccoli, dry fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, and many other dishes. I avoided the spicy dishes after getting blown away by the spiciness of the ladle of Hot and sour soup I added to the bowl of wonton soup. I ate as much as I could and then, when Scott looked at me askance as he brought bowls of ice cream and pudding to the table for his dessert, I tried those desserts also. The chocolate and vanilla puddings were the typical Sysco large batch institutional pudding with their preservatives and ersatz flavorings, but the ice creams In five gallon boxes in a freezer unit were wonderful. There was chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and green tea. I tried all but vanilla and loved them all.
I ate too much but enjoyed Panda Buffet tremendously, especially for the price, and consider it one of the best food values in any city.
Scott is an enthusiastic Trump supporter, perhaps because he is poor and sees that the system is rigged against poor people, but after Scott told me about some of his medical difficulties due to lack of proper medical care I realized that there was not much Trump was going to be able to do to fix a broken medical system and felt even worse for the poor who can not get good medical care.
My fondest hope would be for Trump to make one of his first infrastructure projects, building a new water treatment system for Flint, Michigan, one of the states that gave him his victory and arguably is in greater need of a drinking water system than any other city in America.
I wonder if America has the will to fix the broken systems we now are saddled with, such as the healthcare system, the infrastructure system, and our political system and whether Trump is the man to successfully address those challenges.
We shall soon see.
Bon Appetit
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
November 28, 2016 Lunch – PPI Shrimp Vietnamese Miso Noodle Soup, Dinner – Sautéed Scallops with Chard, tomatoes, garlic, onion, Mung bean sprouts, PPI lasagna noodles, sorrel, and baby bok
November 28, 2016 Lunch – PPI Shrimp Vietnamese Miso Noodle Soup, Dinner – Sautéed Scallops with Chard, tomatoes, garlic, onion, Mung bean sprouts, PPI lasagna noodles, sorrel, and baby bok
I ate yogurt, blueberries, vitamin powder, milk, and granola for breakfast.
For lunch I heated the PPI Shrimp and fish ball Pho flavored Miso soup containing wakame threads, soft tofu, white miso, chard, fish balls, shrimp, onion, and three types of noodles ( Japanese wheat Somen, bean thread, and Chinese wheat noodles).
I thawed out the six sea scallops I had bought at Sprouts last week after lunch.
At 6:00 I refreshed the guacamole with one finely diced clove of garlic, the juice of one lime, a dash of Cholulu and salt plus parts of the last four avocados. I ate a bit of the reconstituted guacamole with organic corn chips from Costco.
Suzette called to say she was going out with the girls for dinner and would be home around 8:00. I told her I had thawed the scallops. She said she would eat lightly and eat some dinner when she came home.
At 7:00 I went to the garden and picked a handful of chard and de-stemmed it and cut it into bite-sized pieces. I then separated two stalks of baby bok choy into the heavy white portion and green leafy sections. I then sliced and diced 1/8 of an onion, about ¼ cup of fresh parsley, and sliced two cloves of garlic into thin rounds and diced one Roma tomato.
I began cooking by adding the onion, garlic, and bok choy’s white portion to a large skillet with 1 T. of butter and 1 T. of olive oil. I sautéed these ingredients and added the tomato and partially thawed scallops with their liquid to the skillet and continued to sauté. I asked Suzette to heat the puréed sorrel and added two spoonfuls of it to the skillet and then added the chard, parsley, and green leafy portions of the bok choy. The mixture was a little dry so we added some white wine to loosen the sauce.
Finally I added ½ cup of mung bean sprouts and 1 1/2 cup of chopped up PPI lasagna noodles from last week and covered the skillet with the wok cover so the mixture would steam and heat thoroughly. In three to five minutes more the mixture looked heated and cooked and I served it.
While I was cooking, Suzette had opened the bottle of Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc the Cynthia and Ricardo had brought last night and poured glasses of it. That was the wine I added to the scallop mixture to make the sauce.
Dinner was not very elegant looking but tasted pleasant, with all of its green leafiness.
We drank glasses of the Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc with dinner. It was very clean tasting with good minerality/tannins. Thanks to Cynthia and Ricardo for such a nice bottle of wine.
The idea behind the menu was to prepare a light meal that would feature the Sauvignon Blanc with the scallops with an assortment of leafy green vegetables and I think I succeeded in that regard.
The Roadshow and baking show were not on TV tonight, so we went to bed at 9:30.
Bon Appetit
I ate yogurt, blueberries, vitamin powder, milk, and granola for breakfast.
For lunch I heated the PPI Shrimp and fish ball Pho flavored Miso soup containing wakame threads, soft tofu, white miso, chard, fish balls, shrimp, onion, and three types of noodles ( Japanese wheat Somen, bean thread, and Chinese wheat noodles).
I thawed out the six sea scallops I had bought at Sprouts last week after lunch.
At 6:00 I refreshed the guacamole with one finely diced clove of garlic, the juice of one lime, a dash of Cholulu and salt plus parts of the last four avocados. I ate a bit of the reconstituted guacamole with organic corn chips from Costco.
Suzette called to say she was going out with the girls for dinner and would be home around 8:00. I told her I had thawed the scallops. She said she would eat lightly and eat some dinner when she came home.
At 7:00 I went to the garden and picked a handful of chard and de-stemmed it and cut it into bite-sized pieces. I then separated two stalks of baby bok choy into the heavy white portion and green leafy sections. I then sliced and diced 1/8 of an onion, about ¼ cup of fresh parsley, and sliced two cloves of garlic into thin rounds and diced one Roma tomato.
I began cooking by adding the onion, garlic, and bok choy’s white portion to a large skillet with 1 T. of butter and 1 T. of olive oil. I sautéed these ingredients and added the tomato and partially thawed scallops with their liquid to the skillet and continued to sauté. I asked Suzette to heat the puréed sorrel and added two spoonfuls of it to the skillet and then added the chard, parsley, and green leafy portions of the bok choy. The mixture was a little dry so we added some white wine to loosen the sauce.
Finally I added ½ cup of mung bean sprouts and 1 1/2 cup of chopped up PPI lasagna noodles from last week and covered the skillet with the wok cover so the mixture would steam and heat thoroughly. In three to five minutes more the mixture looked heated and cooked and I served it.
While I was cooking, Suzette had opened the bottle of Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc the Cynthia and Ricardo had brought last night and poured glasses of it. That was the wine I added to the scallop mixture to make the sauce.
Dinner was not very elegant looking but tasted pleasant, with all of its green leafiness.
We drank glasses of the Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc with dinner. It was very clean tasting with good minerality/tannins. Thanks to Cynthia and Ricardo for such a nice bottle of wine.
The idea behind the menu was to prepare a light meal that would feature the Sauvignon Blanc with the scallops with an assortment of leafy green vegetables and I think I succeeded in that regard.
The Roadshow and baking show were not on TV tonight, so we went to bed at 9:30.
Bon Appetit
Monday, November 28, 2016
November 27, 2016 Brunch – Bacon, Asparagus, tomato, mushroom, cheese, onion, and avocado Omelet, Lunch – Vietnamese Miso Noodle Soup Dinner – a Second Thanksgiving Dinner with Cynthia and Ricardo
November 27, 2016 Brunch – Bacon, Asparagus, tomato, mushroom, cheese, onion, and avocado Omelet, Lunch – Vietnamese Miso Noodle Soup Dinner – a Second Thanksgiving Dinner with Cynthia and Ricardo
We slept until almost 8:00, I then watched news shows until 10:00. Suzette did not want any bread so I decided to make a sort of BLT omelet by substituting asparagus for the lettuce. I fried four slices of thick cut bacon from a Costco covered with a wok cover which reduced the oxygen and I diced ¼ onion, four or five stalks of asparagus, two large portobello mushrooms. Suzette handed me the last tomato from the garden, which I diced and I sliced 7 or 8 slices of Comte’ cheese.
I whisked 4 eggs and drained the cooked bacon and crumbled it with a knife.
I then sautéed the onion and asparagus for a couple of minutes and added the mushroom slices and finally the tomato, bacon, and a diced avocado.
After the ingredients had cooked for a few minutes to make sure they were soft, I added the egg and the slices of cheese and cooked the entire mixture until the edges stiffened and I was able to turn ½ onto the other half. I let the omelet cook another couple of minutes until all of the egg had congealed and cut it in half and served it.
Suzette had made a Bloody Mary and I flavored a glass of Clamato with the juice of a lime.
At 11:00 I went to El Super to buy roasting bags in which to cook the 17 lb. turkey I had bought at Albertson’s last week for $.79/lb. if you bought at least $25.00 of other goods. My other goods had been 4 rib steaks that weighted 4.5 lb. and were on sale for $6.77/lb. plus a carton of Java Chip ice cream for $3.49.
At El Super today I went a little wild in the produce department and bought a pineapple (2lb./$.99), a papaya ($.99/lb.), 3 altaulfo mangoes for 2 for $.89, 5 naval oranges at 2 lb. for $.99, broccoli crowns at $.59/lb., three red onions for $.50/lb., a bunch of green onions for $.33, a cucumber for $.25, 5 nice tomatoes for 2 lb. for $.99.
I then went to the deli department and bought a lb. of Mexican salted Crema for $1.99/lb. and ½ lb. of Oaxacan string cheese for $2.99/lb. Finally, I went to the fish department and bought 1.3 lb. of 71 to 90 count shrimp for $4.27/lb.
After I returned home and put up the groceries we discussed how to bake the turkey. We decided at 15 minutes per lb. it would take 4 ½ hours. While I was shopping Suzette had removed the giblets from the turkey and was cooking them in water and some sage leaves to make turkey broth. She had also made a wild rice dressing with the three cups of wild rice we cooked last night, plus onion, rehydrated dried cranberrIes and cherries and some chopped sage leaves.
Suzette had put the turkey into a large roasting pan. We stuffed the dressing into the back and stomach cavities and trussed those areas closed with trussing needles and string. Then Suzette put a handful of flour into the bag and shuck it to coat the bag and we slid the turkey into the bag and sealed the bag with the provided plastic clasp, poked a few holes in the bag to let it breath, and put the roasting pan into the oven around 1:00.
Everything else was made last week, so I cooked a lb. of the shrimp I had bought at El Super for the shrimp mold for next Thursday’s dinner party with the Palmers and Rembes. I put ¼ onion diced and a cube of pho seasoning into the pot of water in which I cooked the shrimp to give them a little flavor. After the shrimp were cooked left a few shrimp in the pot of water and added a handful of chard leaves I had de-stemmed and cut into bite sized pieces plus a small handful of sliced wakame seaweed, a large T. of white miso, two fish balls, a large sliced portobello mushroom, three kinds of noodles, and about 3 oz. of diced soft tofu (Sprouts for $.99 for a 14 oz. chunk in a plastic carton filled with water). I had also picked some basil leaves and five or six chives, so I chopped two of the green onions and the chives and added the basil leaves for garnish and ate a bowl of soup at around 2:30 and the lay down for a nap.
Suzette came and awakened me from my afternoon nap at 4:30 and we went to the basement to select wines. She selected a Benton Lane 100% Pinot Noir Rose and suggested a White Burgundy, so I selected a 2012 Wellington Winery’s Roussanne, that is a Rhone varietal but raised in Sonoma. This particular bottling won the Gold medal at the Sonoma Harvest Fair, so it was a lovely bottle of wine great minerality and character with good tannins. Everyone loved the Benton Lane Rose and Ricardo decided to buy a case of it in the 30% off sale on Monday.
Cynthia arrived at 5:30 with her cranberry chutney, carrots, mashed potatoes and turnips, and three kinds of pie plus a bottle of Clos de Bois Sauvignon Blanc. We had chilled a bottle of Gruet Brut and Suzette fetched the Cassis liquor from the basement and I made Kir Royals for us. Soon Ricardo arrived and I made him one also. Then Willy arrived to join the feast, but drank water with a slice of lemon.
Here is some info on cassis: Cassis fruit is the French name given to the black currant berry. It is a member of the genus ribes and its taxonomic classification is ribes nigrum. There are approximately 150 shrub species in the genus ribes that consists of the two groups currants and gooseberries.
I then looked up the difference between cherries and berries. Although cherries and berries are both considered fleshy fruits, cherries are drupes, which are a type of fruit that contain a single seed in the center surrounded by a hard core. Berries are a type of fruit on which the seed (or seeds) are located on the outside flesh ( I think, kiwi fruit).
Suzette had checked the turkey and it had not quite reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees so we cooked about ten minutes more until the small thermocouple in the turkey popped out and it had reached 180 degrees. We removed the turkey to a cutting board and removed the wild rice dressing and I carved the turkey while Suzette made gravy in the roasting pan using all the cooking juices.
We heated the vegetable and dressings that were not already hot, like Suzette’s sweet potato casserole with red chili marshmallows, corn flan, and oyster and pecan dressing and Cynthia’s carrots, and mashed potatoes and turnips and carrots. We laid the table with all the stuff and I poured the Benton Lane Rose’ and we enjoyed our second Thanksgiving feast and Cynthia and Ricardo enjoyed their third.
After we drank the Rose I asked Cynthia what she wanted to try next and she said, “the white Burgundy, so I opened the Wellington Roussanne and poured it. Everyone loved it also. I was proud for our Cellar.
After dinner and a lot more conversation, mostly about death, because Cynthia had recently visited a friend from the Outpost who was dying of brain cancer, Cynthia made whipped cream and sliced slices of pumpkin pie and pecan pie and we ate them with fresh whipped cream. We forgot to put water on the table but this crowd usually prefers wine.
Willy and Ricardo left at around 7:30, because they have to go to work early and soon Cynthia followed soon thereafter. Suzette and I watched the Poldack series of Masterpiece theater and went to bed at 9:30.
Bon Appetit
We slept until almost 8:00, I then watched news shows until 10:00. Suzette did not want any bread so I decided to make a sort of BLT omelet by substituting asparagus for the lettuce. I fried four slices of thick cut bacon from a Costco covered with a wok cover which reduced the oxygen and I diced ¼ onion, four or five stalks of asparagus, two large portobello mushrooms. Suzette handed me the last tomato from the garden, which I diced and I sliced 7 or 8 slices of Comte’ cheese.
I whisked 4 eggs and drained the cooked bacon and crumbled it with a knife.
I then sautéed the onion and asparagus for a couple of minutes and added the mushroom slices and finally the tomato, bacon, and a diced avocado.
After the ingredients had cooked for a few minutes to make sure they were soft, I added the egg and the slices of cheese and cooked the entire mixture until the edges stiffened and I was able to turn ½ onto the other half. I let the omelet cook another couple of minutes until all of the egg had congealed and cut it in half and served it.
Suzette had made a Bloody Mary and I flavored a glass of Clamato with the juice of a lime.
At 11:00 I went to El Super to buy roasting bags in which to cook the 17 lb. turkey I had bought at Albertson’s last week for $.79/lb. if you bought at least $25.00 of other goods. My other goods had been 4 rib steaks that weighted 4.5 lb. and were on sale for $6.77/lb. plus a carton of Java Chip ice cream for $3.49.
At El Super today I went a little wild in the produce department and bought a pineapple (2lb./$.99), a papaya ($.99/lb.), 3 altaulfo mangoes for 2 for $.89, 5 naval oranges at 2 lb. for $.99, broccoli crowns at $.59/lb., three red onions for $.50/lb., a bunch of green onions for $.33, a cucumber for $.25, 5 nice tomatoes for 2 lb. for $.99.
I then went to the deli department and bought a lb. of Mexican salted Crema for $1.99/lb. and ½ lb. of Oaxacan string cheese for $2.99/lb. Finally, I went to the fish department and bought 1.3 lb. of 71 to 90 count shrimp for $4.27/lb.
After I returned home and put up the groceries we discussed how to bake the turkey. We decided at 15 minutes per lb. it would take 4 ½ hours. While I was shopping Suzette had removed the giblets from the turkey and was cooking them in water and some sage leaves to make turkey broth. She had also made a wild rice dressing with the three cups of wild rice we cooked last night, plus onion, rehydrated dried cranberrIes and cherries and some chopped sage leaves.
Suzette had put the turkey into a large roasting pan. We stuffed the dressing into the back and stomach cavities and trussed those areas closed with trussing needles and string. Then Suzette put a handful of flour into the bag and shuck it to coat the bag and we slid the turkey into the bag and sealed the bag with the provided plastic clasp, poked a few holes in the bag to let it breath, and put the roasting pan into the oven around 1:00.
Everything else was made last week, so I cooked a lb. of the shrimp I had bought at El Super for the shrimp mold for next Thursday’s dinner party with the Palmers and Rembes. I put ¼ onion diced and a cube of pho seasoning into the pot of water in which I cooked the shrimp to give them a little flavor. After the shrimp were cooked left a few shrimp in the pot of water and added a handful of chard leaves I had de-stemmed and cut into bite sized pieces plus a small handful of sliced wakame seaweed, a large T. of white miso, two fish balls, a large sliced portobello mushroom, three kinds of noodles, and about 3 oz. of diced soft tofu (Sprouts for $.99 for a 14 oz. chunk in a plastic carton filled with water). I had also picked some basil leaves and five or six chives, so I chopped two of the green onions and the chives and added the basil leaves for garnish and ate a bowl of soup at around 2:30 and the lay down for a nap.
Suzette came and awakened me from my afternoon nap at 4:30 and we went to the basement to select wines. She selected a Benton Lane 100% Pinot Noir Rose and suggested a White Burgundy, so I selected a 2012 Wellington Winery’s Roussanne, that is a Rhone varietal but raised in Sonoma. This particular bottling won the Gold medal at the Sonoma Harvest Fair, so it was a lovely bottle of wine great minerality and character with good tannins. Everyone loved the Benton Lane Rose and Ricardo decided to buy a case of it in the 30% off sale on Monday.
Cynthia arrived at 5:30 with her cranberry chutney, carrots, mashed potatoes and turnips, and three kinds of pie plus a bottle of Clos de Bois Sauvignon Blanc. We had chilled a bottle of Gruet Brut and Suzette fetched the Cassis liquor from the basement and I made Kir Royals for us. Soon Ricardo arrived and I made him one also. Then Willy arrived to join the feast, but drank water with a slice of lemon.
Here is some info on cassis: Cassis fruit is the French name given to the black currant berry. It is a member of the genus ribes and its taxonomic classification is ribes nigrum. There are approximately 150 shrub species in the genus ribes that consists of the two groups currants and gooseberries.
I then looked up the difference between cherries and berries. Although cherries and berries are both considered fleshy fruits, cherries are drupes, which are a type of fruit that contain a single seed in the center surrounded by a hard core. Berries are a type of fruit on which the seed (or seeds) are located on the outside flesh ( I think, kiwi fruit).
Suzette had checked the turkey and it had not quite reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees so we cooked about ten minutes more until the small thermocouple in the turkey popped out and it had reached 180 degrees. We removed the turkey to a cutting board and removed the wild rice dressing and I carved the turkey while Suzette made gravy in the roasting pan using all the cooking juices.
