May 30, 2019. Lunch – Salad and Liverwurst and cheddar cheese Sandwiches Dinner – Book Club Clam dip, cubed Lebanon Bologna and cheddar cheese

May 30, 2019. Lunch – Salad and Liverwurst and cheddar cheese Sandwiches  Dinner – Book Club Clam dip, cubed Lebanon Bologna and cheddar cheese

I ate yogurt, milk, tropical fruit salad, and granola again for breakfast.

I worked until 1:30 and then went to the bank and then Lowe’s for cream cheese.  We had lots of bagels and no cream cheese, an unacceptable condition.

When I walked in I was immediately attracted to the beautiful large heads of Romaine lettuce for $.99 each. I picked a lovely big head.  I then proceeded to buy the cream cheese, actually Neufchâtel.  I then decided to replenish our stock of tonic water, but on my way past the butcher area, I noticed lots of Boars head meats in the cabinet.  I asked the attendant if they carried liverwurst and she said, “Yes.”  I told the attendant I would take 1 lb. sliced medium thick.

I then picked four quart bottles of tonic and headed for the cashier area.  I returned home and made myself a salad.  Three large leaves of Romaine filled a pasta bowl.  I then added cucumbers, anchovies and radishes from the garden and refreshed the salad dressing with an anchovies filet, lemon juice, and olive oil and dressed my fresh, crisp salad.  I also toasted two slices of rye bread and smeared them with butter and added slices of the liverwurst I just bought, a smear of German deli mustard and then a slice of cheddar cheese.

Suzette came in while I was making the sandwiches, so I gave her a slice of liverwurst to try.

I worked until 5:00 and then we started organizing the food for the book club.  Suzette made a cheese and Lebanon Bologna platter with the goggle eyed fish party picks stuck into the cubes of cheese and bologna.

I went to the garden and picked chives and parsley and chopped it and Suzette stirred the herbs into the clam dip.

We put out a platter of cookies and bowls of M&Ms,  mixed nuts, olives, potato chips, and bagel
chips.

When Karl and Bob arrived I opened a bottle of 2014 Chateau Roudier Montaigne-St. Emillon (Trader Joe’s $12.99)  and  a Santiago Station Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (Total Wine $4.99 less 20% discount or $4.00).

We had a good discussion and then I raved Blueberry Clafoutis with whipped cream or ice cream.

After everyone left by 9:30 Suzette came out of the bedroom and ate a bowl.

This clafoutis was different from all the others I have made.  It did not gel and turn into a solid custard.  Instead it stayed loose containing lots of clumps.  Next time I must increase the number of eggs or mix some wheat flour with the almond flour.

 The pebbly clafoutis

Bon Appetit

May 27, 2019 Lunch – PPI Poached Salmon and Couscous with Cream Sauce. Dinner – Cajun BBQ Shrimp with Cauliflower and Green Pea Couscous.

May 27, 2019 Lunch – PPI Poached Salmon and Couscous with Cream Sauce. Dinner – Cajun BBQ Shrimp with Cauliflower and Green Pea Couscous.

We use lots of tricks to avoid carbs.  Last night we made Voodles by slicing a Mexican Squash into thin strips that imitated noodles.  Tonight we made Cauliflower Couscous by pulsing cauliflower flowerets in a food processor until they were reduced to the size of Couscous granules and then sautéing them in butter with minced garlic and green peas.  It makes an attractive dish that has almost no carbs.

Suzette and I both toasted a slice of her delicious banana nut bread and smeared it with butter and boysenberry preserves that I ate with a cup of tea.

I heated the PPI Poached Salmon and Couscous with Cream Sauce from Saturday evening’s meal.  The Couscous was really delicious. We sautéed rehydrated cranraisins, pinon nuts, and 1 cup of Couscous in butter until the nuts began to turn golden brown.  I then added 1 ½ cups of boiling water and simmer the covered pot for ten minutes and then turned off the heat and let it steam a bit and the fluffed the Couscous. It was perfect, not too wet and not too dry or scorched. Next time I would add some minced onion.