We heated the vegetable and dressings that were not already hot, like Suzette’s sweet potato casserole with red chili marshmallows, corn flan, and oyster and pecan dressing and Cynthia’s carrots, and mashed potatoes and turnips and carrots. We laid the table with all the stuff and I poured the Benton Lane Rose’ and we enjoyed our second Thanksgiving feast and Cynthia and Ricardo enjoyed their third.
After we drank the Rose I asked Cynthia what she wanted to try next and she said, “the white Burgundy, so I opened the Wellington Roussanne and poured it. Everyone loved it also. I was proud for our Cellar.
After dinner and a lot more conversation, mostly about death, because Cynthia had recently visited a friend from the Outpost who was dying of brain cancer, Cynthia made whipped cream and sliced slices of pumpkin pie and pecan pie and we ate them with fresh whipped cream. We forgot to put water on the table but this crowd usually prefers wine.
Willy and Ricardo left at around 7:30, because they have to go to work early and soon Cynthia followed soon thereafter. Suzette and I watched the Poldack series of Masterpiece theater and went to bed at 9:30.
Bon Appetit
Sunday, November 27, 2016
November 26, 2016 Breakfast and Lunch – Bagels with Lax, red onion, cream cheese, and tomato. Dinner – The Cellar
November 26, 2016 Breakfast and Lunch – Bagels with Lax, red onion, cream cheese, and tomato. Dinner – The Cellar
We had bought a dozen Einstein bagels at Costco earlier this week. For breakfast I sliced into thirds and toasted three bagels. I then smeared them with cream cheese, and layered them with slices of gravad lax, red onion, and tomato and studded them with capers. We could only eat three of the six open faced sandwiches at breakfast. I worked and Suzette went to Joann’s Fabrics to find a pattern for a kimono and where she found that patterns are now available on line and are cheaper on line. Her reaction when she got home at noon was, “I could have stayed home with a cup of coffee and found the pattern more easily and cheaply.” God bless the internet.
After lunch I rode to Montano and back and showered. At 4:00 we went to the art museum and listened to a man play piano and saw the Mabel Dodge Lujan exhibit again. This exhibit is so extensive and so encyclopedic that it requires several viewings to see and absorb its full breath. This time I just looked at the art and did not read the labels, but read some of the gallery signs I had missed the first time and discovered that Mabel Dodge Lujan was the Vice President of the artists organization that organized the 1913 Armory Show and she and Tony Lujan organized the 20 pueblos to oppose the Bursum Bill that would have destroyed the reservation system in 1922 and in 1940, she and Tony were part of the American delegation to the first International Conference on Indigenous people in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Also Mabel wrote four books and published many periodicals, including the first book ever written on the artists of Taos in 1947. As Suzette said after today’s visit to the show, “All our lives pale in comparison to Mabel Dodge Lujan’s.”
At 5:00 we drove to the Cellar, which is the relatively new tapas restaurant located next to Lowe’s grocery store on Lomas at 11th.
We ordered a bottle of the house red, which is Campo Viejo Tempranillo for $28.00 and a tapa of figs, goat cheese, and fried pancetta. Willy joined us after we ordered and had just received the tapa. Bread slices were also served with two small bowls, one filled with a balsamic reduction and olive oil and the other a fiery hot green chili aioli. We the ordered three more tapas, a bruschetta of goat cheese, a tomato slice and lots of strips of fried Serrano ham, chicken skewers wrapped with Serrano ham accompanied by sautéed blanched chunks of zucchini and crock neck squash, and a lamb dish combining sautéed chunks of lamb and a grilled slice of onion in a lemon sauce. Each of the tapas was $12.00 or $13.00 and the total bill with tax was $79.00 before tip.
We finished dinner at 6:30 and then drove to the Hotel Andaluz bar and had a drink and listened to Hillary Smith and her brother play mostly blues, many of which were duets. We really enjoyed the lazy, calming blues standards instead of the high powered Honey House presentations for a change.
At 8:30 we went home and cooked the wild rice for the turkey stuffing for tomorrow’s dinner.
I stayed up until 12:00 to make sure the wild rice was fully cooked. The recipe calls for 3 to 1 of water to wild rice and it took three hours to full absorb the water and for the kernels of wild rice to burst open and curl into their fully cooked shape.
Bon Appetit
We had bought a dozen Einstein bagels at Costco earlier this week. For breakfast I sliced into thirds and toasted three bagels. I then smeared them with cream cheese, and layered them with slices of gravad lax, red onion, and tomato and studded them with capers. We could only eat three of the six open faced sandwiches at breakfast. I worked and Suzette went to Joann’s Fabrics to find a pattern for a kimono and where she found that patterns are now available on line and are cheaper on line. Her reaction when she got home at noon was, “I could have stayed home with a cup of coffee and found the pattern more easily and cheaply.” God bless the internet.
After lunch I rode to Montano and back and showered. At 4:00 we went to the art museum and listened to a man play piano and saw the Mabel Dodge Lujan exhibit again. This exhibit is so extensive and so encyclopedic that it requires several viewings to see and absorb its full breath. This time I just looked at the art and did not read the labels, but read some of the gallery signs I had missed the first time and discovered that Mabel Dodge Lujan was the Vice President of the artists organization that organized the 1913 Armory Show and she and Tony Lujan organized the 20 pueblos to oppose the Bursum Bill that would have destroyed the reservation system in 1922 and in 1940, she and Tony were part of the American delegation to the first International Conference on Indigenous people in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Also Mabel wrote four books and published many periodicals, including the first book ever written on the artists of Taos in 1947. As Suzette said after today’s visit to the show, “All our lives pale in comparison to Mabel Dodge Lujan’s.”
At 5:00 we drove to the Cellar, which is the relatively new tapas restaurant located next to Lowe’s grocery store on Lomas at 11th.
We ordered a bottle of the house red, which is Campo Viejo Tempranillo for $28.00 and a tapa of figs, goat cheese, and fried pancetta. Willy joined us after we ordered and had just received the tapa. Bread slices were also served with two small bowls, one filled with a balsamic reduction and olive oil and the other a fiery hot green chili aioli. We the ordered three more tapas, a bruschetta of goat cheese, a tomato slice and lots of strips of fried Serrano ham, chicken skewers wrapped with Serrano ham accompanied by sautéed blanched chunks of zucchini and crock neck squash, and a lamb dish combining sautéed chunks of lamb and a grilled slice of onion in a lemon sauce. Each of the tapas was $12.00 or $13.00 and the total bill with tax was $79.00 before tip.
We finished dinner at 6:30 and then drove to the Hotel Andaluz bar and had a drink and listened to Hillary Smith and her brother play mostly blues, many of which were duets. We really enjoyed the lazy, calming blues standards instead of the high powered Honey House presentations for a change.
At 8:30 we went home and cooked the wild rice for the turkey stuffing for tomorrow’s dinner.
I stayed up until 12:00 to make sure the wild rice was fully cooked. The recipe calls for 3 to 1 of water to wild rice and it took three hours to full absorb the water and for the kernels of wild rice to burst open and curl into their fully cooked shape.
Bon Appetit
Saturday, November 26, 2016
November 25, 2016 Lunch - PPI Lasagna. Dinner - Carrot Soup garnished with Sorrel and Pomegranate Juice and Caesar Salad
November 25, 2016. Lunch – PPP Lasagna Dinner – Cream of Carrot Soup garnished with Pomegranate Juice and Sorrel Juice and Cesar Salad
We rested until about 8:30 trying to synchronize pictures from my phone into the iPad and inserting photos into the blog, which is still a challenge for Suzette. I am clueless and rely on her expertise.
I had a 9:00 appointment with Al that ended a bit after 11:00. Suzette had been working making pillows in her basement sewing space. We were both hungry, so we decided to heat up the PPI lasagna and eat it with the PPI Waldorf Salad Amy had sent us home with from Thanksgiving yesterday.
We then adjusted the plastic over the small section in the old garden where the basil and chard are planted and looked under the plastic covering the two newly planted raised beds. We were surprised to see how well the sorrel we planted in May was doing and picked two large handfuls.
Suzette worked in her sewing area and I rested until she awakened me at 3:00. I rode to Rio Bravo and back from 3:30 to 4:30 and at 5:00 discovered that the markets had been open today and my portfolio had benefited from the extension of the Trump Bump. My portfolio is now up 11% for the year and a little over 9% from the beginning of 2015. 2015 was a down year. We watched news until 7:00 and decided to prepare the thawed carrot soup. Suzette decided to dress it up with a drizzle of pomegranate and sorrel juice, so she puréed the sorrel, heat the soup and drizzled zigzag lines of pomegranate and sorrel juice over the top of the carrot soup for a lovely presentation and interesting flavor combination.
While Suzette was preparing the soup, I prepared a Cesar salad, using the slightly damaged old romaine lettuce, 2 tomatoes diced, 1/3 of a cucumber and an avocado sliced and diced and five or six anchovies fillets plus about ½ cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. I even found a few old croutons in the cheese compartment that I heated up.
We enjoyed the soup tremendously. Suzette had created a new wonderful dish out of a PPI. I rejuvenated the Cesar Salad dressing by adding fresh lemon juice and Spanish olive oil and dressed and tossed the salad.
I drank the last of the2010 Nessa Albariño that was past its prime and tasting more like sherry than Albariño. Suzette opened the bottle of 2013 Hatfield Creek Estate Zinfandel from the Ramona Valley AVA in Ramona, CA given to us by Karen, Suzette's niece by marriage. Suzette noted the Hatfield Creek had the high tannin characteristic of 100% California Zinfandels.
After dinner I made a batch of chocolate chocolate chip cookies with raisins and chopped pecans in addition to Nestles chocolate chips by adding Cocoa to the dry ingredients, which makes a drier denser dough that rises better.
I scorched the first batch of cookies, so Suzette read the manual and we changed the oven setting to convection bake, which was recommended for cookies and reduced the temperature 25degrees, as recommended, to 325 degrees and the rest of the cookies turned out beautifully.
We watched the documentary “Sour Grapes” about the first person to be tried and convicted for selling fake wine. It was a fascinating look at the fine wine auction business and the guys who collect and drink fine wine, usually from $6,000 to $100,000 per bottle. Bill Koch was in the movie because he did most of the initial research and he showed three bottles from the 1780’s and that had been in Thomas Jefferson’s cellar that he paid $100,000 each for.
I like wine and I collect some wine to drink, but I definitely do not pay much for it, nor do I collect or drink the great Burgundies and Bordeaux’s like the guys in the movie. The other interesting person in the movie was the French Burgundy wine maker Ponsot, who went on a personal crusade with Bill Koch to expose the wine faker. The wine faker, Ken, ended up being convicted and is now serving ten years in federal prison.
We ate a few cookies and I drank some tea and we went to bed around 10:30.
Bon Appetit
We rested until about 8:30 trying to synchronize pictures from my phone into the iPad and inserting photos into the blog, which is still a challenge for Suzette. I am clueless and rely on her expertise.
I had a 9:00 appointment with Al that ended a bit after 11:00. Suzette had been working making pillows in her basement sewing space. We were both hungry, so we decided to heat up the PPI lasagna and eat it with the PPI Waldorf Salad Amy had sent us home with from Thanksgiving yesterday.
We then adjusted the plastic over the small section in the old garden where the basil and chard are planted and looked under the plastic covering the two newly planted raised beds. We were surprised to see how well the sorrel we planted in May was doing and picked two large handfuls.
Suzette worked in her sewing area and I rested until she awakened me at 3:00. I rode to Rio Bravo and back from 3:30 to 4:30 and at 5:00 discovered that the markets had been open today and my portfolio had benefited from the extension of the Trump Bump. My portfolio is now up 11% for the year and a little over 9% from the beginning of 2015. 2015 was a down year. We watched news until 7:00 and decided to prepare the thawed carrot soup. Suzette decided to dress it up with a drizzle of pomegranate and sorrel juice, so she puréed the sorrel, heat the soup and drizzled zigzag lines of pomegranate and sorrel juice over the top of the carrot soup for a lovely presentation and interesting flavor combination.
While Suzette was preparing the soup, I prepared a Cesar salad, using the slightly damaged old romaine lettuce, 2 tomatoes diced, 1/3 of a cucumber and an avocado sliced and diced and five or six anchovies fillets plus about ½ cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. I even found a few old croutons in the cheese compartment that I heated up.
We enjoyed the soup tremendously. Suzette had created a new wonderful dish out of a PPI. I rejuvenated the Cesar Salad dressing by adding fresh lemon juice and Spanish olive oil and dressed and tossed the salad.
I drank the last of the2010 Nessa Albariño that was past its prime and tasting more like sherry than Albariño. Suzette opened the bottle of 2013 Hatfield Creek Estate Zinfandel from the Ramona Valley AVA in Ramona, CA given to us by Karen, Suzette's niece by marriage. Suzette noted the Hatfield Creek had the high tannin characteristic of 100% California Zinfandels.
After dinner I made a batch of chocolate chocolate chip cookies with raisins and chopped pecans in addition to Nestles chocolate chips by adding Cocoa to the dry ingredients, which makes a drier denser dough that rises better.
I scorched the first batch of cookies, so Suzette read the manual and we changed the oven setting to convection bake, which was recommended for cookies and reduced the temperature 25degrees, as recommended, to 325 degrees and the rest of the cookies turned out beautifully.
We watched the documentary “Sour Grapes” about the first person to be tried and convicted for selling fake wine. It was a fascinating look at the fine wine auction business and the guys who collect and drink fine wine, usually from $6,000 to $100,000 per bottle. Bill Koch was in the movie because he did most of the initial research and he showed three bottles from the 1780’s and that had been in Thomas Jefferson’s cellar that he paid $100,000 each for.
I like wine and I collect some wine to drink, but I definitely do not pay much for it, nor do I collect or drink the great Burgundies and Bordeaux’s like the guys in the movie. The other interesting person in the movie was the French Burgundy wine maker Ponsot, who went on a personal crusade with Bill Koch to expose the wine faker. The wine faker, Ken, ended up being convicted and is now serving ten years in federal prison.
We ate a few cookies and I drank some tea and we went to bed around 10:30.
Bon Appetit
Friday, November 25, 2016
November 24, 2016 Thanksgiving Dinner at Amy and Vahl’s
November 24, 2016 Thanksgiving Dinner at Amy and Vahl’s
Amy and Suzette worked out the menu for our Traditional Thanksgiving Family Dinner with little input from others because little input was needed. There was an agreed division of labor; Suzette and I would make Chef John’s Corn Pudding, oyster and pecan dressing, sweet potatoes with melted red chili marshmallows, an Italian Cloud cake with a vanilla pouring custard and pomegranate glaze, while Amy and Vahl agreed to roast the turkey and make cranberry compote, cornbread dressing, a Waldorf salad with romaine lettuce, diced apples and pear and walnuts with a poppy seed dressing prepared by Harry’ Road House and a store bought Key Lime Pie.
I brought three bottles of wine, a 2009 Londer Corby Vineyards Chardonnay, a 2009 Londer Corby Vineyards Pinot Noir, and a Gruet Brut champagne to be drunk with the Cloud Cake.
My only input was a request for oyster and pecan dressing which is one of my childhood favorites.
Valley loves key lime pie and he made the cranberry compote with a family recipe. He also is the master at cooking turkey, which is why we decided to eat our dinner at their house in Santa Fe. Vahl has a very easy and successful prep for turkey. He encases the turkey and the rack on which it sits inside brown paper bags, the kind they put groceries in at the supermarket that he has greased with butter or oil to keep the turkey skin and drippings from sticking to and bakes the turkey for 15 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.
Other than that it was all Amy and Suzette’s prep and cooking with some help from me and Vahl.
The Londer Chardonnay was really lovely, clean and fruity without much oak flavor. I drank mine cold and others, closer to cool room temperature. The Pinot Noir was also incredibly clean tasting but lacked that lingering Pinot Noir after taste at the back of the throat that the great French Burgundies have. A small shortcoming when one is using it to wash down large amounts of food, but less than an optimum drinking experience. I recall the description by Rick Davis, who was Londer’s winemaker about how they came up with Londer’s famous Parabol Pinot. He said they had two wonderful Pinots, one with a very lovely fruit forward flavor and another with almost no fruit forward flavor but with a powerful finish, so they mixed them until they had a wine with both a fruit forward flavor and a powerful finish. I bet that the Corby Vineyards Pinot was the fruit forward part of that equation .
Perhaps that is how the French vintners make their great burgundies.
Most wineries buy most of their grapes from growers, so they are able to buy grapes from many different locales raised in many different ways.
Here is an article that describes this relationship between growers and wine makers in Oregon’s Pinot Noir country:
http://www.winemag.com/2016/10/17/five-oregon-vineyards-worth-knowing/
Bon Appetit
Amy and Suzette worked out the menu for our Traditional Thanksgiving Family Dinner with little input from others because little input was needed. There was an agreed division of labor; Suzette and I would make Chef John’s Corn Pudding, oyster and pecan dressing, sweet potatoes with melted red chili marshmallows, an Italian Cloud cake with a vanilla pouring custard and pomegranate glaze, while Amy and Vahl agreed to roast the turkey and make cranberry compote, cornbread dressing, a Waldorf salad with romaine lettuce, diced apples and pear and walnuts with a poppy seed dressing prepared by Harry’ Road House and a store bought Key Lime Pie.
I brought three bottles of wine, a 2009 Londer Corby Vineyards Chardonnay, a 2009 Londer Corby Vineyards Pinot Noir, and a Gruet Brut champagne to be drunk with the Cloud Cake.
My only input was a request for oyster and pecan dressing which is one of my childhood favorites.
Valley loves key lime pie and he made the cranberry compote with a family recipe. He also is the master at cooking turkey, which is why we decided to eat our dinner at their house in Santa Fe. Vahl has a very easy and successful prep for turkey. He encases the turkey and the rack on which it sits inside brown paper bags, the kind they put groceries in at the supermarket that he has greased with butter or oil to keep the turkey skin and drippings from sticking to and bakes the turkey for 15 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.
November 24, 2016 Thanksgiving Dinner at Amy and Vahl’s
Other than that it was all Amy and Suzette’s prep and cooking with some help from me and Vahl.
The Londer Chardonnay was really lovely, clean and fruity without much oak flavor. I drank mine cold and others, closer to cool room temperature. The Pinot Noir was also incredibly clean tasting but lacked that lingering Pinot Noir after taste at the back of the throat that the great French Burgundies have. A small shortcoming when one is using it to wash down large amounts of food, but less than an optimum drinking experience. I recall the description by Rick Davis, who was Londer’s winemaker about how they came up with Londer’s famous Parabol Pinot. He said they had two wonderful Pinots, one with a very lovely fruit forward flavor and another with almost no fruit forward flavor but with a powerful finish, so they mixed them until they had a wine with both a fruit forward flavor and a powerful finish. I bet that the Corby Vineyards Pinot was the fruit forward part of that equation .
Perhaps that is how the French vintners make their great burgundies.
Most wineries buy most of their grapes from growers, so they are able to buy grapes from many different locales raised in many different ways.
Here is an article that describes this relationship between growers and wine makers in Oregon’s Pinot Noir country:
http://www.winemag.com/2016/10/17/five-oregon-vineyards-worth-knowing/
Bon Appetit
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
November 23, 2016 Lunch – Café Da Lat Dinner - Poached Salmon with a Garlic Cream Sauce, Steamed Snow Peas, and Fresh Cranberry Sauce
November 23, 2016 Lunch – Café Da Lat Dinner - Poached Salmon with a Garlic Cream Sauce, Steamed Snow Peas, and Fresh Cranberry Sauce
I reverted to granola, yogurt, milk, and blueberries with vitamin powder for breakfast this morning.
I met Terry Jassman for lunch at Café Da Lat at 1:00, which Terry reintroduced me to several months ago. I like Café Da Lat and now count it among the best and most authentic Vietnamese restaurants in Albuquerque, although for uniquely wonderful food I still put Lan’s at the top of the list of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the state.
After lunch I went to Sprouts to get a red bell pepper, celery, and gelatin for Mother’s shrimp mold plus mushrooms, asparagus and green beans. As it turned out I was a week early for the shrimp mold and we had lots of green vegetables because I had bought the snow peas and a package of baby bok choy at Talin two days ago. Perhaps I was just feeling the herding instinct to go shopping on the biggest food shopping day of the year and rub shoulders to get some physical contact with all those Thanksgiving cooks. For example, as I was picking through fresh green beans for haricot verts a lady came up and said, “I need green beans for ten,” as she stuffed a plastic bag full of handfuls of beans.
After Sprouts I drove to Costco to fill the gas tank for tomorrow’s drive to Santa Fe and back.
When I got home around 3:30 I noted that the market had set another new high in the Dow but the other two indices were starting to turn downward in what may be an indicator that the Trump bump is about at its end.
I rode to Montano at 4:00 and got back home in a very respectable 50 minutes, where I found Suzette watching TV. We watched the Business news program, NBR, as we usually do and then started cooking at 5:30.
We had decided yesterday to fix the salmon I filleted, but had not decided on the entire menu. Suzette picked the menu with one suggestion from me. Suzette likes cranberry sauce with salmon, so, since we had a 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries, she wanted to make fresh cranberry sauce. She also wanted to poach the salmon and make a cream sauce for it using the poaching medium instead of milk, which I also prefer. My request was to flavor the cream sauce with garlic.
Suzette cooked dinner. She snipped the ends off the snow peas but did not strip off the strings on each side of the pea and steamed them. Then she poached the salmon fillets in the fish stock I had made two days ago from the salmon bones and tail. Then she kept the salmon warm in the oven while she made the cream sauce by pouring off the poaching medium and then making a roux in the deep skillet she poached the salmon in with two T. of butter and two T. of flour. After cooking the roux for three minutes to cook the flour, she pressed in the pulp of three cloves of garlic and then whisked in enough stock to make a thin, but smooth sauce. The sauce, even with the garlic, did not have much flavor, so we started adding things to it, including ½ tsp. of white pepper, 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg, ¼ cup of cream, 1/3 tsp. of salt and finally I went to the garden and picked three sprigs each of tarragon and thyme and put 1 tsp of tarragon and ¼ tsp. of thyme in. The sauce still did not have a strong flavor so Suzette added another tsp. of salt, which amplified all the flavors and made the sauce taste fabulous.
Suzette also made cranberry sauce by cooking 12 oz. of cranberries with sugar in a bit of water to which I added the juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange and the zest from three small oranges.
I had brought up a bottle of 2010 Nessa Spanish Albariño and chilled it yesterday, which we opened for dinner. The wine had darkened to a deep yellow and the wine, although not oxidized, had taken on a sherry like flavor. I guess we better drink the rest of the Nessa Albariño soon.
This was a very satisfying meal and lovely to look at, a color combination of pink, red, green and white on the plate with a deep yellow in the wine glass.
I ate some Java Chip ice cream after dinner with a drizzle of Kahlua.
We went to bed at 9:00 after watching an episode of Miss Fisher on PBS.
Bon Appetit
I reverted to granola, yogurt, milk, and blueberries with vitamin powder for breakfast this morning.
I met Terry Jassman for lunch at Café Da Lat at 1:00, which Terry reintroduced me to several months ago. I like Café Da Lat and now count it among the best and most authentic Vietnamese restaurants in Albuquerque, although for uniquely wonderful food I still put Lan’s at the top of the list of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the state.
After lunch I went to Sprouts to get a red bell pepper, celery, and gelatin for Mother’s shrimp mold plus mushrooms, asparagus and green beans. As it turned out I was a week early for the shrimp mold and we had lots of green vegetables because I had bought the snow peas and a package of baby bok choy at Talin two days ago. Perhaps I was just feeling the herding instinct to go shopping on the biggest food shopping day of the year and rub shoulders to get some physical contact with all those Thanksgiving cooks. For example, as I was picking through fresh green beans for haricot verts a lady came up and said, “I need green beans for ten,” as she stuffed a plastic bag full of handfuls of beans.
After Sprouts I drove to Costco to fill the gas tank for tomorrow’s drive to Santa Fe and back.
When I got home around 3:30 I noted that the market had set another new high in the Dow but the other two indices were starting to turn downward in what may be an indicator that the Trump bump is about at its end.
I rode to Montano at 4:00 and got back home in a very respectable 50 minutes, where I found Suzette watching TV. We watched the Business news program, NBR, as we usually do and then started cooking at 5:30.
We had decided yesterday to fix the salmon I filleted, but had not decided on the entire menu. Suzette picked the menu with one suggestion from me. Suzette likes cranberry sauce with salmon, so, since we had a 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries, she wanted to make fresh cranberry sauce. She also wanted to poach the salmon and make a cream sauce for it using the poaching medium instead of milk, which I also prefer. My request was to flavor the cream sauce with garlic.
Suzette cooked dinner. She snipped the ends off the snow peas but did not strip off the strings on each side of the pea and steamed them. Then she poached the salmon fillets in the fish stock I had made two days ago from the salmon bones and tail. Then she kept the salmon warm in the oven while she made the cream sauce by pouring off the poaching medium and then making a roux in the deep skillet she poached the salmon in with two T. of butter and two T. of flour. After cooking the roux for three minutes to cook the flour, she pressed in the pulp of three cloves of garlic and then whisked in enough stock to make a thin, but smooth sauce. The sauce, even with the garlic, did not have much flavor, so we started adding things to it, including ½ tsp. of white pepper, 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg, ¼ cup of cream, 1/3 tsp. of salt and finally I went to the garden and picked three sprigs each of tarragon and thyme and put 1 tsp of tarragon and ¼ tsp. of thyme in. The sauce still did not have a strong flavor so Suzette added another tsp. of salt, which amplified all the flavors and made the sauce taste fabulous.
Suzette also made cranberry sauce by cooking 12 oz. of cranberries with sugar in a bit of water to which I added the juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange and the zest from three small oranges.
I had brought up a bottle of 2010 Nessa Spanish Albariño and chilled it yesterday, which we opened for dinner. The wine had darkened to a deep yellow and the wine, although not oxidized, had taken on a sherry like flavor. I guess we better drink the rest of the Nessa Albariño soon.
This was a very satisfying meal and lovely to look at, a color combination of pink, red, green and white on the plate with a deep yellow in the wine glass.
I ate some Java Chip ice cream after dinner with a drizzle of Kahlua.
We went to bed at 9:00 after watching an episode of Miss Fisher on PBS.
Bon Appetit
November 22, 2016 Lunch – Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Shrimp Dinner – Lasagna
November 22, 2016 Lunch – Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Shrimp
Dinner – Lasagna
A day of cooking. I started the day with a bagel spread with goat cheese and sliced lax with tea.
Then I made Gravad lax with 2/3 cup of salt, 1 tsp. of black pepper, and ½ cup of sugar. I filleted a whole salmon and cut each filet so it would fit into a Pyrex baking dish, leaving the rest to cook for dinner tomorrow. I then layered dill weed on the outside and inside of” the two matched filets and
November 22, 2016 Lunch – Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Shrimp
Dinner – Lasagna
A day of cooking. I started the day with a bagel spread with goat cheese and sliced lax with tea.
Then I made Gravad lax with 2/3 cup of salt, 1 tsp. of black pepper, and ½ cup of sugar. I filleted a whole salmon and cut each filet so it would fit into a Pyrex baking dish, leaving the rest to cook for dinner tomorrow. I then layered dill weed on the outside and inside of” the two matched filets and spooned the dry mixture on the outside and inside of the two matched filets and put them facing each other with their insides joined together and the skin side out into the Pyrex bowl, covered them with Saran and weighted the two filets with a brick.
I then put it into the fridge to cure. I put the ones into a pot with water to turn into a stock.
For lunch I made a Vietnamese Noodle soup with a pho flavoring cube, a generous T. of miso, ¼ medium onion, fifteen snow peas de-threaded and cut in half, two mushrooms, bean thread, rice stick, and wheat noodles, fish sauce, shrimp, some salmon, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine. I picked basil from the garden, poured hoisin sauce and lime juice into the soup bowl and put in mung bean sprouts I had bought at Talin yesterday.
Suzette came home early and began cooking when I left at 3:30 to ride to Rio Bravo and back. Suzette prepped the sweet potatoes for thanksgiving and made a really nice Cloud cake. When I got home I had a shower and the ate three slices of toasted French bread spread with Nutella.
When we cleared out the freezer in the garage, we found a container of what turned out to be spaghetti sauce, so Suzette decided to make lasagna while I went to meditate. We had a box of sheets of lasagna noodles, which she cooked and then layered mushrooms, tomato, slices of zucchini and cheese between layers of pasta.
When I returned home at 7:30 we dished up the lasagna and poured the rest of the Josh Cabernet Sauvignon that Keith gave me last Thursday and then opened a bottle of Aquino Chianti Reserva (Trader Joe’s $5.99).
After dinner I made a pouring custard (crème anglais) for Suzette’s cloud cake.
Pouring custard
6 egg yolks
¼ to ½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
I scalded the and let it sit to cool
I beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the egg turned a lighter color and the liquid ran smoothly off a spoon.
I then combined the milk using a sieve to catch any chunks of butter fat with the egg mixture and put the entire mixture into a sauce pan and stirred it over low heat until it thickened.
I added vanilla, but there are an infinite number of variations. For example for my chocolate dessert, I often put ¼ cup of roasted coffee beans into the milk to infuse it with a coffee flavor and then sieve the milk to remove them.
Bon Appetit
spooned the dry mixture on the outside and inside of the two matched filets and put them facing each other with their insides joined together and the skin side out into the Pyrex bowl, covered them with Saran and weighted the two filets with a brick.
I then put it into the fridge to cure. I put the ones into a pot with water to turn into a stock.
For lunch I made a Vietnamese Noodle soup with a pho flavoring cube, a generous T. of miso, ¼ medium onion, fifteen snow peas de-threaded and cut in half, two mushrooms, bean thread, rice stick, and wheat noodles, fish sauce, shrimp, some salmon, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine. I picked basil from the garden, poured hoisin sauce and lime juice into the soup bowl and put in mung bean sprouts I had bought at Talin yesterday.
Suzette came home early and began cooking when I left at 3:30 to ride to Rio Bravo and back. Suzette prepped the sweet potatoes for thanksgiving and made a really nice Cloud cake. When I got home I had a shower and the ate three slices of toasted French bread spread with Nutella.
When we cleared out the freezer in the garage, we found a container of what turned out to be spaghetti sauce, so Suzette decided to make lasagna while I went to meditate. We had a box of sheets of lasagna noodles, which she cooked and then layered mushrooms, tomato, slices of zucchini and cheese between layers of pasta.
When I returned home at 7:30 we dished up the lasagna and poured the rest of the Josh Cabernet Sauvignon that Keith gave me last Thursday and then opened a bottle of Aquino Chianti Reserva (Trader Joe’s $5.99).
After dinner I made a pouring custard (crème anglais) for Suzette’s cloud cake.
Pouring custard
6 egg yolks
¼ to ½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
I scalded the and let it sit to cool
I beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the egg turned a lighter color and the liquid ran smoothly off a spoon.
I then combined the milk using a sieve to catch any chunks of butter fat with the egg mixture and put the entire mixture into a sauce pan and stirred it over low heat until it thickened.
I added vanilla, but there are an infinite number of variations. For example for my chocolate dessert, I often put ¼ cup of roasted coffee beans into the milk to infuse it with a coffee flavor and then sieve the milk to remove them.
Bon Appetit
Dinner – Lasagna
A day of cooking. I started the day with a bagel spread with goat cheese and sliced lax with tea.
Then I made Gravad lax with 2/3 cup of salt, 1 tsp. of black pepper, and ½ cup of sugar. I filleted a whole salmon and cut each filet so it would fit into a Pyrex baking dish, leaving the rest to cook for dinner tomorrow. I then layered dill weed on the outside and inside of” the two matched filets and
November 22, 2016 Lunch – Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Shrimp
Dinner – Lasagna
A day of cooking. I started the day with a bagel spread with goat cheese and sliced lax with tea.
Then I made Gravad lax with 2/3 cup of salt, 1 tsp. of black pepper, and ½ cup of sugar. I filleted a whole salmon and cut each filet so it would fit into a Pyrex baking dish, leaving the rest to cook for dinner tomorrow. I then layered dill weed on the outside and inside of” the two matched filets and spooned the dry mixture on the outside and inside of the two matched filets and put them facing each other with their insides joined together and the skin side out into the Pyrex bowl, covered them with Saran and weighted the two filets with a brick.
I then put it into the fridge to cure. I put the ones into a pot with water to turn into a stock.
For lunch I made a Vietnamese Noodle soup with a pho flavoring cube, a generous T. of miso, ¼ medium onion, fifteen snow peas de-threaded and cut in half, two mushrooms, bean thread, rice stick, and wheat noodles, fish sauce, shrimp, some salmon, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine. I picked basil from the garden, poured hoisin sauce and lime juice into the soup bowl and put in mung bean sprouts I had bought at Talin yesterday.
Suzette came home early and began cooking when I left at 3:30 to ride to Rio Bravo and back. Suzette prepped the sweet potatoes for thanksgiving and made a really nice Cloud cake. When I got home I had a shower and the ate three slices of toasted French bread spread with Nutella.
When we cleared out the freezer in the garage, we found a container of what turned out to be spaghetti sauce, so Suzette decided to make lasagna while I went to meditate. We had a box of sheets of lasagna noodles, which she cooked and then layered mushrooms, tomato, slices of zucchini and cheese between layers of pasta.
When I returned home at 7:30 we dished up the lasagna and poured the rest of the Josh Cabernet Sauvignon that Keith gave me last Thursday and then opened a bottle of Aquino Chianti Reserva (Trader Joe’s $5.99).
After dinner I made a pouring custard (crème anglais) for Suzette’s cloud cake.
Pouring custard
6 egg yolks
¼ to ½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
I scalded the and let it sit to cool
I beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the egg turned a lighter color and the liquid ran smoothly off a spoon.
I then combined the milk using a sieve to catch any chunks of butter fat with the egg mixture and put the entire mixture into a sauce pan and stirred it over low heat until it thickened.
I added vanilla, but there are an infinite number of variations. For example for my chocolate dessert, I often put ¼ cup of roasted coffee beans into the milk to infuse it with a coffee flavor and then sieve the milk to remove them.
Bon Appetit
spooned the dry mixture on the outside and inside of the two matched filets and put them facing each other with their insides joined together and the skin side out into the Pyrex bowl, covered them with Saran and weighted the two filets with a brick.
I then put it into the fridge to cure. I put the ones into a pot with water to turn into a stock.
For lunch I made a Vietnamese Noodle soup with a pho flavoring cube, a generous T. of miso, ¼ medium onion, fifteen snow peas de-threaded and cut in half, two mushrooms, bean thread, rice stick, and wheat noodles, fish sauce, shrimp, some salmon, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine. I picked basil from the garden, poured hoisin sauce and lime juice into the soup bowl and put in mung bean sprouts I had bought at Talin yesterday.
Suzette came home early and began cooking when I left at 3:30 to ride to Rio Bravo and back. Suzette prepped the sweet potatoes for thanksgiving and made a really nice Cloud cake. When I got home I had a shower and the ate three slices of toasted French bread spread with Nutella.
When we cleared out the freezer in the garage, we found a container of what turned out to be spaghetti sauce, so Suzette decided to make lasagna while I went to meditate. We had a box of sheets of lasagna noodles, which she cooked and then layered mushrooms, tomato, slices of zucchini and cheese between layers of pasta.
When I returned home at 7:30 we dished up the lasagna and poured the rest of the Josh Cabernet Sauvignon that Keith gave me last Thursday and then opened a bottle of Aquino Chianti Reserva (Trader Joe’s $5.99).
After dinner I made a pouring custard (crème anglais) for Suzette’s cloud cake.
Pouring custard
6 egg yolks
¼ to ½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
I scalded the and let it sit to cool
I beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the egg turned a lighter color and the liquid ran smoothly off a spoon.
I then combined the milk using a sieve to catch any chunks of butter fat with the egg mixture and put the entire mixture into a sauce pan and stirred it over low heat until it thickened.
I added vanilla, but there are an infinite number of variations. For example for my chocolate dessert, I often put ¼ cup of roasted coffee beans into the milk to infuse it with a coffee flavor and then sieve the milk to remove them.
Bon Appetit
Monday, November 21, 2016
November 21, 2016. Lunch - Amerasia. Dinner - Sautéed Pork Confit on a pile of Smashed Roasted Sweet Potato and Steamed And Brown Butter Glazed Cauliflower
November 21, 2016 Lunch – Amerasia. Dinner – Pork Confit on a sweet Potato mash with Brown Butter Glazed cauliflower
No breakfast.
Willy came by around 12:15 and we called Amy and found out she was downtown. We had been planing to go to Azuma for sushi, but Willy suggested we go to the sushi restaurant between 2nd and 3rd on Slate, which turned out to be Sumo. When we got there it was connected to Amerasia, which used to be my favorite dim sum restaurant when it was located at the corner of Lead and Cornell. Micki is gone but the Korean lady who was the first waitress still serves and I am sure owns the restaurant now.
Willy and I sat at a table in the Amerasia side and soon Amy joined us. We ordered tea and water and soon the service cart came by and we took small plates with three each of steamed dumplings filled with chicken and peanuts, steamed dumplings filled with pork, scallions and ginger, fried dumplings filled with beef, two bao su, a bowl of spicy rice and pork. Amy and Willy were not very hungry so I
ate a few more dumplings.
Amy became very excited when she realized this was the original Amerasia because it was one of Sonny Lee’s favorites. She took a picture of the food and called him to tell him of the find.
Later I ordered my favorite dish, wood ear and mushroom stuffed fried tofu in a vegetable broth and the lady gave us a small plate of Chinese Beignets
Here is a review from the Alibi that contains the Korean lady’s name.