At 4:20 I rode the small circle, about 3 ½ miles in about 35 minutes  in a pretty strong gusting wind.

I made a tonic and lime drink and laid down on the couch to watch the news at 5:00.  Suzette arrived at about 5:10.  She had her evening cocktail and then we started making dinner.  The menu was Cajun BBQ Shrimp.   We used the Paul Prudhomme recipe from the Louisiana Kitchen.  Here it is.

We use a variation on his standard seasoning. I mixed ½ tsp. of cayenne, ½ tsp. of salt, 1 tsp of white pepper and 2 T. of Italian seasoning.  Suzette then melted 8 oz. of butter in a large enameled casserole (we don’t use a Dutch oven over an open fire) and 1 ½ tsp. of Worcestershire sauce, 1=1/2 tsp of minced garlic, and the seasonings.

Then she added the shrimp and tossed them to coat with the sauce. After 3 minutes she added 5 more T. of butter, 3/4 cup of dashi, and 12 oz. of beer and the dish was ready.

We made a pile of Couscous in a pasta bowl spooned shrimp and sauce on top.



Actually I toasted slices of Trader Joe’s baguette that we dipped into the sauce.
We drank beer with the meal.

After dinner we went to the store to get the new tenants settled in and pay Sergio for the repairs and construction of the partition.

We were home by 7:30.

We did not sleep well last night so we went to bed early tonight around 9:00.

I opened the bag of Southern pecan cookies today and snacked on several during the day.

Bon Appetit

May 28, 2019 .Lunch – Church Street Café. Dinner – Mushroom, Potato, Asparagus, and cheese omelet

May 28, 2019 .Lunch – Church Street Café. Dinner – Mushroom, Potato, Asparagus, and cheese omelet

I was busy at my desk when a call came at noon from Marie asking if she and her brother could see our building.  I showed them through and then we went her Church Street Fe to look at her kitchen and support facilities, after which she offered me lunch.  I ordered A Carne Adovado  plate while we were viewing the kitchen.  As we walked out to the patio with the waiter followed us carrying the large platter following us.  Half of the large platter was filled with  delicious carne adovado covered was loose patches of melted cheese.  The other half of the platter was filled with equal amounts of beans and spinach.  The spinach was seasoned with a bit of chili caribe.  The beans were straight good tasting boiled pinto beans.  I loved it and could not stop myself eating although I was able sit up for a moment a couple of times to break the embarrassment of making a complete spectacle of my gluttony in front of Marie.

I felt like I had finally re-connected with an old friend, Church Street Café’s Carne Adovado.

After lunch I drove to the bike shop and bought new bike cleats, then to Smith’s for salmon and green beans for dinner on Wednesday.

I then went to bank and bak home around 4:00.

I had worked a long while and was very tired and needed to rest.

Suzette came home and we watched TV and discussed dinner.  Suzette initially wanted to go out for dinner.  I told her I was tired and still extremely stuffed with lunch.  I drank a beer, but still felt stuffed.  Suzette said she was hungry.  We were expecting Luke to arrive at 6:30 and Willy shortly after 8:00.  Given the quandary over arrival times I suggested a mushroom and cheese omelet, which Suzette agreed to make.  We are at one of those end of cooking cycles where there are lots of ingredients that need to be used before they go bad.  Suzette ended up chopping baked potato and asparagus to go into the omelet with the mushrooms and cream cheese.  I still was not very hungry so I ate only 1/3, Suzette ate now 1/3 and Willy arrived he ate the other 1/3..  I forget what Luke ate, but we sat outside and shared a bottle of Santiago Station Sauvignon Blanc from Chile that we bought at Trader Joe’s for $4.99 less 20% or $4.00 per bottle.  It is my favorite new wine of the spring. I has a pinkish cast to it and has been blended with another very appealing grape besides Sauvignon Blanc that has a very floral musty flavor like crushed roses.  I loved it and you can not beat the price.

We talked at length about the candy store project.