Alibi:
Dim sum and sushi under the same roof? It's like a dream come true. The beautiful interior of the antique filling station just east of the federal courthouse is a marked change from the cozy home interior of where AmerAsia used to reside near the University. Hyangami Yi's food is just as good as ever. Expect her familiar dim sum plates and buns, and feel free to order sushi like you've never had in this town from her brother Woo Youn. He's got all the usual sashimi and nigiri in his adjoining restaurant, but it's the original, creative rolls that really set Sumo apart—that, and the adorable little train that ferries your pickled ginger around the sushi bar.
I then drove home for 1 hour, just long enough to do a little work and see the stock market finish at an all time high. Then I drove to a 3:00 meeting and afterward stopped at Sprouts to shop. I was looking for dill but there was none. I bought ½ lb. of nice sea scallops for $12.99/lb., two good medium avocados for $.68 each, a cauliflower for $.98/lb., and cluster tomatoes for $.98/lb.
I then drove to Talin, but they had no dill weed also. I did buy snow peas, baby boy choy, lots of different noodles, mung bean sprouts, black wood ear threads and beef meatballs.
In desperation, I stopped at La Montanita on the way home and finally found fresh organic dill for $4.00 for an oz. plastic container, which should be enough to do 3 lb. of graves lax. I also bought Wasa hard bread, and a 5 oz. package of duck liver pate’.
I finally arrived home in the rain at 5:30.
I was hungry, so I spread PPI turkey salad on a piece of Wasabread. Then I heated the PPI Vietnamese Noodle soup and we each ate a bowl of it. Suzette are up with a wonderful menu, Pork
Confit on a mound of mashed roasted sweet potato, served with steamed cauliflower glazed in brown butter. It was simple, low calorie, and healthy.
Suzette has bought three cases of Rodney Strong Pinot Noir for the restaurant, so we tried a bottle this evening. It was surprisingly clean tasting, but did not seem to be 100% Pinot. We both think a producer can put Pinot Noir on the label if the bottle contains at least 80% Pinot Noir grapes. It did it have a fully Pinot Noir flavor, but its lightness made it a good food wine.
After diner I ate a slice of my chocolate dessert with pomegranate flavored crème anglais and a drizzle of pomegranate juice. The dessert is better with a drizzle of pomegranate juice to cut through the creaminess of the crème.
We watched the Antique Roadshow ad then the Gershwin
Prize for American song concert and presentation to Willy Nelson.
Another wonderfully of food.
Bon Appetit
No breakfast.
Willy came by around 12:15 and we called Amy and found out she was downtown. We had been planing to go to Azuma for sushi, but Willy suggested we go to the sushi restaurant between 2nd and 3rd on Slate, which turned out to be Sumo. When we got there it was connected to Amerasia, which used to be my favorite dim sum restaurant when it was located at the corner of Lead and Cornell. Micki is gone but the Korean lady who was the first waitress still serves and I am sure owns the restaurant now.
Willy and I sat at a table in the Amerasia side and soon Amy joined us. We ordered tea and water and soon the service cart came by and we took small plates with three each of steamed dumplings filled with chicken and peanuts, steamed dumplings filled with pork, scallions and ginger, fried dumplings filled with beef, two bao su, a bowl of spicy rice and pork. Amy and Willy were not very hungry so I
ate a few more dumplings.
Amy became very excited when she realized this was the original Amerasia because it was one of Sonny Lee’s favorites. She took a picture of the food and called him to tell him of the find.
Later I ordered my favorite dish, wood ear and mushroom stuffed fried tofu in a vegetable broth and the lady gave us a small plate of Chinese Beignets
Here is a review from the Alibi that contains the Korean lady’s name.
Alibi:
Dim sum and sushi under the same roof? It's like a dream come true. The beautiful interior of the antique filling station just east of the federal courthouse is a marked change from the cozy home interior of where AmerAsia used to reside near the University. Hyangami Yi's food is just as good as ever. Expect her familiar dim sum plates and buns, and feel free to order sushi like you've never had in this town from her brother Woo Youn. He's got all the usual sashimi and nigiri in his adjoining restaurant, but it's the original, creative rolls that really set Sumo apart—that, and the adorable little train that ferries your pickled ginger around the sushi bar.
I then drove home for 1 hour, just long enough to do a little work and see the stock market finish at an all time high. Then I drove to a 3:00 meeting and afterward stopped at Sprouts to shop. I was looking for dill but there was none. I bought ½ lb. of nice sea scallops for $12.99/lb., two good medium avocados for $.68 each, a cauliflower for $.98/lb., and cluster tomatoes for $.98/lb.
I then drove to Talin, but they had no dill weed also. I did buy snow peas, baby boy choy, lots of different noodles, mung bean sprouts, black wood ear threads and beef meatballs.
In desperation, I stopped at La Montanita on the way home and finally found fresh organic dill for $4.00 for an oz. plastic container, which should be enough to do 3 lb. of graves lax. I also bought Wasa hard bread, and a 5 oz. package of duck liver pate’.
I finally arrived home in the rain at 5:30.
I was hungry, so I spread PPI turkey salad on a piece of Wasabread. Then I heated the PPI Vietnamese Noodle soup and we each ate a bowl of it. Suzette are up with a wonderful menu, Pork
Confit on a mound of mashed roasted sweet potato, served with steamed cauliflower glazed in brown butter. It was simple, low calorie, and healthy.
Suzette has bought three cases of Rodney Strong Pinot Noir for the restaurant, so we tried a bottle this evening. It was surprisingly clean tasting, but did not seem to be 100% Pinot. We both think a producer can put Pinot Noir on the label if the bottle contains at least 80% Pinot Noir grapes. It did it have a fully Pinot Noir flavor, but its lightness made it a good food wine.
After diner I ate a slice of my chocolate dessert with pomegranate flavored crème anglais and a drizzle of pomegranate juice. The dessert is better with a drizzle of pomegranate juice to cut through the creaminess of the crème.
We watched the Antique Roadshow ad then the Gershwin
Prize for American song concert and presentation to Willy Nelson.
Another wonderfully of food.
Bon Appetit
November 20, 2016 Brunch - BLT and egg sandwiches. Lunch - Polish Dodg. Dinner - Sauté of Pesto Pasta, sweet potato and Pork Tenderloin
November 20, 2016 Brunch – BLT and egg sandwiches Lunch – Polish Dog at Costco Dinner – Pesto Pasta with Pork Tenderloin and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Today we had a lazy day. We made BLT sandwiches with a fried egg on Fano baguette. Then at11:30 we drove to Costco because the Miele coffee maker has died and Suzette wanted to buy a new one. She picked out a Cuisinart coffee maker for $70.00 but she saw and bought two 48 inch Samsung TVs for $279.00 each, one for our bedroom and one for Los Luna's plus two all direction wall mounts and five year warranties. We also bought a whole salmon, a three pack of Boursin cheese spreads, Dubliner Cheddar cheese and corn chips.
We had driven the mini and could not load the two TVs into it, so Suzette drove the mini back home and drove the land cruiser back so we could load the TVs. While she was gone I ate a Polish a Dog and drank a lemonade. When she returned we loaded the TVs.
There was no frozen corn at Costco so we stopped at Lowe’s on the way home and picked up four navel oranges, about 5 lb. of sweet potatoes at $.19/lb., and two lb. of frozen corn kernels.
When we got home after Suzette put the sweet potatoes into the oven to bake, we decided to play bocce. We poured the PPI Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc and Gavi white into glasses and opened a package of garlic and fine herbs Boursin and a package of rice crackers and took them to the bocce court. We played two close games to 11, which I won. Then I was exhausted and lay down for an hour nap until 6:30.
While I slept Suzette made pork confit with the pork tenderloin we had thawed after removing the thinner ends. She asked me what I wanted for dinner and l said, “I don’t care. I have lost my appetite.”
So Suzette chopped up the pork and sautéed it with chunks of sweet potato and the PPI pesto pasta plus some fresh rosemary.
As the sauté was getting hot I asked what kind of wine did Suzette want and she said, “Rose would be nice.”
I said, “I was thinking about champagne.”
So I went to the garage and found a bottle of Berberana Gran Tradicion Cava Rose Brut, the perfect wine for our dinner (Total Wine $10, less 20% so $8). It was surprisingly dry and yet had an intense red color and fruit flavor.
Here is a review. A nice dry, light rose. At less than $10 per bottle it is a pretty good deal. There are light, dry berries on both the nose and the palate. It has a clean and refreshing taste, with a hint of sourness. I like this very much! I first bought this in Connecticut and am pleased to see that the Chesapeake, Virginia store also carries it. This is one of the better low-cost rose's I've had.
And here is Wine Spectator’s review:
Berberana NV Gran Tradición Rosé Brut Sparkling (Cava)
86
POINTS
Best Buy. Now
“A touch gritty and stalky, but mostly it's just pleasant and innocuous on the nose. The palate is crisp and tight, with foamy bubbles and then a lightly toasted, stalky set of red fruit flavors that finish sweet. Nothing spectacular but perfectly good for a Monastrell-Pinot Noir blend.”
We really enjoyed the wine and thought the slight roughness went well with our rather rough sauté of sweet potatoes, pork, and pest pasta.
Sometimes that elegant buttery smoothness of good French champagne does not match the dictates of the food. Tonight’s dinner was a thrown together sauté of leftovers, essentially.
We watched our favorite Masterpiece Theater Series, the Durrells in Korbut as we ate dinner. Then Poldark and Indian Summers with a cup of chia and a chocolate and went to bed at 10:00.
Bon Appetit
Today we had a lazy day. We made BLT sandwiches with a fried egg on Fano baguette. Then at11:30 we drove to Costco because the Miele coffee maker has died and Suzette wanted to buy a new one. She picked out a Cuisinart coffee maker for $70.00 but she saw and bought two 48 inch Samsung TVs for $279.00 each, one for our bedroom and one for Los Luna's plus two all direction wall mounts and five year warranties. We also bought a whole salmon, a three pack of Boursin cheese spreads, Dubliner Cheddar cheese and corn chips.
We had driven the mini and could not load the two TVs into it, so Suzette drove the mini back home and drove the land cruiser back so we could load the TVs. While she was gone I ate a Polish a Dog and drank a lemonade. When she returned we loaded the TVs.
There was no frozen corn at Costco so we stopped at Lowe’s on the way home and picked up four navel oranges, about 5 lb. of sweet potatoes at $.19/lb., and two lb. of frozen corn kernels.
When we got home after Suzette put the sweet potatoes into the oven to bake, we decided to play bocce. We poured the PPI Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc and Gavi white into glasses and opened a package of garlic and fine herbs Boursin and a package of rice crackers and took them to the bocce court. We played two close games to 11, which I won. Then I was exhausted and lay down for an hour nap until 6:30.
While I slept Suzette made pork confit with the pork tenderloin we had thawed after removing the thinner ends. She asked me what I wanted for dinner and l said, “I don’t care. I have lost my appetite.”
So Suzette chopped up the pork and sautéed it with chunks of sweet potato and the PPI pesto pasta plus some fresh rosemary.
As the sauté was getting hot I asked what kind of wine did Suzette want and she said, “Rose would be nice.”
I said, “I was thinking about champagne.”
So I went to the garage and found a bottle of Berberana Gran Tradicion Cava Rose Brut, the perfect wine for our dinner (Total Wine $10, less 20% so $8). It was surprisingly dry and yet had an intense red color and fruit flavor.
Here is a review. A nice dry, light rose. At less than $10 per bottle it is a pretty good deal. There are light, dry berries on both the nose and the palate. It has a clean and refreshing taste, with a hint of sourness. I like this very much! I first bought this in Connecticut and am pleased to see that the Chesapeake, Virginia store also carries it. This is one of the better low-cost rose's I've had.
And here is Wine Spectator’s review:
Berberana NV Gran Tradición Rosé Brut Sparkling (Cava)
86
POINTS
Best Buy. Now
“A touch gritty and stalky, but mostly it's just pleasant and innocuous on the nose. The palate is crisp and tight, with foamy bubbles and then a lightly toasted, stalky set of red fruit flavors that finish sweet. Nothing spectacular but perfectly good for a Monastrell-Pinot Noir blend.”
We really enjoyed the wine and thought the slight roughness went well with our rather rough sauté of sweet potatoes, pork, and pest pasta.
Sometimes that elegant buttery smoothness of good French champagne does not match the dictates of the food. Tonight’s dinner was a thrown together sauté of leftovers, essentially.
We watched our favorite Masterpiece Theater Series, the Durrells in Korbut as we ate dinner. Then Poldark and Indian Summers with a cup of chia and a chocolate and went to bed at 10:00.
Bon Appetit
November 17, 2016. Lunch - Vietnamese Noodle Soup. Dinner - Last Thursday Book Club Meeting
November 17, 2016 Lunch – Vietnamese Noodle Soup Dinner - Book Club
I made Vietnamese Noodle soup with the last ½ lb. of PPI rib steak and three beef balls plus, a ducked zucchini, a handful of chard leaves from the garden, a finely diced shallot, three mushrooms, a pho seasoning cube, a generous T. of white miso. A chopped stalk of celery bean thread and rice stick noodles, and three green onions. I cooked the soup for about twenty minutes and then added fresh basil leaves and hoisin sauce.
I was hosting out Last Thursday Book Club meeting, so during the last few days we had made Martha Stewart’s recipe for Spicy Pecans with 5 cups of almonds and Pecans and coated them with a mixture of mixed 1 T. of smoked paprika, ½ T. of cayenne, 2/3 cup of sugar, 2T. of salt in two whipped egg whites and then baked them in one layer in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes and then a 200 degree oven for twenty minutes.
Bob’s Chocolate Dessert
I also had made my chocolate dessert by melting over low heat ½ lb. of butter in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 2 T. of cocoa. After the chocolate melted and cooled a bit I added 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp. of Grand Marnier to the mixture. In a separate bowl I mixed 1 T. of flour with 7 egg yolks and when the mixture took on a slightly lighter color combined it with the chocolate mixture. Then I whipped the 7 egg whites into rather stiff peaks and Suzette folded the chocolate and egg mixture into the egg whites and we then poured the entire mixture into a steel bowl coated with butter and then sugar on the inside and then baked the bowl of chocolate in a larger pot of hot water (Bain Marie) in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until fully cooked.
On Wednesday I went to Sprouts Market and bought double dipped chocolate covered peanuts and four nice medium avocados.
I stopped working at 5:00 on Thursday and made Guacamole salad with the avocados, salt, lime juice, Cholola hot sauce, and the pulp of a couple of cloves of garlic that I put in a dip and chip monkey pod wood bowl of Suzette’s.
I the diced Comte and cheddar cheese and some Lebanon Bologna we had bought in Elizabethtown. PA on October 16 and made a mixture of German deli mustard and mayonnaise to serve with the cubed cheese and bologna.
Suzette had made Turkey Salad with some PPI turkey from the freezer and some of the fresh green tomato chutney she made a week ago, which I served with crackers.
I put these things on the coffee table and Credenza in the living room with glass plates and forks.
I also chilled a bottle of Toulouse Gewertztraimer, and a bottle I'd Leeds-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc and fetched bottles of 2010 Edna Valley Pinot Noir and a 2010 Wellington Victory, which is a Bordeaux style blend. I started by serving the last half bottle of a Portuguese Dao red wine to the early arrivals.
The book I selected for this month was Kit Carson’s Autobiography and Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder for extra credit. The unspoken sub-text was to see if one had a different reaction to the original period first person account than a contemporary academic history rendering of the same facts.
Here are the comments of the attending members and my footnote about my selections.
Book club Comments November 2016 Kit Carson’s Autobiography
Tom G – Unique; nothing like it. An interesting read after I stopped reading the footnotes. I got a real feel for his life and history of the time and places. It seemed to be an introduction to lots of other history. Grade - B
Ron B. – I found Carson’s Autobiography interesting because it dealt with so much familiar territory, especially Taos. I am thinking of reading other accounts of this history.
One of the things I found interesting is how old historical accounts such as this book express a different point of view of their world than a contemporarily written history describing that same time and events. This Autobiography provided insight into the minds of the people who populated that time, an especially interesting period of American history.
He lived in almost constant danger among Indians. What an amazing series of adventures! I was impressed by the several trips he made as courier of dispatches several times from California to Washington, D.C. and back in the late 1840’s because that was the fastest form of communication.
There is no way to judge the writing. Fascinated by the events in the book and it good information about our area. Grade – B
Charles P. – An Important historical account and document.
I am amazed how Carson could sustain such a life of action as a hero for 40 years. His actions exceed by far the lives of most persons.
As a book it was nothing, simply a repetition of events without any real insight into him or the events of his life. I experienced no enjoyment in reading it. It is not a literary work and I would not recommend it, except to someone interested in the history of the period. Grade – C
Keith G. – For me the Autobiography paints a picture of an American: small in stature, big in ego, following orders, a womanizer, with a Napoleonic complex. An enormous Ego.
Carson is a unique character in American history. Bigger in life than in death. “Uniliberatable?”/ perhaps an illiterate. Each person must judge Carson by their own standard. Grade – A good B
Dick A. – had difficulty getting the book on Kindle, so ordered by post. Then got it on Kindle. So I read both on Kindle and the hard copy. Since the Kindle aggregates all the footnotes at the end of the text, I found reading the hard copy with the accompanying footnotes gave a much better flavor the whole thing but made it a more dry read.
Interesting history and geography, but I would not recommend it to someone unless they love history.
I am glad I read it. I learned a lot.
I noticed that the book was written and Carson lived in a period before attitudes toward Indians changed to our current politically correct views.
I give it a B, especially interesting for exposing that historical period’s attitudes toward Indians, Mexicans, and Washington.
Bob M. – I read it on Kindle, so did not read the footnotes. I found it an interesting account of what it was really like being there.
Now we think of Indians differently, then it was war over horses.
I also found it an interesting juxtaposition to the Zorro stories about life in California at the same time from the Mexican perspective.
It is not a work of literature, but I learned a lot about history. Carson’s Autobiography brought the history of the Southwest to life.
Grade - a B
Ken G. – I tend to agree with Charlie. A little about history that was shocking.
I found the book to be repetitious, boring, and did not cover all of Carson’s life. My research into Carson’s life provided more complete information on his life.
I noticed that there were many conflicts with Indians, but not all Indians were the same. Some were peaceful. I was shocked that the Americans massacred the Klamath Indians for no reason.
The slaughter that occurred in much of the book seemed like Isis, to be without rhyme or reason.
I learned a lot but the book was not well written. Grade – a C
Bob S. – my opinion of the book as literature is the same. It is not a literary work, perhaps because it was the recitation of an illiterate.
But I chose the book because it is an amazing 1st person account of an important era of American and Southwestern history.
I became interested in primary source material when I took William Goetzmann’s American Studies course at UT in the 60’s. Charlie and I attended UT in Austin at the same time and were both exposed to some of America’s great academics because of our special curriculum.
Goetzmann’s idea was that a better sense of history can be gained from the study of primary sources. He created the discipline we call American Studies from this concept, first at Yale and then at UT.