At 9:30 I went to bed.

Bon Appetit

May 26, 2019 Lunch – BLT sandwiches. Dinner – Pasta, voodles, and Spaghetti Sauce

May 26, 2019 Lunch – BLT sandwiches. Dinner – Pasta, voodles, and Spaghetti Sauce

I worked from 4:30 until 9:00, then watched the news until 10:00.

At noon Suzette made BLT sandwiches with the last heirloom tomato, lettuce from our garden, and old smoked bacon that I had bought at Sprouts several months ago and had frozen.  It crumbled in the pan when fried.  Suzette suggested we fry the rest of and use it as garnish for salads.  We ate dill picklesa nd I drank vegetable juice and Suzette made her traditional drank

I worked until 2:00 and then drove to El Super to replenish our produce.  I bought onions 4lb./$.99, carrots 3 lb./$.99, 3 mangos for $.99, Mexican squash, vine ripe tomato clusters, limes, oranges, and Persian cucumbers were all 2 lb./$.99, 8 oz. boxes of mushrooms were $.99 each, cauliflower was $.97/lb., Mexican crema and the big beautiful asparagus were $2.29/lb., regular cucumbers were 4/$.99, and heads on shrimp were on sale for $3.99/lb..  a super day of shopping.  It took me 2 hours to shop and pay and drive home

Suzette helped me unload.  I watched the news and rested while Then I went to the garden and picked a handful of French radishes and peeled one regular cucumber, quartered it and sliced it and added that to the Japanese pickled vegetable bowl.  I then did the same with two carrots, and the handful of radishes and added a bit of sugar to balance out the intense sourness of the rice vinegar and re-covered the bowl and placed it back in the fridge.

Then I sliced about eight or nine Persian cucumbers and added them to the jar of pickles.

At 4:00 when I returned the pot of spaghetti sauce was simmering on the stove.
At 7:30 Ssuzette began cooking dinner.  She made voodles by slicing the Mexican squash into thin slices with a vegetable peeler and steaming them covered with Saran in the microwave.  Then she adjusted the seasoning of the spaghetti sauce and cooked some ziti pasta.
Willy arrived at around 8:00 on his new motorcycle wearing all of his new clothing and helmet.

He decided to join us and Suzette filled pasta bowls with voodles, pasta, and spaghetti sauce.  The spaghetti sauce is beginning to break down from its constituent ingredients into a uniform sauce.

Suzette opened a bottle of 2012 Origon Gran Reserva ($5.99/at Trader Joe’s. I poured Willy a glass of the PPI 2016 De Pointe Dundee Hills Pinot Noir and we ate on the patio.  Soon the mosquitos found us and as soon as we finished eating we moved inside.m we drank another glass of wine and talked until 9:30, Willy said goodnight.

We made the bed and went to sleep, except I stayed up to finish this blog and drink a chai tea.

Bon Appetit

May 25, 2019 Lunch – Steak and Egg tacos. Dinner – Poached Salmon with a Cream Sauce, and Pinon, chard and cranberry Couscous and steamed sugar snap peas

May 25, 2019 Lunch – Steak and Egg tacos. Dinner – Poached Salmon with a Cream Sauce, and Pinon, chard and cranberry Couscous and steamed sugar snap peas

A lovely day.  I worked from 4:00 until 9:00.  Then I ate some granola, fruit salad, milk, and yogurt.

We then took empty bottles to the recycling dumpsters at the solid waste facility on Edith near Griegos.  Then we drove to Pastian’s Bakery, where we bought  a loaf of Komminsar bread and a loaf of whole wheat bread for $1.00 on our way to the downtown growers market at 8th and Central.

When we arrived at the grower market it was mobbed with people and merchants.  Suzette tells me it is one of the largest in the state.  We immediately saw beautiful sugar snap peas.  We bought a pint container for $3.00.  We usually walk around the perimeter and then walk through the central walkway, which we did today.  On the copper side of the park where all the growers stalls are we found lovely bok Choy and bought to heads for $5.00.  We decided to go home since it was 11:30 and we were hungry.

Suzette chopped the two slices each of sweet potato and rib steak.  I chopped ½ of a poblano chili and some onion that Suzette sautéed.  Suzette whisked several eggs and added them to the skillet and toasted two blue corn tortillas each and soon we had lovely blue corn tacos.

 

I drank water and Suzette drank a beer and we ate under the gazebo in the garden.  We decided to host the neighborhood cocktail party in July and then after some discussion that we needed to start working in the yard to be able to show it to its best advantage.

I pruned the dead rose heads from the three main rose bushes in the back yard which took about an hour and completely exhausted me.

I lay down to nap and slept for about an hour.

Clafoutis

When awakened I showered and dressed and went to the kitchen.  I decided to cook instead of working.  I was nearly 5:00 and Suzette agreed to help me make a dish of clafoutis.  Every time I make it a bit differently.  This time I scalded almost two cups of heavy cream and a bit more than 1 cup of whole milk.  Then I mixed in a bowl 8 T. of almond flour, 10 T. of powdered sugar and ½ tsp of salt in a medium mixing bowl.  While I was mixing the dry ingredients Suzette buttered the ceramic baking dish and dusted the dish with granulated sugar and then whisked three eggs.
We then added the three whisked eggs to the dry mixture and stirred the eggs in thoroughly.  We then added the scalded milk by pouring it through a seize to remove the milk solids. After we stirred in the milk, we poured the mixture into the ceramic baking dish and then added 24 oz, of fresh blueberries and baked the Clafoutis in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes unto t was golden on top.

Spaghetti Sauce

I then decided to make a meat and mushroom spaghetti sauce.  I braised 2.5 lb. of 85% grass fed ground beef.  I then chopped and added three diced onion, 8 cloves of garlic, 1 minced green bell pepper, and four diced fresh tomatoes.  After we cooked those ingredients about 1/2 hour we added a No. 10 can of crushed tomatoes.  We then went to the garden and I plucked about fifteen stalks of oregano, which we chopped and added to the spaghetti sauce and simmered the sauce.

 

Poached Salmon

It was about 6:00 and we needed to start cooking dinner.  The menu was poached salmon served with a cream sauce made. Couscous, and the steamed sugar snap peas we bought this morning.  I  minced
some garlic for Suzette, who then sautéed it with freshly picked garlic scapes she picked in our garden.  She then added two T. of butter, water, and white wine to make a poaching medium. She poached the three salmon filets in the deep skillet covered by a wok cover to contain the steam and heat.

Couscous

We agreed that we wanted to add stuff to the Couscous.  We discussed different ingredients and finally decided on cranraisins because cranberries go well with salmon, chard from the garden because we often add that to Couscous, and pinon nuts because Willy likes pinon nuts and because almonds and raisins are common additions to Middle Eastern dishes.  We melted 3 T. of butter in a sauce pan and added about ½ cup of cranraisins which Suzette had soaked for ten to fifteen minutes in hot water to rehydrate and the drained in a colander, a handful of pinon nuts and 1 cup of Couscous.  I tossed and braised the ingredients for several minutes until the pinon nuts began to brown.  While I was sautéing the ingredients Suzette turned on the kettle to heat water and we added 1 ½ cups of water to the sauce pan and lowered the heat to low for about ten minutes to cook and steam the Couscous and then .  I then checked the Couscous to see if the liquid had been fully absorbed.  The Couscous appeared perfect, neither too wet or too dry, moist and fluffy when tossed and mixed with a fork.  I covered it and

 Cream Sauce

While the salmon was poaching I made a roux by heating two T. of butter and added two heaping flour to the melted butter and stirred it with a whisk for four or five minutes to cook the flour.  Suzette removed the salmon and scapes from the skillet to an enamel pan with a cover and placed them in the still warm oven.  We then began added the poaching medium slowly while constantly stirring to prevent the sauce clotting into lumps.  When the sauce was thinned and smooth we reduced the heat and I kept stirring the sauce to keep it smooth.  As it thickened I added additional poaching medium to thin it until it reached the right thickness and I turned off the heat.