There are several themes I am exploring in this choice. One is whether there is a continuum of literature that has on one end Great literature, such as Mike’s reference to the Great Books curriculum, and on the other end simple historical narratives that merit reading only because they are of historic importance. This book is clearly the latter.
Grade – B
Scrivener’s Footnote – I am amazed that many of the comments expressed by the group seem to confirm the goal of Goetzmann’s unique American Studies approach to American history.
I think Goetzmann would have been pleased by many of the Comments made at tonight’s meeting such as, Whites and Indians were at war over horses. There were lots of conflicts but some Indians were peaceful. And the thought expressed by several that the book exposes a very different perspective about their times than we would get from a historian writing about the same events from a contemporary point of view. The book also gave an insight into how attitudes towards Indians have changed in America from Kit Carson’s time to our times.
I am pleased I selected the book. Many of the thoughts expressed such as the ones I note, seem to me to confirm that Goetzmann’s idea of studying history from the perspective of 1st person accounts and historic literature written in the era being studied gives a different understanding of the historical events than reading a contemporary historian’s account of the same events. That is why I chose both Kit Carson’ 1st person narrative and Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder, so the differing rendering of the same facts could be compared.
For me the original 1st person account is more engaging and transmits a unique perspective and understanding of the historical times that is hard to capture in a work written by even a skilled contemporary historian like Hampton Sides, unless like Ron commented, “It has lots of quotes.
After the discussion I served slices of my chocolate dessert drizzled with the PPI pomegranate crème anglais and cardamom tea.
Bon Appetit
I made Vietnamese Noodle soup with the last ½ lb. of PPI rib steak and three beef balls plus, a ducked zucchini, a handful of chard leaves from the garden, a finely diced shallot, three mushrooms, a pho seasoning cube, a generous T. of white miso. A chopped stalk of celery bean thread and rice stick noodles, and three green onions. I cooked the soup for about twenty minutes and then added fresh basil leaves and hoisin sauce.
I was hosting out Last Thursday Book Club meeting, so during the last few days we had made Martha Stewart’s recipe for Spicy Pecans with 5 cups of almonds and Pecans and coated them with a mixture of mixed 1 T. of smoked paprika, ½ T. of cayenne, 2/3 cup of sugar, 2T. of salt in two whipped egg whites and then baked them in one layer in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes and then a 200 degree oven for twenty minutes.
Bob’s Chocolate Dessert
I also had made my chocolate dessert by melting over low heat ½ lb. of butter in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 2 T. of cocoa. After the chocolate melted and cooled a bit I added 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp. of Grand Marnier to the mixture. In a separate bowl I mixed 1 T. of flour with 7 egg yolks and when the mixture took on a slightly lighter color combined it with the chocolate mixture. Then I whipped the 7 egg whites into rather stiff peaks and Suzette folded the chocolate and egg mixture into the egg whites and we then poured the entire mixture into a steel bowl coated with butter and then sugar on the inside and then baked the bowl of chocolate in a larger pot of hot water (Bain Marie) in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until fully cooked.
On Wednesday I went to Sprouts Market and bought double dipped chocolate covered peanuts and four nice medium avocados.
I stopped working at 5:00 on Thursday and made Guacamole salad with the avocados, salt, lime juice, Cholola hot sauce, and the pulp of a couple of cloves of garlic that I put in a dip and chip monkey pod wood bowl of Suzette’s.
I the diced Comte and cheddar cheese and some Lebanon Bologna we had bought in Elizabethtown. PA on October 16 and made a mixture of German deli mustard and mayonnaise to serve with the cubed cheese and bologna.
Suzette had made Turkey Salad with some PPI turkey from the freezer and some of the fresh green tomato chutney she made a week ago, which I served with crackers.
I put these things on the coffee table and Credenza in the living room with glass plates and forks.
I also chilled a bottle of Toulouse Gewertztraimer, and a bottle I'd Leeds-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc and fetched bottles of 2010 Edna Valley Pinot Noir and a 2010 Wellington Victory, which is a Bordeaux style blend. I started by serving the last half bottle of a Portuguese Dao red wine to the early arrivals.
The book I selected for this month was Kit Carson’s Autobiography and Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder for extra credit. The unspoken sub-text was to see if one had a different reaction to the original period first person account than a contemporary academic history rendering of the same facts.
Here are the comments of the attending members and my footnote about my selections.
Book club Comments November 2016 Kit Carson’s Autobiography
Tom G – Unique; nothing like it. An interesting read after I stopped reading the footnotes. I got a real feel for his life and history of the time and places. It seemed to be an introduction to lots of other history. Grade - B
Ron B. – I found Carson’s Autobiography interesting because it dealt with so much familiar territory, especially Taos. I am thinking of reading other accounts of this history.
One of the things I found interesting is how old historical accounts such as this book express a different point of view of their world than a contemporarily written history describing that same time and events. This Autobiography provided insight into the minds of the people who populated that time, an especially interesting period of American history.
He lived in almost constant danger among Indians. What an amazing series of adventures! I was impressed by the several trips he made as courier of dispatches several times from California to Washington, D.C. and back in the late 1840’s because that was the fastest form of communication.
There is no way to judge the writing. Fascinated by the events in the book and it good information about our area. Grade – B
Charles P. – An Important historical account and document.
I am amazed how Carson could sustain such a life of action as a hero for 40 years. His actions exceed by far the lives of most persons.
As a book it was nothing, simply a repetition of events without any real insight into him or the events of his life. I experienced no enjoyment in reading it. It is not a literary work and I would not recommend it, except to someone interested in the history of the period. Grade – C
Keith G. – For me the Autobiography paints a picture of an American: small in stature, big in ego, following orders, a womanizer, with a Napoleonic complex. An enormous Ego.
Carson is a unique character in American history. Bigger in life than in death. “Uniliberatable?”/ perhaps an illiterate. Each person must judge Carson by their own standard. Grade – A good B
Dick A. – had difficulty getting the book on Kindle, so ordered by post. Then got it on Kindle. So I read both on Kindle and the hard copy. Since the Kindle aggregates all the footnotes at the end of the text, I found reading the hard copy with the accompanying footnotes gave a much better flavor the whole thing but made it a more dry read.
Interesting history and geography, but I would not recommend it to someone unless they love history.
I am glad I read it. I learned a lot.
I noticed that the book was written and Carson lived in a period before attitudes toward Indians changed to our current politically correct views.
I give it a B, especially interesting for exposing that historical period’s attitudes toward Indians, Mexicans, and Washington.
Bob M. – I read it on Kindle, so did not read the footnotes. I found it an interesting account of what it was really like being there.
Now we think of Indians differently, then it was war over horses.
I also found it an interesting juxtaposition to the Zorro stories about life in California at the same time from the Mexican perspective.
It is not a work of literature, but I learned a lot about history. Carson’s Autobiography brought the history of the Southwest to life.
Grade - a B
Ken G. – I tend to agree with Charlie. A little about history that was shocking.
I found the book to be repetitious, boring, and did not cover all of Carson’s life. My research into Carson’s life provided more complete information on his life.
I noticed that there were many conflicts with Indians, but not all Indians were the same. Some were peaceful. I was shocked that the Americans massacred the Klamath Indians for no reason.
The slaughter that occurred in much of the book seemed like Isis, to be without rhyme or reason.
I learned a lot but the book was not well written. Grade – a C
Bob S. – my opinion of the book as literature is the same. It is not a literary work, perhaps because it was the recitation of an illiterate.
But I chose the book because it is an amazing 1st person account of an important era of American and Southwestern history.
I became interested in primary source material when I took William Goetzmann’s American Studies course at UT in the 60’s. Charlie and I attended UT in Austin at the same time and were both exposed to some of America’s great academics because of our special curriculum.
Goetzmann’s idea was that a better sense of history can be gained from the study of primary sources. He created the discipline we call American Studies from this concept, first at Yale and then at UT.
There are several themes I am exploring in this choice. One is whether there is a continuum of literature that has on one end Great literature, such as Mike’s reference to the Great Books curriculum, and on the other end simple historical narratives that merit reading only because they are of historic importance. This book is clearly the latter.
Grade – B
Scrivener’s Footnote – I am amazed that many of the comments expressed by the group seem to confirm the goal of Goetzmann’s unique American Studies approach to American history.
I think Goetzmann would have been pleased by many of the Comments made at tonight’s meeting such as, Whites and Indians were at war over horses. There were lots of conflicts but some Indians were peaceful. And the thought expressed by several that the book exposes a very different perspective about their times than we would get from a historian writing about the same events from a contemporary point of view. The book also gave an insight into how attitudes towards Indians have changed in America from Kit Carson’s time to our times.
I am pleased I selected the book. Many of the thoughts expressed such as the ones I note, seem to me to confirm that Goetzmann’s idea of studying history from the perspective of 1st person accounts and historic literature written in the era being studied gives a different understanding of the historical events than reading a contemporary historian’s account of the same events. That is why I chose both Kit Carson’ 1st person narrative and Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder, so the differing rendering of the same facts could be compared.
For me the original 1st person account is more engaging and transmits a unique perspective and understanding of the historical times that is hard to capture in a work written by even a skilled contemporary historian like Hampton Sides, unless like Ron commented, “It has lots of quotes.
After the discussion I served slices of my chocolate dessert drizzled with the PPI pomegranate crème anglais and cardamom tea.
Bon Appetit
Saturday, November 19, 2016
November 18, 2016 Lunch – Beef fajita. Dinner – PPI Pesto Pasta with Pork and Fruit Cream Sauce
November 18, 2016 Lunch – Beef fajita. Dinner – PPI Pesto Pasta with Pork and Fruit Cream Sauce
I went to the Business Law CLE today after filing a Motion for Reconsideration in the LRG Adjudication.
The CLE served beef fajitas with guacamole, black beans, rice and salad for lunch. I ate with Bill Chappell and Les Campbell who filled me in on their Doug Vaughn adventures.
I arrived home tired after three long days of work at 5:45 and a slow drive through 5:00 traffic.
I nibbled on guacamole and turkey salad and drank a Coors beer while watching the news. After Brooks and Marcus’ commentary and eulogy for Gwen Ifell, we drove to the Crooked Kilt and drank a delicious dark ale and talked to Sheryl and Mike. They have done a great job converting an empty warehouse into a brewery and beer hall.
We then drove back home and Suzette suggested heating the pesto pasta. I agreed and suggested adding a PPI pork chop and fruit to it. Suzette diced the pork chop and fruit and sautéed it with some PPI broccoli and the added about ½ cup of crema and 2 T. of cream to make a cream sauce. She the heated the pasta in the bag in the microwave and served the sauce over the pasta for a quick and delicious dinner. I poured glasses of Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc.
We later ate slices of the chocolate dessert with a drizzle of pomegranate crime anglais.
I went to bed at 9:20.
Bon Appetit
I went to the Business Law CLE today after filing a Motion for Reconsideration in the LRG Adjudication.
The CLE served beef fajitas with guacamole, black beans, rice and salad for lunch. I ate with Bill Chappell and Les Campbell who filled me in on their Doug Vaughn adventures.
I arrived home tired after three long days of work at 5:45 and a slow drive through 5:00 traffic.
I nibbled on guacamole and turkey salad and drank a Coors beer while watching the news. After Brooks and Marcus’ commentary and eulogy for Gwen Ifell, we drove to the Crooked Kilt and drank a delicious dark ale and talked to Sheryl and Mike. They have done a great job converting an empty warehouse into a brewery and beer hall.
We then drove back home and Suzette suggested heating the pesto pasta. I agreed and suggested adding a PPI pork chop and fruit to it. Suzette diced the pork chop and fruit and sautéed it with some PPI broccoli and the added about ½ cup of crema and 2 T. of cream to make a cream sauce. She the heated the pasta in the bag in the microwave and served the sauce over the pasta for a quick and delicious dinner. I poured glasses of Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc.
We later ate slices of the chocolate dessert with a drizzle of pomegranate crime anglais.
I went to bed at 9:20.
Bon Appetit
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
November 14, 2016 Lunch – 35 degrees. Dinner – Sautéed Salmon cakes on steamed green beans
November 14, 2016 Lunch – 35 degrees. Dinner – Sautéed Salmon cakes on steamed green beans
Willy called and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch. I said yes and asked him where he wanted to go. He said, “How about, 35 degrees North by the Draft Station.” I said, “I am always up for a new restaurant.”
Willy walked from his work, so we met at the restaurant. It is located where the old malt shop used to be that Willy frequented at 1720 Central SW. It offers a wide selection of coffee, sandwiches and salads and pastries, which a slightly French orientation. I ordered a club Salad with organic greens, chopped red, yellow, and chocolate colored tomatoes, slices of salami, baked turkey, and cheddar cheese. Willy ordered a Mediterranean Salad, with kalamata and green olives, spinach, bacon, tomatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. The salads are served with a house made vinaigrette dressing, although you can order a different dressing. I was impressed by the freshness of the ingredients. Willy’s salad was $7.95 and mine was $8.95.
The name locates the restaurant on the 35th parallel of latitude, which is the latitude on which Albuquerque and Santa Fe are located. The most attractive design feature of the restaurant for me was the large map of the world that filled almost the entire seating area of the restaurant with lines marking the 35th parallel and the coffee growing zone that circles the world.
We will go back.
Suzette took a few items out of the freezer in the garage, including a package of salmon, so for dinner she made salmon cakes by dipping the cakes in egg and then a mixture of flour and bread crumbs and frying them in ¼ inch of canola oil. I was working, so she steamed about ½ lb. of green beans and we had a simple meal with a glass of Riscal from Rueda, a white wine made from the Verdejo grape; a perfect complement to the salmon fritters/croquets/cakes.
After dinner Suzette made banana raisin bread from some old bananas and we ate pieces of it for dessert. I smeared lemon curd on my pieces. It was really delicious.
Bon Appetit
Willy called and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch. I said yes and asked him where he wanted to go. He said, “How about, 35 degrees North by the Draft Station.” I said, “I am always up for a new restaurant.”
Willy walked from his work, so we met at the restaurant. It is located where the old malt shop used to be that Willy frequented at 1720 Central SW. It offers a wide selection of coffee, sandwiches and salads and pastries, which a slightly French orientation. I ordered a club Salad with organic greens, chopped red, yellow, and chocolate colored tomatoes, slices of salami, baked turkey, and cheddar cheese. Willy ordered a Mediterranean Salad, with kalamata and green olives, spinach, bacon, tomatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. The salads are served with a house made vinaigrette dressing, although you can order a different dressing. I was impressed by the freshness of the ingredients. Willy’s salad was $7.95 and mine was $8.95.
The name locates the restaurant on the 35th parallel of latitude, which is the latitude on which Albuquerque and Santa Fe are located. The most attractive design feature of the restaurant for me was the large map of the world that filled almost the entire seating area of the restaurant with lines marking the 35th parallel and the coffee growing zone that circles the world.
We will go back.
Suzette took a few items out of the freezer in the garage, including a package of salmon, so for dinner she made salmon cakes by dipping the cakes in egg and then a mixture of flour and bread crumbs and frying them in ¼ inch of canola oil. I was working, so she steamed about ½ lb. of green beans and we had a simple meal with a glass of Riscal from Rueda, a white wine made from the Verdejo grape; a perfect complement to the salmon fritters/croquets/cakes.
After dinner Suzette made banana raisin bread from some old bananas and we ate pieces of it for dessert. I smeared lemon curd on my pieces. It was really delicious.
Bon Appetit
November 14, 2016 Lunch – 35 degrees. Dinner – Sautéed Salmon cakes on steamed green beans
November 14, 2016 Lunch – 35 degrees. Dinner – Sautéed Salmon cakes on steamed green beans
Willy called and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch. I said yes and asked him where he wanted to go. He said, “How about, 35 degrees North by the Draft Station.” I said, “I am always up for a new restaurant.”
Willy walked from his work, so we met at the restaurant. It is located where the old malt shop used to be that Willy frequented at 1720 Central SW. It offers a wide selection of coffee, sandwiches and salads and pastries, which a slightly French orientation. I ordered a club Salad with organic greens, chopped red, yellow, and chocolate colored tomatoes, slices of salami, baked turkey, and cheddar cheese. Willy ordered a Mediterranean Salad, with kalamata and green olives, spinach, bacon, tomatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. The salads are served with a house made vinaigrette dressing, although you can order a different dressing. I was impressed by the freshness of the ingredients. Willy’s salad was $7.95 and mine was $8.95.
The name locates the restaurant on the 35th parallel of latitude, which is the latitude on which Albuquerque and Santa Fe are located. The most attractive design feature of the restaurant for me was the large map of the world that filled almost the entire seating area of the restaurant with lines marking the 35th parallel and the coffee growing zone that circles the world.
We will go back.
Suzette took a few items out of the freezer in the garage, including a package of salmon, so for dinner she made salmon cakes by dipping the cakes in egg and then a mixture of flour and bread crumbs and frying them in ¼ inch of canola oil. I was working, so she steamed about ½ lb. of green beans and we had a simple meal with a glass of Riscal from Rueda, a white wine made from the Verdejo grape; a perfect complement to the salmon fritters/croquets/cakes.
After dinner Suzette made banana raisin bread from some old bananas and we ate pieces of it for dessert. I smeared lemon curd on my pieces. It was really delicious.
Bon Appetit
Willy called and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch. I said yes and asked him where he wanted to go. He said, “How about, 35 degrees North by the Draft Station.” I said, “I am always up for a new restaurant.”
Willy walked from his work, so we met at the restaurant. It is located where the old malt shop used to be that Willy frequented at 1720 Central SW. It offers a wide selection of coffee, sandwiches and salads and pastries, which a slightly French orientation. I ordered a club Salad with organic greens, chopped red, yellow, and chocolate colored tomatoes, slices of salami, baked turkey, and cheddar cheese. Willy ordered a Mediterranean Salad, with kalamata and green olives, spinach, bacon, tomatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. The salads are served with a house made vinaigrette dressing, although you can order a different dressing. I was impressed by the freshness of the ingredients. Willy’s salad was $7.95 and mine was $8.95.
We will go back.
Suzette took a few items out of the freezer in the garage, including a package of salmon, so for dinner she made salmon cakes by dipping the cakes in egg and then a mixture of flour and bread crumbs and frying them in ¼ inch of canola oil. I was working, so she steamed about ½ lb. of green beans and we had a simple meal with a glass of Riscal from Rueda, a white wine made from the Verdejo grape; a perfect complement to the salmon fritters/croquets/cakes.
After dinner Suzette made banana raisin bread from some old bananas and we ate pieces of it for dessert. I smeared lemon curd on my pieces. It was really delicious.
Bon Appetit
November 15, 2016 Lunch – Salmon cake salad. Dinner – Rib steak with steamed broccoli
November 15, 2016 Lunch – Salmon cake salad. Dinner – Rib steak with steamed broccoli
Today I ate my usual yogurt, fruit, milk, and granola for breakfast.
I had a meeting with Martin De La Garza at noon. When he called a bit before he arrived I asked him whether he wanted pho noodle soup or salad with a warm salmon cake and he said, “I prefer the salad.”
So I chopped romaine lettuce, a tomato, some red onion, and 1/3 cucumber. He did not care for anchovies so I added lemon juice and olive oil to the green tomato chutney tartar sauce from last night’s meal to make a sweet dressing that would complement the salmon cake. I then heated the two PPI salmon cakes from last night and placed one on each salad.
I served hot green tea and a biscochito for dessert.
At 4:20 I drove to Albertson’s and bought four lovely rib steaks weighing an aggregate of 4.53 lb.for $6.77/lb., two dozen eggs for $1.29 each, a carton of Java chip ice cream for $3.49, which, because the amount paid for those items exceeded $25.00, allowed me to purchase a 17 lb. turkey for $.79/lb.
I went home happy.
While I went shopping Suzette made turkey salad for the book club on Thursday and found a package of rice crackers.
At 6:15 we decided to cook a simple dinner of grilled rib steak and steamed broccoli served with béarnaise sauce. I ate mine with some tzatziki. I opened my favorite inexpensive red wine for steak, Chateau Haut Sorillon, Bordeaux Superiore ($7.99 at Trader Joe’s).
After dinner I cut into the 1 kilo wheel of Brie and it seemed to be the perfect ripeness. I ate some on rounds of toasted French baguette.
Spicy Pecans
After dinner we made Martha Stewart’s recipe for Spicy Pecans, with ½ T. of cayenne, 2 T. of smoked paprika, ¼ cup of sugar and a bit of salt mixed into two whipped egg whites and tossed with five cups of pecans and almonds and then baked for 15 minutes at 300 degrees and 20 minutes at 200 degrees.
Willy arrived at 8:00 and we decided to make him Beef fried rice with a cup of PPI rice, some of the broccoli, and the last three slices of steak plus ½ T. of fresh ginger, a dash of sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine and soy sauce. He really enjoyed the dish.
He ate two biscochito spread with Nutella for dessert.
I joined him and finished my dinner with a shot of calvados and a couple of chocolates.
He turned on Bill Maher for us on You Tube and we watched his first post election show. John Legend was on and said you have to call it what it was, the victory of racism.
Bon Appetit
Today I ate my usual yogurt, fruit, milk, and granola for breakfast.
I had a meeting with Martin De La Garza at noon. When he called a bit before he arrived I asked him whether he wanted pho noodle soup or salad with a warm salmon cake and he said, “I prefer the salad.”
So I chopped romaine lettuce, a tomato, some red onion, and 1/3 cucumber. He did not care for anchovies so I added lemon juice and olive oil to the green tomato chutney tartar sauce from last night’s meal to make a sweet dressing that would complement the salmon cake. I then heated the two PPI salmon cakes from last night and placed one on each salad.
I served hot green tea and a biscochito for dessert.
At 4:20 I drove to Albertson’s and bought four lovely rib steaks weighing an aggregate of 4.53 lb.for $6.77/lb., two dozen eggs for $1.29 each, a carton of Java chip ice cream for $3.49, which, because the amount paid for those items exceeded $25.00, allowed me to purchase a 17 lb. turkey for $.79/lb.
I went home happy.
While I went shopping Suzette made turkey salad for the book club on Thursday and found a package of rice crackers.
At 6:15 we decided to cook a simple dinner of grilled rib steak and steamed broccoli served with béarnaise sauce. I ate mine with some tzatziki. I opened my favorite inexpensive red wine for steak, Chateau Haut Sorillon, Bordeaux Superiore ($7.99 at Trader Joe’s).
After dinner I cut into the 1 kilo wheel of Brie and it seemed to be the perfect ripeness. I ate some on rounds of toasted French baguette.
Spicy Pecans
After dinner we made Martha Stewart’s recipe for Spicy Pecans, with ½ T. of cayenne, 2 T. of smoked paprika, ¼ cup of sugar and a bit of salt mixed into two whipped egg whites and tossed with five cups of pecans and almonds and then baked for 15 minutes at 300 degrees and 20 minutes at 200 degrees.
Willy arrived at 8:00 and we decided to make him Beef fried rice with a cup of PPI rice, some of the broccoli, and the last three slices of steak plus ½ T. of fresh ginger, a dash of sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine and soy sauce. He really enjoyed the dish.
He ate two biscochito spread with Nutella for dessert.
I joined him and finished my dinner with a shot of calvados and a couple of chocolates.
He turned on Bill Maher for us on You Tube and we watched his first post election show. John Legend was on and said you have to call it what it was, the victory of racism.
Bon Appetit
Monday, November 14, 2016
November 12, 2016 A Day in Santa Fe
November 12, 2016 A Day in Santa Fe. Lunch – The Shed
We wanted to get out of town and decided to go to Santa Fe.
We left at 9:00 and went by the bank and then drove to Santa Fe.
We first went to Stephen’s Consignment, where Suzette found a wicker desk for her assisted living facility.
We then went to Congere Consignment where Suzette found three pie racks.
Then we drove to Owings Gallery, where've like to park downtown Santa Fe, especially when we go to the Shed.
We walked through the gallery and noticed three prints of fruit leaning against the wall behind the front counter. When we looked at them we noticed the signature Marsden Hartley and a date of 1923. There were two small Hartley Paintings in the gallery for $125,000 each and a large painting of a
vase of flowers for $250,000. We asked Nat the price of the Hartley prints because they had not been priced yet. Nat said, “The fair market asking price is $4,500.00 each.” I asked Nat, “Will you take $3.000.00.” Nat said, “Yes.” A 1 minute negotiation.
Nat was under the weather but Robert, who has worked at the Gallery ever since I have visited it for at least thirty years. He is very pleasant. Suzette and I looked at the three prints. Suzette and Robert agreed on the print of an apple, a pear, and pomegranate, but I was not sure.
We said we wanted to eat lunch. Robert said, “go to lunch. These will be here when you return.”
So we walked the long block through Sena Plaza to the Shed. We arrived a little after 12:30 and had a 40 minute wait. Suzette had a phone call so we decided to have a margarita. I ordered two Silver Spur Margaritas made with Cointreau. The day was sunny and warm, so we waited outside at a table on the patio until we were called. I ordered my favorite dish, blue corn enchiladas with beef double posole and red chili. Suzette ordered chicken enchiladas with red and green chili and sour cream. I ordered a Negra Modelo and Suzette ordered another margarita. We were enjoying celebrating getting out of town.
The red chili was really picante and we had to order another ramekin of sour cream. We could not eat all of our dishes so we boxed the rest of our lunch and walked back to Owings Gallery. We looked and discussed the Hartley prints with Robert some more and decided to buy the print Robert and Suzette liked the best, which I also liked. We are thrilled to have a real Hartley work, even though it is only a print.
We then drove up to Canyon Road and parked across the street from Ernesto Mayans Gallery. After we visited Ernesto and looked at the gallery we walked across the street to visit Agnes Sims compound where we talked to the old gentleman who had bought part of the compound from Agnes Sims who explained which portions of which buildings had been built by Sims in clouding the building that is now Chiascuro Gallery that he sold to Ms. Lapides.
We then walked up Canyon Rd. To see Olive Rush’s house but stopped to say hello to Chef Campbell
Caruso, who was standing on the street outside Gallery 901. He told us that was catering the opening beginning at 3:00. We saw the menu which included slices of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and pear on toast; pieces of tortilla Espanol with a poblano Romesco Sauce; lamb meatballs, and chocolate truffles, so decided to return for the opening after 3:00.
We then walked up the street to the Unitarian Church, which was built by Olive Rush and devised to the Unitarians. We walked behind the church/house to the large garden. This is one of the lovely garden in Santa Fe. The tenants invited us inside to see their apartment which was part of the original house, off an enclosed porch, but the main house was locked. After visiting the Unitarian church we walked back to 901 and looked at the art that was Spanish and American contemporary impressionist art that Suzette characterized as “Office art”. We drank Perrier water and enjoyed the tapas. I especially liked the Spanish omelet topped with the poblano romesco Sauce.
After we ate tapas, thanked Chef Caruso, and drove back to Albuquerque.
We were not hungry until around 8:00 when Suzette heated the PPI beef fried rice and I heated the PPI Mapo Dofu. Then Suzette served the last slices of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
Bon Appetit
We wanted to get out of town and decided to go to Santa Fe.
We left at 9:00 and went by the bank and then drove to Santa Fe.
We first went to Stephen’s Consignment, where Suzette found a wicker desk for her assisted living facility.
We then went to Congere Consignment where Suzette found three pie racks.
Then we drove to Owings Gallery, where've like to park downtown Santa Fe, especially when we go to the Shed.
We walked through the gallery and noticed three prints of fruit leaning against the wall behind the front counter. When we looked at them we noticed the signature Marsden Hartley and a date of 1923. There were two small Hartley Paintings in the gallery for $125,000 each and a large painting of a
vase of flowers for $250,000. We asked Nat the price of the Hartley prints because they had not been priced yet. Nat said, “The fair market asking price is $4,500.00 each.” I asked Nat, “Will you take $3.000.00.” Nat said, “Yes.” A 1 minute negotiation.
Nat was under the weather but Robert, who has worked at the Gallery ever since I have visited it for at least thirty years. He is very pleasant. Suzette and I looked at the three prints. Suzette and Robert agreed on the print of an apple, a pear, and pomegranate, but I was not sure.
We said we wanted to eat lunch. Robert said, “go to lunch. These will be here when you return.”
So we walked the long block through Sena Plaza to the Shed. We arrived a little after 12:30 and had a 40 minute wait. Suzette had a phone call so we decided to have a margarita. I ordered two Silver Spur Margaritas made with Cointreau. The day was sunny and warm, so we waited outside at a table on the patio until we were called. I ordered my favorite dish, blue corn enchiladas with beef double posole and red chili. Suzette ordered chicken enchiladas with red and green chili and sour cream. I ordered a Negra Modelo and Suzette ordered another margarita. We were enjoying celebrating getting out of town.
The red chili was really picante and we had to order another ramekin of sour cream. We could not eat all of our dishes so we boxed the rest of our lunch and walked back to Owings Gallery. We looked and discussed the Hartley prints with Robert some more and decided to buy the print Robert and Suzette liked the best, which I also liked. We are thrilled to have a real Hartley work, even though it is only a print.
We then drove up to Canyon Road and parked across the street from Ernesto Mayans Gallery. After we visited Ernesto and looked at the gallery we walked across the street to visit Agnes Sims compound where we talked to the old gentleman who had bought part of the compound from Agnes Sims who explained which portions of which buildings had been built by Sims in clouding the building that is now Chiascuro Gallery that he sold to Ms. Lapides.
We then walked up Canyon Rd. To see Olive Rush’s house but stopped to say hello to Chef Campbell
Caruso, who was standing on the street outside Gallery 901. He told us that was catering the opening beginning at 3:00. We saw the menu which included slices of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and pear on toast; pieces of tortilla Espanol with a poblano Romesco Sauce; lamb meatballs, and chocolate truffles, so decided to return for the opening after 3:00.
We then walked up the street to the Unitarian Church, which was built by Olive Rush and devised to the Unitarians. We walked behind the church/house to the large garden. This is one of the lovely garden in Santa Fe. The tenants invited us inside to see their apartment which was part of the original house, off an enclosed porch, but the main house was locked. After visiting the Unitarian church we walked back to 901 and looked at the art that was Spanish and American contemporary impressionist art that Suzette characterized as “Office art”. We drank Perrier water and enjoyed the tapas. I especially liked the Spanish omelet topped with the poblano romesco Sauce.
After we ate tapas, thanked Chef Caruso, and drove back to Albuquerque.
We were not hungry until around 8:00 when Suzette heated the PPI beef fried rice and I heated the PPI Mapo Dofu. Then Suzette served the last slices of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
Bon Appetit
November 12, 2016 A Day in Santa Fe
November 12, 2016 A Day in Santa Fe. Lunch – The Shed
We wanted to get out of town and decided to go to Santa Fe.
We left at 9:00 and went by the bank and then drove to Santa Fe.
We first went to Stephen’s Consignment, where Suzette found a wicker desk for her assisted living facility.
We then went to Congere Consignment where Suzette found three pie racks.
Then we drove to Owings Gallery, where've like to park downtown Santa Fe, especially when we go to the Shed.
We walked through the gallery and noticed three prints of fruit leaning against the wall behind the front counter. When we looked at them we noticed the signature Marsden Hartley and a date of 1923. There were two small Hartley Paintings in the gallery for $125,000 each and a large painting of a
vase of flowers for $250,000. We asked Nat the price of the Hartley prints because they had not been priced yet. Nat said, “The fair market asking price is $4,500.00 each.” I asked Nat, “Will you take $3.000.00.” Nat said, “Yes.” A 1 minute negotiation.
Nat was under the weather but Robert, who has worked at the Gallery ever since I have visited it for at least thirty years. He is very pleasant. Suzette and I looked at the three prints. Suzette and Robert agreed on the print of an apple, a pear, and pomegranate, but I was not sure.
We said we wanted to eat lunch. Robert said, “go to lunch. These will be here when you return.”
So we walked the long block through Sena Plaza to the Shed. We arrived a little after 12:30 and had a 40 minute wait. Suzette had a phone call so we decided to have a margarita. I ordered two Silver Spur Margaritas made with Cointreau. The day was sunny and warm, so we waited outside at a table on the patio until we were called. I ordered my favorite dish, blue corn enchiladas with beef double posole and red chili. Suzette ordered chicken enchiladas with red and green chili and sour cream. I ordered a Negra Modelo and Suzette ordered another margarita. We were enjoying celebrating getting out of town.
The red chili was really picante and we had to order another ramekin of sour cream. We could not eat all of our dishes so we boxed the rest of our lunch and walked back to Owings Gallery. We looked and discussed the Hartley prints with Robert some more and decided to buy the print Robert and Suzette liked the best, which I also liked. We are thrilled to have a real Hartley work, even though it is only a print.
We then drove up to Canyon Road and parked across the street from Ernesto Mayans Gallery. After we visited Ernesto and looked at the gallery we walked across the street to visit Agnes Sims compound where we talked to the old gentleman who had bought part of the compound from Agnes Sims who explained which portions of which buildings had been built by Sims in clouding the building that is now Chiascuro Gallery that he sold to Ms. Lapides.
We then walked up Canyon Rd. To see Olive Rush’s house but stopped to say hello to Chef Campbell
Caruso, who was standing on the street outside Gallery 901. He told us that was catering the opening beginning at 3:00. We saw the menu which included slices of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and pear on toast; pieces of tortilla Espanol with a poblano Romesco Sauce; lamb meatballs, and chocolate truffles, so decided to return for the opening after 3:00.
We then walked up the street to the Unitarian Church, which was built by Olive Rush and devised to the Unitarians. We walked behind the church/house to the large garden. This is one of the lovely garden in Santa Fe. The tenants invited us inside to see their apartment which was part of the original house, off an enclosed porch, but the main house was locked. After visiting the Unitarian church we walked back to 901 and looked at the art that was Spanish and American contemporary impressionist art that Suzette characterized as “Office art”. We drank Perrier water and enjoyed the tapas. I especially liked the Spanish omelet topped with the poblano romesco Sauce.
After we ate tapas, thanked Chef Caruso, and drove back to Albuquerque.
We were not hungry until around 8:00 when Suzette heated the PPI beef fried rice and I heated the PPI Mapo Dofu. Then Suzette served the last slices of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
Bon Appetit
We wanted to get out of town and decided to go to Santa Fe.
We left at 9:00 and went by the bank and then drove to Santa Fe.
We first went to Stephen’s Consignment, where Suzette found a wicker desk for her assisted living facility.
We then went to Congere Consignment where Suzette found three pie racks.
Then we drove to Owings Gallery, where've like to park downtown Santa Fe, especially when we go to the Shed.
We walked through the gallery and noticed three prints of fruit leaning against the wall behind the front counter. When we looked at them we noticed the signature Marsden Hartley and a date of 1923. There were two small Hartley Paintings in the gallery for $125,000 each and a large painting of a
vase of flowers for $250,000. We asked Nat the price of the Hartley prints because they had not been priced yet. Nat said, “The fair market asking price is $4,500.00 each.” I asked Nat, “Will you take $3.000.00.” Nat said, “Yes.” A 1 minute negotiation.
Nat was under the weather but Robert, who has worked at the Gallery ever since I have visited it for at least thirty years. He is very pleasant. Suzette and I looked at the three prints. Suzette and Robert agreed on the print of an apple, a pear, and pomegranate, but I was not sure.
We said we wanted to eat lunch. Robert said, “go to lunch. These will be here when you return.”
So we walked the long block through Sena Plaza to the Shed. We arrived a little after 12:30 and had a 40 minute wait. Suzette had a phone call so we decided to have a margarita. I ordered two Silver Spur Margaritas made with Cointreau. The day was sunny and warm, so we waited outside at a table on the patio until we were called. I ordered my favorite dish, blue corn enchiladas with beef double posole and red chili. Suzette ordered chicken enchiladas with red and green chili and sour cream. I ordered a Negra Modelo and Suzette ordered another margarita. We were enjoying celebrating getting out of town.
The red chili was really picante and we had to order another ramekin of sour cream. We could not eat all of our dishes so we boxed the rest of our lunch and walked back to Owings Gallery. We looked and discussed the Hartley prints with Robert some more and decided to buy the print Robert and Suzette liked the best, which I also liked. We are thrilled to have a real Hartley work, even though it is only a print.
We then drove up to Canyon Road and parked across the street from Ernesto Mayans Gallery. After we visited Ernesto and looked at the gallery we walked across the street to visit Agnes Sims compound where we talked to the old gentleman who had bought part of the compound from Agnes Sims who explained which portions of which buildings had been built by Sims in clouding the building that is now Chiascuro Gallery that he sold to Ms. Lapides.
We then walked up Canyon Rd. To see Olive Rush’s house but stopped to say hello to Chef Campbell
Caruso, who was standing on the street outside Gallery 901. He told us that was catering the opening beginning at 3:00. We saw the menu which included slices of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and pear on toast; pieces of tortilla Espanol with a poblano Romesco Sauce; lamb meatballs, and chocolate truffles, so decided to return for the opening after 3:00.
We then walked up the street to the Unitarian Church, which was built by Olive Rush and devised to the Unitarians. We walked behind the church/house to the large garden. This is one of the lovely garden in Santa Fe. The tenants invited us inside to see their apartment which was part of the original house, off an enclosed porch, but the main house was locked. After visiting the Unitarian church we walked back to 901 and looked at the art that was Spanish and American contemporary impressionist art that Suzette characterized as “Office art”. We drank Perrier water and enjoyed the tapas. I especially liked the Spanish omelet topped with the poblano romesco Sauce.
After we ate tapas, thanked Chef Caruso, and drove back to Albuquerque.
We were not hungry until around 8:00 when Suzette heated the PPI beef fried rice and I heated the PPI Mapo Dofu. Then Suzette served the last slices of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
Bon Appetit
November 13, 2016 Brunch – Enchiladas, Eggs, and Sorrel Dinner – Ham and Lentil Soup
November 13, 2016 Brunch – Enchiladas, Eggs, and Sorrel Dinner – Ham and Lentil Soup
We spent a relaxing day. I worked a bit in the morning. Mario installed a new shelf over the fridge in the kitchen.
A little after noon Suzette sautéed several eggs Willy brought us from the Simbana’s chicken coop with fresh sorrel from our garden and heated the PPI enchiladas from the Shed. Suzette plated the enchiladas covered by the eggs and sorrel and added several cold asparagus.
I drank V8 and Suzette made a Bloody Mary.
Suzette went shopping and I talked to Willy about property taxes and credit card accounts.
Suzette removed a number of items from the freezer, including a container of ham and lentil soup and then went shopping for clothes.
Suzette returned at 5:00 and at 5:30 heated the soup some dinner rolls that had been frozen. We ate soup with buttered rolls and said goodnight to Willy.
After dinner Suzette and I made my chocolate French Pudding for the Book Club meeting on Thursday.
Then we watched our favorite PBS Masterpiece Theater series shows, took a soak in the hot tub and went to bed around 10:30.
Bon Appetit
We spent a relaxing day. I worked a bit in the morning. Mario installed a new shelf over the fridge in the kitchen.
A little after noon Suzette sautéed several eggs Willy brought us from the Simbana’s chicken coop with fresh sorrel from our garden and heated the PPI enchiladas from the Shed. Suzette plated the enchiladas covered by the eggs and sorrel and added several cold asparagus.
I drank V8 and Suzette made a Bloody Mary.
Suzette went shopping and I talked to Willy about property taxes and credit card accounts.
Suzette removed a number of items from the freezer, including a container of ham and lentil soup and then went shopping for clothes.
Suzette returned at 5:00 and at 5:30 heated the soup some dinner rolls that had been frozen. We ate soup with buttered rolls and said goodnight to Willy.
After dinner Suzette and I made my chocolate French Pudding for the Book Club meeting on Thursday.
Then we watched our favorite PBS Masterpiece Theater series shows, took a soak in the hot tub and went to bed around 10:30.
Bon Appetit
Saturday, November 12, 2016
November 12, 2016. Lunch – Garcia’s Kitchen. Dinner – Stir Fried Beef with rice
November 12, 2016. Lunch – Garcia’s Kitchen. Dinner – Stir Fried Beef with rice
Aaron came by around noon to deliver a check and we decided to go to lunch together. We discussed all the options in the neighborhood since he had a 1:00 telephone conference. He mentioned Central Grill and Vinaigrette. I mentioned Mexican food. He mentioned Duran’s Pharmacy and I mentioned Garcia’s Kitchen. We decided upon Garcia’s Kitchen. I drove us there through the neighborhood in a couple of minutes. When we arrived, there were folks waiting to be seated even though the sign said “Seat Yourself”. Aaron said, “Shall we sit at the counter?”, which had a number of seats open. So we took seats at the counter.i loved sitting at the counter. The service was prompt and it had a different feel and perspective from a table in a back dining room; more in the flow of activity. I ordered my usual, Huevos Locos with red chicle on the side and double beans with corn tortillas. Aaron ordered Tres Tacos consisting of a chicken, a beef, and a brisket taco and fried potatoes and beans. We each ordered a sopapilla for after the meal
Aaron came by around noon to deliver a check and we decided to go to lunch together. We discussed all the options in the neighborhood since he had a 1:00 telephone conference. He mentioned Central Grill and Vinaigrette. I mentioned Mexican food. He mentioned Duran’s Pharmacy and I mentioned Garcia’s Kitchen. We decided upon Garcia’s Kitchen. I drove us there through the neighborhood in a couple of minutes. When we arrived, there were folks waiting to be seated even though the sign said “Seat Yourself”. Aaron said, “Shall we sit at the counter?”, which had a number of seats open. So we took seats at the counter.i loved sitting at the counter. The service was prompt and it had a different feel and perspective from a table in a back dining room; more in the flow of activity. I ordered my usual, Huevos Locos with red chicle on the side and double beans with corn tortillas. Aaron ordered Tres Tacos consisting of a chicken, a beef, and a brisket taco and fried potatoes and beans. We each ordered a sopapilla for after the meal
Huevos Locos is really the Mexican dish called Machaca, which is eggs scrambled with fresh chopped sautéed jalapeño pepper, tomatoes, onion, and beef brisket. The first and best Machaca I ever ate was at a ranch house restaurant in Baja California in 1972, when my then girl friend Val Ostarch, and I were driving south from L.A. to Scammon’s Lagoon, near Guerrero Negro to watch the Gray Whales. We camped in a tent on the beach, picking clams at low tide and cooking them with rice. Perhaps the most idyllic and primordial experience of my life.
There were no tourist accommodations in1972 because the then new national highway had just been completed, so we had to gas up our VW beetle at small villages and ranch houses. At one ranch there was a small restaurant and I ordered Machaca, described as Huevos Rancheros with meat. The meat was chopped beef jerky that had been rehydrated and still had a sinewy toughness to it that made the dish quite unique especially when juxtaposed with the fluffy scrambled eggs. I am reading Kit Carsons Autobiography and the memory of that first beef jerky Machaca at that ranch in the wilds of Baja California resonates with me as I read about his years of eating only what they killed as they traversed what was to become (in no small measure, through his direct efforts) the Western States of the U.S.
After lunch I sent default notices to the tenants at 524 Romero and worked on a Motion to Reconsider in the LRG adjudication. Scott Boyd and I are trying to prevent the years of considerable effort and expense expended by the farmers who settled the Mesilla Valley beginning in the early 1800’s from being wiped away by the U.S.’ seizure beginning in 1896.
At 5:00 I watched the business news and then the News Hour until 7:00 when we began cooking. I had called Willy at 6:00 to invite him for dinner when I saw that the World Cup Qualifying match between Mexico and the U.S. was being broadcast live. We had a rib eye steak, so I decided to make one of his favorite dishes, Beef Fried Rice. Fortunately, we did not have and PPI rice so I made freshly cooked basmati rice with chicken stock and a small handful of Lilly pods.
Stir Fried Beef
I then chopped a medium yellow onion, a zucchini, five or six white mushrooms, seven or eight shishito peppers from Mexico, and about 1 T. each of ginger and garlic. I then chopped the approximately 1 lb. rib eye steak int ½ inch pieces.
We stir fried the garlic, ginger and meat and removed it from the wok. We then stir fried all the vegetables together for about twenty minutes until they were cooked. I added 1 T. each of Chinese cooking wine and soy and 1 tsp. Of sesame oil. I then made a thickening Sauce with the same amounts of the same ingredients plus 1 T. of cornstarch and two or three T. of water. I added the thickening to the wok and when the mixture thickened we were ready to eat. Willy fetched Coors beers from the garage and we each piled the stir fried beef dish on a mound of warm rice and watched the exciting finish of the soccer match, which Mexico won on a header from a corner kick in the last three minutes of regular time.
Bob Appetit
There were no tourist accommodations in1972 because the then new national highway had just been completed, so we had to gas up our VW beetle at small villages and ranch houses. At one ranch there was a small restaurant and I ordered Machaca, described as Huevos Rancheros with meat. The meat was chopped beef jerky that had been rehydrated and still had a sinewy toughness to it that made the dish quite unique especially when juxtaposed with the fluffy scrambled eggs. I am reading Kit Carsons Autobiography and the memory of that first beef jerky Machaca at that ranch in the wilds of Baja California resonates with me as I read about his years of eating only what they killed as they traversed what was to become (in no small measure, through his direct efforts) the Western States of the U.S.
After lunch I sent default notices to the tenants at 524 Romero and worked on a Motion to Reconsider in the LRG adjudication. Scott Boyd and I are trying to prevent the years of considerable effort and expense expended by the farmers who settled the Mesilla Valley beginning in the early 1800’s from being wiped away by the U.S.’ seizure beginning in 1896.
At 5:00 I watched the business news and then the News Hour until 7:00 when we began cooking. I had called Willy at 6:00 to invite him for dinner when I saw that the World Cup Qualifying match between Mexico and the U.S. was being broadcast live. We had a rib eye steak, so I decided to make one of his favorite dishes, Beef Fried Rice. Fortunately, we did not have and PPI rice so I made freshly cooked basmati rice with chicken stock and a small handful of Lilly pods.
Stir Fried Beef
I then chopped a medium yellow onion, a zucchini, five or six white mushrooms, seven or eight shishito peppers from Mexico, and about 1 T. each of ginger and garlic. I then chopped the approximately 1 lb. rib eye steak int ½ inch pieces.
We stir fried the garlic, ginger and meat and removed it from the wok. We then stir fried all the vegetables together for about twenty minutes until they were cooked. I added 1 T. each of Chinese cooking wine and soy and 1 tsp. Of sesame oil. I then made a thickening Sauce with the same amounts of the same ingredients plus 1 T. of cornstarch and two or three T. of water. I added the thickening to the wok and when the mixture thickened we were ready to eat. Willy fetched Coors beers from the garage and we each piled the stir fried beef dish on a mound of warm rice and watched the exciting finish of the soccer match, which Mexico won on a header from a corner kick in the last three minutes of regular time.
Bob Appetit
Friday, November 11, 2016
November 10, 2016 Lunch – East Ocean Dinner- PPI Lamb, Bulgar and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
November 10, 2016 Lunch – East Ocean Dinner- PPI Lamb, Bulgar and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
I ate yogurt, vitamin powder, milk, diced mango, and granola for breakfast.
Then at 12:30 I went with Peter Eller to East Ocean, which is my favorite Lunch restaurant in Albuquerque. Peter ordered Mongolian Beef and I ordered my favorite, Scallops in Lobster Sauce which comes with a side dish of Sweet and sour chicken.
The Lobster Sauce must be mixed with the rice to bind it into a mass that can be lifted with chop sticks. This photo shows the complete emulsification of the rice into the Sauce to make an edible mass.
Here is Peter’s Mongolian Beef.
At 3:45 I rode to Rio Bravo and back.
When I returned a bit before 5:00 Suzette was working on the I Pad and I had been feeling depressed about the election, so went to lie in bed and read and doze.
At 6:00 Suzette awoke me, saying, “I am hungry, Let’s eat.”
We had discussed and agreed to fix the rest of the marinated Lamb for dinner, so Suzette drained the lamb from the marinade while I sliced 1/3 of a red onion into thin slices.
Suzette fetched the PPI Bulgar wheat from the garage fridge and a container of PPI roasted Brussels Sprouts and the bag of PPI cooked lamb from the house fridge. She then got the wok and heated olive oil in it and stir fried the onion and then added the uncooked lamb, then the cooked lamb and Brussels sprouts, and then the Bulgar. The result was a mass of warmed delicious food. We were hungry and ate bowls of the ugly mixture because we were hungry. We even forgot to add the tzatziki Sauce.
I opened a bottle of Famille Perrin 2013 Cotes Du Rhine Reserve. The clean taste of the 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache grape blend wine was almost too subtle for the rough flavors of the Bulgar and lamb dish, but we both found the dish to be entirely satisfying from a nutritional stand point. One medium bowl satisfied Suzette’s hunger and Willy arrived as I was starting my second bowl and I stopped eating it to make sure he had enough to satisfy him for his dinner.
Remember that I had added almonds and golden raisins to the Bulgar so it had lots of satisfying ingredients.
We were tired of watching TV, so we went to bed at 8:00 and read until 10:00.
Bob Appetit
I ate yogurt, vitamin powder, milk, diced mango, and granola for breakfast.
Then at 12:30 I went with Peter Eller to East Ocean, which is my favorite Lunch restaurant in Albuquerque. Peter ordered Mongolian Beef and I ordered my favorite, Scallops in Lobster Sauce which comes with a side dish of Sweet and sour chicken.
The Lobster Sauce must be mixed with the rice to bind it into a mass that can be lifted with chop sticks. This photo shows the complete emulsification of the rice into the Sauce to make an edible mass.
Here is Peter’s Mongolian Beef.
At 3:45 I rode to Rio Bravo and back.
When I returned a bit before 5:00 Suzette was working on the I Pad and I had been feeling depressed about the election, so went to lie in bed and read and doze.
At 6:00 Suzette awoke me, saying, “I am hungry, Let’s eat.”
We had discussed and agreed to fix the rest of the marinated Lamb for dinner, so Suzette drained the lamb from the marinade while I sliced 1/3 of a red onion into thin slices.
Suzette fetched the PPI Bulgar wheat from the garage fridge and a container of PPI roasted Brussels Sprouts and the bag of PPI cooked lamb from the house fridge. She then got the wok and heated olive oil in it and stir fried the onion and then added the uncooked lamb, then the cooked lamb and Brussels sprouts, and then the Bulgar. The result was a mass of warmed delicious food. We were hungry and ate bowls of the ugly mixture because we were hungry. We even forgot to add the tzatziki Sauce.
I opened a bottle of Famille Perrin 2013 Cotes Du Rhine Reserve. The clean taste of the 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache grape blend wine was almost too subtle for the rough flavors of the Bulgar and lamb dish, but we both found the dish to be entirely satisfying from a nutritional stand point. One medium bowl satisfied Suzette’s hunger and Willy arrived as I was starting my second bowl and I stopped eating it to make sure he had enough to satisfy him for his dinner.
Remember that I had added almonds and golden raisins to the Bulgar so it had lots of satisfying ingredients.
We were tired of watching TV, so we went to bed at 8:00 and read until 10:00.
Bob Appetit
November 9, 2016 Lunch – Central Grille and Coffee Shop. Dinner – Lamb Shish Kabobs with Grilled Asparagus, Bulgar Wheat, and Tzatziki
November 9, 2016 Lunch – Central Grille and Coffee Shop. Dinner – Lamb Shish Kabobs with Grilled Asparagus, Bulgar Wheat, and Tzatziki
Willy called around 12:30 and wanted to go to lunch. When he arrived we discussed restaurants and settled with n Central Grille near the southeast corner of Rio Grande and Central. When we arrived it was not crowded. Willy ordered a Cuban Sandwich and I ordered a patty melt hamburger with sautéed onions and melted cheese. I also ordered an order of fried onion rings.
We sat at a table on the patio outside and enjoyed the warm sunny afternoon.
Suzette wanted to use up the lamb shish kebob meat, so I made tzatziki last night and put it in the fridge to mellow. Today I went to El Super and bought two cucumbers for $.50, yellow onions for 5 lb. for $.99, limes for $.33 /lb..,a ½ lb. box of white mushrooms for $1.89, Manila mangoes for $.50 each, carrots for $.25/lb., Roma tomatoes for $.50/lb., and a gallon of milk for $2.42. A good day of shopping.
As I drove across the Rio Grande caught in the construction traffic for the new ART system, I googled propane refill on google and was directed to the UHaul station at I40 and 6th St. when I arrived I waited while another person gassed up from the large propane tank and then the attendant filled my tank with 4.6 gallons of propane. I paid $16.24 for the propane and found a new, more wonderful way to refill my tank.
I then drove home, unloaded all my groceries, and worked until Suzette arrived at 5:15. I then ate a few red grapes and lay down for a 15 minute nap and at 6:15 drove to meditation. We now meditate for two 15 minute periods with a walk between sits. It is micro meditation but we try hard and it seems to work for Todd and me.
Then home at 7:20 where Suzette was waiting hungrily. I diced ½ of the cucumbers I had bought at El Super and added it to the txatziko with another T. of olive oil and went to the garden in the dark, picked and chopped about 1 T. of fresh mint and added that to the tzatziki.
I the skewered six or seven pieces of marinated lamb on skewers while Suzette snapped and tossed the last 21 stalks of asparagus in a bag with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Then Suzette put the lamb and asparagus on the grill and went to the garage to get the PPI bulgar wheat because I was still working Ipoh the tzatziki. Willy arrived about this time and consoled Suzette over Hillary’s loss and joined us for dinner and watching the demonstrations sparked by Trump’s victory. Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of Trump’s famous book, The Art of the Deal, recently said that Trump always criticizes what he feels most vulnerable about in himself. The demonstrations are just the beginning of a wave of criticism of the legitimacy of his presidency, just as he exploited the legitimacy of Obama’s presidency with his Birther accusations.
Suzette heated the bulgar in a Pyrex baking dish in the microwave and then fetched the shush kabobs and asparagus while I opened a bottle of 2008 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva (Total Wine $9.97). The meal was much better than our attempt Monday night, cooked thoroughly, but tender.. The tzatziki was delicious, as was the succulent lamb and the asparagus were mostly tender.
We loved dinner tonight and the heavy yet fruity Rioja went well with the stronger meat flavor of the lamb. Tempranillo takes years to settle out all the heavy organic sin the grapes. I think making a reserva takes 2 ½ years and then several years in the bottle, so a 2008 is not a very old bottle.
Willy and I ate chocolates with the last of the wine after dinner, as we watched the after election coverage on TV.
We said goodnight to Willy and went to bed at 9:30
Bob Appetit
Willy called around 12:30 and wanted to go to lunch. When he arrived we discussed restaurants and settled with n Central Grille near the southeast corner of Rio Grande and Central. When we arrived it was not crowded. Willy ordered a Cuban Sandwich and I ordered a patty melt hamburger with sautéed onions and melted cheese. I also ordered an order of fried onion rings.
We sat at a table on the patio outside and enjoyed the warm sunny afternoon.
Suzette wanted to use up the lamb shish kebob meat, so I made tzatziki last night and put it in the fridge to mellow. Today I went to El Super and bought two cucumbers for $.50, yellow onions for 5 lb. for $.99, limes for $.33 /lb..,a ½ lb. box of white mushrooms for $1.89, Manila mangoes for $.50 each, carrots for $.25/lb., Roma tomatoes for $.50/lb., and a gallon of milk for $2.42. A good day of shopping.
As I drove across the Rio Grande caught in the construction traffic for the new ART system, I googled propane refill on google and was directed to the UHaul station at I40 and 6th St. when I arrived I waited while another person gassed up from the large propane tank and then the attendant filled my tank with 4.6 gallons of propane. I paid $16.24 for the propane and found a new, more wonderful way to refill my tank.
I then drove home, unloaded all my groceries, and worked until Suzette arrived at 5:15. I then ate a few red grapes and lay down for a 15 minute nap and at 6:15 drove to meditation. We now meditate for two 15 minute periods with a walk between sits. It is micro meditation but we try hard and it seems to work for Todd and me.
Then home at 7:20 where Suzette was waiting hungrily. I diced ½ of the cucumbers I had bought at El Super and added it to the txatziko with another T. of olive oil and went to the garden in the dark, picked and chopped about 1 T. of fresh mint and added that to the tzatziki.
I the skewered six or seven pieces of marinated lamb on skewers while Suzette snapped and tossed the last 21 stalks of asparagus in a bag with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Then Suzette put the lamb and asparagus on the grill and went to the garage to get the PPI bulgar wheat because I was still working Ipoh the tzatziki. Willy arrived about this time and consoled Suzette over Hillary’s loss and joined us for dinner and watching the demonstrations sparked by Trump’s victory. Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of Trump’s famous book, The Art of the Deal, recently said that Trump always criticizes what he feels most vulnerable about in himself. The demonstrations are just the beginning of a wave of criticism of the legitimacy of his presidency, just as he exploited the legitimacy of Obama’s presidency with his Birther accusations.
Suzette heated the bulgar in a Pyrex baking dish in the microwave and then fetched the shush kabobs and asparagus while I opened a bottle of 2008 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva (Total Wine $9.97). The meal was much better than our attempt Monday night, cooked thoroughly, but tender.. The tzatziki was delicious, as was the succulent lamb and the asparagus were mostly tender.
We loved dinner tonight and the heavy yet fruity Rioja went well with the stronger meat flavor of the lamb. Tempranillo takes years to settle out all the heavy organic sin the grapes. I think making a reserva takes 2 ½ years and then several years in the bottle, so a 2008 is not a very old bottle.
Willy and I ate chocolates with the last of the wine after dinner, as we watched the after election coverage on TV.
We said goodnight to Willy and went to bed at 9:30
Bob Appetit
November 8, 2016 Lunch – Chicken Cesar Salad, Dinner – Election Party at Janis and Tom’s
November 8, 2016 Lunch – Chicken Cesar Salad, Dinner – Election Party at Janis and Tom’s
Not much to say about the food today, but a lot to say about the election.
I worked through breakfast, so at 12:30 I made a Chicken Cesar Salad, chopping a PPI leg of roasted chicken, a head of romaine, ¼ of a cucumber, a tomato, and three green onions. I also made a melted cheese sandwich by melting slices of Irish cheddar cheese on slices of baguette.
We were invited to an election viewing party at Janis and Tom’s house. At 7:00 we took two bottles of champagne, a case of Coors beer and the Italian Cloud cake with the pomegranate seeds and cream anglais to their house.
Herb Denise, Megen, Barry and Kylene, Barb also came. Soon the festive atmosphere turned to mourning and by 10:30 when we left there was no need to open the champagne.
Janis’ hospitality was impeccable as usual. She made a crock pot full of Texas chili with sautéed sirloin, pinto beans and lots of seasonings that made a thick red stew. I ate two bowls with grated cheese on top with a couple of Negra Modelos.
Then dessert was served. Along with Suzette’s cloud cake on a puddle of pomegranate crime anglais was a piece of rich chocolate cake with nuts that Megan made. Megen said it was a Waldorf $100.00 cake.
Our little group of democrats sat on the comfortable sofa in the basement in front of the big screen TV and watched in growing as the map looked progressively worse for Hillary.
My general impression of the election without a lot of refection is that I had been to this rodeo before. What I mean by that statement is that I lived through the 60’s and experienced first hand the hope for progressive change in America resulting from the Civil Rights movement, the Anti-war movement, and the counter cultural Renaissance of the late 60’s was thwarted by a conservative reaction in 1968 to the anti-war marches, sit ins, and finally the demonstrations against the war and social injustice and the riots following the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King that tore apart the Democratic Party that was exploited by Nixon with his promises of law and order and his Southern strategy that resulted in the traditional Southern White conservative/racist wing of the Democratic Party bolting to the Republican Party. The unfortunate result was a lock down on descent, police actions like Kent State, show trials like the Chicago Eight that brought a chill to progressive politics until Obama.
It looks like the path to progressive change has been blocked once again by a racist xenophobic reaction by poor uneducated racist Americans. This will create fodder for years for social/political historians who will follow the path opened by great historians like Richard Hofstadter.
Non Appetit
Not much to say about the food today, but a lot to say about the election.
I worked through breakfast, so at 12:30 I made a Chicken Cesar Salad, chopping a PPI leg of roasted chicken, a head of romaine, ¼ of a cucumber, a tomato, and three green onions. I also made a melted cheese sandwich by melting slices of Irish cheddar cheese on slices of baguette.
We were invited to an election viewing party at Janis and Tom’s house. At 7:00 we took two bottles of champagne, a case of Coors beer and the Italian Cloud cake with the pomegranate seeds and cream anglais to their house.
Herb Denise, Megen, Barry and Kylene, Barb also came. Soon the festive atmosphere turned to mourning and by 10:30 when we left there was no need to open the champagne.
Janis’ hospitality was impeccable as usual. She made a crock pot full of Texas chili with sautéed sirloin, pinto beans and lots of seasonings that made a thick red stew. I ate two bowls with grated cheese on top with a couple of Negra Modelos.
Then dessert was served. Along with Suzette’s cloud cake on a puddle of pomegranate crime anglais was a piece of rich chocolate cake with nuts that Megan made. Megen said it was a Waldorf $100.00 cake.
Our little group of democrats sat on the comfortable sofa in the basement in front of the big screen TV and watched in growing as the map looked progressively worse for Hillary.
My general impression of the election without a lot of refection is that I had been to this rodeo before. What I mean by that statement is that I lived through the 60’s and experienced first hand the hope for progressive change in America resulting from the Civil Rights movement, the Anti-war movement, and the counter cultural Renaissance of the late 60’s was thwarted by a conservative reaction in 1968 to the anti-war marches, sit ins, and finally the demonstrations against the war and social injustice and the riots following the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King that tore apart the Democratic Party that was exploited by Nixon with his promises of law and order and his Southern strategy that resulted in the traditional Southern White conservative/racist wing of the Democratic Party bolting to the Republican Party. The unfortunate result was a lock down on descent, police actions like Kent State, show trials like the Chicago Eight that brought a chill to progressive politics until Obama.
It looks like the path to progressive change has been blocked once again by a racist xenophobic reaction by poor uneducated racist Americans. This will create fodder for years for social/political historians who will follow the path opened by great historians like Richard Hofstadter.
Non Appetit
Monday, November 7, 2016
November 7, 2016 Lunch – PPI Malone Dofu. Dinner – party with Shrimp stuffed artichokes, pomegranate marinated lamb shush kabobs with mushrooms and onion, Bulgar risotto with raisins and almonds and Italian Cloud Cake with pomegranate crème anglais.
November 7, 2016 Lunch – PPI Malone Dofu. Dinner – party with Shrimp stuffed artichokes, pomegranate marinated lamb shush kabobs with mushrooms and onion, Bulgar risotto with raisins and almonds and Italian Cloud Cake with pomegranate crème anglais.
I ate yogurt, vitamin powder, milk, raspberries, blueberries, and granola for breakfast.
Then at 12:15 I heated a plate of PPI Mapo Dofu and rice.
At 2:45 I rode to Montano and back.
At 4:00 Suzette came home, so I ended my work day and showered and went to the kitchen. I skewered marinated pieces of lamb, blanched onion, and mushroom . Then I risottoed 2 cups of No. 4 bulgar wheat, a handful each of almonds, and raisins in olive oil and butter. I then added 4 cups of hot water with a tsp. of dehydrated chicken stock.
I then simmered the bulgar for 30 minutes. After about ten minutes I sautéed a cup of chopped chard and about 1/3 cup of almonds.
The outdoor grill was out of propane, so we broiled the skewers in the oven at 500 degrees on convection broil.
Barry and Kylene arrived a bit before 7:00 with a bottle of Gruet Brut champagne, a Trader Joe’s seeded baguette, and a bowl of homemade tapenade.
Then a few minutes after 7:00 Cynthia and Ricardo arrived with three bowls holding steamed artichokes stuffed with shrimp and bread crumbs with a butter and lemon sauce as an appetizer. Willy also arrived a bit after 7:00. I opened two bottles of 2012 Cotes du Rhine and a magnum of Block Patch French Pinot Noir.
We ate artichokes, fore grass, warm bread, artichokes, and tapenade.
Then we broiled the lamb shush kabobs. Then we plated each plate with a mound of bulgar and a shish kabob.
After dinner we plated a slice of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
A lovely evening.
We stayed up until after 10:00 to watch final speeches by Clinton and Trump and the first voting in NH.
Bon Apetit
I ate yogurt, vitamin powder, milk, raspberries, blueberries, and granola for breakfast.
Then at 12:15 I heated a plate of PPI Mapo Dofu and rice.
At 2:45 I rode to Montano and back.
At 4:00 Suzette came home, so I ended my work day and showered and went to the kitchen. I skewered marinated pieces of lamb, blanched onion, and mushroom . Then I risottoed 2 cups of No. 4 bulgar wheat, a handful each of almonds, and raisins in olive oil and butter. I then added 4 cups of hot water with a tsp. of dehydrated chicken stock.
I then simmered the bulgar for 30 minutes. After about ten minutes I sautéed a cup of chopped chard and about 1/3 cup of almonds.
The outdoor grill was out of propane, so we broiled the skewers in the oven at 500 degrees on convection broil.
Barry and Kylene arrived a bit before 7:00 with a bottle of Gruet Brut champagne, a Trader Joe’s seeded baguette, and a bowl of homemade tapenade.
Then a few minutes after 7:00 Cynthia and Ricardo arrived with three bowls holding steamed artichokes stuffed with shrimp and bread crumbs with a butter and lemon sauce as an appetizer. Willy also arrived a bit after 7:00. I opened two bottles of 2012 Cotes du Rhine and a magnum of Block Patch French Pinot Noir.
We ate artichokes, fore grass, warm bread, artichokes, and tapenade.
Then we broiled the lamb shush kabobs. Then we plated each plate with a mound of bulgar and a shish kabob.
After dinner we plated a slice of Italian Cloud Cake on a puddle of pomegranate flavored crime anglais.
A lovely evening.
We stayed up until after 10:00 to watch final speeches by Clinton and Trump and the first voting in NH.
Bon Apetit
Sunday, November 6, 2016
November 6, 2016 Brunch – Steak and egg tacos. Dinner- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions, Steamed Asparagus, and Fruit Sauce
I ate a bowl of granola with yogurt and berries for breakfast.
The at 10:00 we made steak, sweet potato, onion, and egg tacos. Suzette heated and wrapped them in a wet tense paper towel and softened them for 45 seconds in the microwave. I softened my two tortillas in chicken broth. Here is a photo.
We decided to make our favorite pork dish, which is a tapa from Jose Andreas Tapa Cookbook.
I rode to Rio Bravo and back from 4:00 to 5:00. At 6:00 we started cooking. We sliced a Granny Smith apple and a medium yellow onion and 1 tenderloin into 1 inch thick slices.
Here is the recipe:
I wanted to make a fruit sauce so I combined candied apricots, dehydrated cranberries, cherries and prunes with 1 cup of sweet red Smugglers’ Cove wine and simmered the fruit until it softened enough to cut into pieces. I then added 1 T. of cornstarch dissolved in ½ T. of cognac and about 2?T. of water to the fruit sauce to thicken it.
We snapped the ends of a couple dozen asparagus and steamed them.. we opened a bottle of Conti Pinot Grigio rose.
I toasted and buttered six small slices of Fano baguette and Suzette plated dinner.
Everything was fabulous tender, flavorful and filling
Because of the sweet fruit sauce we did not crave any dessert.
We watched Masterpiece Theater on PBS until 10:00 and then had a soak in the hot tub and went to bed.
Bon Appetit
I ate a bowl of granola with yogurt and berries for breakfast.
The at 10:00 we made steak, sweet potato, onion, and egg tacos. Suzette heated and wrapped them in a wet tense paper towel and softened them for 45 seconds in the microwave. I softened my two tortillas in chicken broth. Here is a photo.
We decided to make our favorite pork dish, which is a tapa from Jose Andreas Tapa Cookbook.
I rode to Rio Bravo and back from 4:00 to 5:00. At 6:00 we started cooking. We sliced a Granny Smith apple and a medium yellow onion and 1 tenderloin into 1 inch thick slices.
Here is the recipe:
I wanted to make a fruit sauce so I combined candied apricots, dehydrated cranberries, cherries and prunes with 1 cup of sweet red Smugglers’ Cove wine and simmered the fruit until it softened enough to cut into pieces. I then added 1 T. of cornstarch dissolved in ½ T. of cognac and about 2?T. of water to the fruit sauce to thicken it.
We snapped the ends of a couple dozen asparagus and steamed them.. we opened a bottle of Conti Pinot Grigio rose.
I toasted and buttered six small slices of Fano baguette and Suzette plated dinner.
Everything was fabulous tender, flavorful and filling
Because of the sweet fruit sauce we did not crave any dessert.
We watched Masterpiece Theater on PBS until 10:00 and then had a soak in the hot tub and went to bed.
Bon Appetit
October 31, 2016 Lunch – Vietnam 2000. Dinner – New Mexican Chicken Enchilada Casserole
October 31, 2016 Lunch – Vietnam 2000. Dinner – New Mexican Chicken Enchilada Casserole
I worked on getting a protective order filed to avoid a trip to court in Santa Fe until 9:00, then I rode to Rio Bravo and then ate Breakfast, which was yogurt, grapes, granola, milk, and the new vitamin powder.
Peter Eller and I went to lunch at Vietnam 2000 at the corner of San Mateo and Zuni. We both ordered No. 21, which is Bun Cha Gio and grilled pork; a good choice for a warm day, such as today, due to it quantity of chopped fresh cucumber, lettuce, and bean sprouts.
Yesterday Suzette made a green tomato, green chilI, and tomatillo sauce.
Today, when I finished my appointments at 4:00 I drove to El Super
at the corner of Central and Atrisco to buy a few things for the enchiladas for Suzette. I immediately noticed that the Wednesday specials were still in place so I bought limes for $.33/lb., yellow onions for $.20/lb., zucchini for $.50/lb., Manila mangos were newly arrived and cheap at $.59, so I bought three, and tomatoes and broccoli crowns each for $.69/lb. I then went to the deli section and bought the items Suzette needed; Mexican FUD muenster cheese for $2.27/lb., Mexican cream con sal for $1.99/lb., and Requeson (Mexican cottage cheese) for $2.77/lb. I also bought a 40 count package of tortillas for $2.29 that were still warm, four small avocados for $.50 each, and two 12 oz. bags of corn chips for $.99 each
Suzette was home when I returned a bit after 5:00. When I unloaded, Suzette asked me if I wanted Chard in the enchiladas. When I said, “Yes,” she asked me to go to the garden to pick some. I also shredded the white meat of the roasted chicken we had brought home from the Greenhouse Bistro Friday evening.
As I was picking chard, Don, Suzette’s brother and his wife, Bev, arrived. I said hello and helped them with their bags and then de-stemmed the chard.
Suzette took it from there. She chopped three green chilis and then softened the tortillas in tomatillo sauce and built the casserole in layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, requesting, cream, and green chilis, chard, tortillas, and cheese and then filled the baking dish to the rim with tomatillo sauce and baked the enchiladas in a 350 degree oven until the cheese on the top was golden brown and all the ingredients were bubbling.
While Suzette was making the enchiladas, I made a salsa by chopping 2 each of the small avocados, the tomatoes, and the mangos with ¼ of a finely diced red onion and the juice of one lime and a dash of Cholula hot sauce.
Don and Bev brought Guinness Stout and after the enchiladas and salsa were prepared I drank one and helped Suzette give candy to the children for Halloween from 6:00 until 7:30. We usually pick a question to ask. This year Suzette played music by Bob Dylan on her Bluetooth speaker connected to the itunes app on her phone on the porch and she asked, “who won the Nobel Prize for literature this year? The clue is this music.”
With some more clues like, “He was a famous folksinger of the 60’s and 70’s”, most people got the answer, although many seemed to be of Mexican extraction and I felt they did not share the same cultural history that Suzette and I did that made the music and award relevant to their cultural orientation.
At 7:30 most of the 450 pieces of candy had been grabbed by little hands and we set the table and served enchiladas and the mango salsa and drank beers and talked while we all watched the Antiques Roadshow.
We were tired and rested and after dinner and the Roadshow, we watched the British Baking Show semi-finals with the last four contestants, who made a chocolate torte, a chocolate soufflé and finally a chocolate centerpiece.
At 10:00 we went to bed.
Bon appetit
Bob
I worked on getting a protective order filed to avoid a trip to court in Santa Fe until 9:00, then I rode to Rio Bravo and then ate Breakfast, which was yogurt, grapes, granola, milk, and the new vitamin powder.
Peter Eller and I went to lunch at Vietnam 2000 at the corner of San Mateo and Zuni. We both ordered No. 21, which is Bun Cha Gio and grilled pork; a good choice for a warm day, such as today, due to it quantity of chopped fresh cucumber, lettuce, and bean sprouts.
Yesterday Suzette made a green tomato, green chilI, and tomatillo sauce.
Today, when I finished my appointments at 4:00 I drove to El Super
at the corner of Central and Atrisco to buy a few things for the enchiladas for Suzette. I immediately noticed that the Wednesday specials were still in place so I bought limes for $.33/lb., yellow onions for $.20/lb., zucchini for $.50/lb., Manila mangos were newly arrived and cheap at $.59, so I bought three, and tomatoes and broccoli crowns each for $.69/lb. I then went to the deli section and bought the items Suzette needed; Mexican FUD muenster cheese for $2.27/lb., Mexican cream con sal for $1.99/lb., and Requeson (Mexican cottage cheese) for $2.77/lb. I also bought a 40 count package of tortillas for $2.29 that were still warm, four small avocados for $.50 each, and two 12 oz. bags of corn chips for $.99 each
Suzette was home when I returned a bit after 5:00. When I unloaded, Suzette asked me if I wanted Chard in the enchiladas. When I said, “Yes,” she asked me to go to the garden to pick some. I also shredded the white meat of the roasted chicken we had brought home from the Greenhouse Bistro Friday evening.
As I was picking chard, Don, Suzette’s brother and his wife, Bev, arrived. I said hello and helped them with their bags and then de-stemmed the chard.
Suzette took it from there. She chopped three green chilis and then softened the tortillas in tomatillo sauce and built the casserole in layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, requesting, cream, and green chilis, chard, tortillas, and cheese and then filled the baking dish to the rim with tomatillo sauce and baked the enchiladas in a 350 degree oven until the cheese on the top was golden brown and all the ingredients were bubbling.
While Suzette was making the enchiladas, I made a salsa by chopping 2 each of the small avocados, the tomatoes, and the mangos with ¼ of a finely diced red onion and the juice of one lime and a dash of Cholula hot sauce.
Don and Bev brought Guinness Stout and after the enchiladas and salsa were prepared I drank one and helped Suzette give candy to the children for Halloween from 6:00 until 7:30. We usually pick a question to ask. This year Suzette played music by Bob Dylan on her Bluetooth speaker connected to the itunes app on her phone on the porch and she asked, “who won the Nobel Prize for literature this year? The clue is this music.”
With some more clues like, “He was a famous folksinger of the 60’s and 70’s”, most people got the answer, although many seemed to be of Mexican extraction and I felt they did not share the same cultural history that Suzette and I did that made the music and award relevant to their cultural orientation.
At 7:30 most of the 450 pieces of candy had been grabbed by little hands and we set the table and served enchiladas and the mango salsa and drank beers and talked while we all watched the Antiques Roadshow.
At 10:00 we went to bed.
Bon appetit
Bob
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