Sugar snap peas

Suzette de- stemmed the peas and steamed them in the steamer with water while I was stirring the sauce.

Willy said he would arrive at 6:30 for dinner and we completed the dinner prep at 6:30 but he called and said he was running late so we plated the plates and poured the white wine and put hopes plate into the warm oven.

Suzette made a beautiful presentation as usual.  She spooned a pile of Couscous into each of three pasta bowls, then placed a salmon filet on the Couscous and then spooned a liberal amount of cream
sauce over the salmon and then tossed steamed sugar peas over the cream sauce .  Here is a picture of the final presentation. We put Willy’s plate in the warm oven and his glass of wine into the fridge.  Then Suzette left for the garden as I was photographing my plate.  I then gathered my glass and just as I was walking out the patio door to the back yard Willy walked through the side door.  I said, “your plate is in the oven and your wine is In the fridge.”  Willy and I then joined Suzette at the table in the gazebo.

The Wine

I decided to open a bottle of La Granja 70% Verdejo 30% Viura blend.  I like this wine a lot.  It is among my favorite whites.  I like it with chicken and salmon that have lots of fat.  For less fatty fish dishes we like Sauvignon Blanc.  Both the La Granja and the Belles Vignes Sauvignon Blanc are regular favorites became they cost $5.99.  The la Granja had a deep dark metallic after taste balanced with lots of fruit forward brightness.  It is a wonderful wine for the money able to cut through the fat of the Couscous and salmon and cream sauce.

It was a great meal

Willy left at 7:45 to meet friends at Marble and we drove to Old Town to inspect the renovation work at the store and listen to the music at the Plaza.  The City has planned nightly free concerts at the Plaza every Friday and Saturday night, by mostly professional local artists.  This evening it was a blues musician that played both acoustic and electric guitar.  His electric set was with a drummer and bass player.  After about 30 minutes the electric riffs became somewhat repetitive and we left to go see Death in Paradise.

We went to bed at 10:00.

I have been working hard and that led to us cooking hard today.  Some days the occasion dictates the menu, but today was both the occasion and the opposite, the ingredients.  I had bought ground beef, mushrooms and tomatoes to make my favorite spaghetti sauce and they had to be used before they went bad.  The same for the heavy cream and blueberries that went into the Clafoutis, which I will serve the book club on Thursday evening.

The menu for tonight’s meal was driven by my buying fresh salmon yesterday and Willy being available for dinner tonight and our love of those things that go with poached salmon.

Bon Appetit

May 24, 2019 Lunch – Le Bistro. Dinner – Grilled Steak, Asparagus , and French Radishes with Baked Potato

May 24, 2019 Lunch – Le Bistro. Dinner – Grilled Steak, Asparagus , and French Radishes with Baked Potato

Food was back at the top of the agenda today.  I met James at is office and we walked next door to Le Bistro Vietnamese restaurant at 1309 San Pedro. James always orders curried chicken. This was my first visit to Le Bistro so I ordered a dish I am familiar with and like Bun Cha Gio with grilled Pork.  Here are the pictures.

James let me try his catty and it was really spicy with lots of chili skins and seeds.  I could not eat.  I discovered that James was a hot food aficionado.  Then I tried my dish that was rather sweet.  But I noticed that the flavors in the dish were deeply penetrating into the meat, which I liked a lot.  We could only eat ½ offer dishes, so we boxed the rest and took it home.  I liked El Bistro and will go back.

After lunch my route home took me by the Smith’s in Fair Plaza, dapsone I stopped to see if they had the $4.99/lb. rib steaks  and the did.  I had.to wait about twenty minutes  for the butcher to cut and wrap ten 1 ¼ inch thick steaks, but it was worth the wait.  They were beautiful USDA Choice steaks.
I also bought three fresh salmon filets for 6.99/lb., 18 large eggs for $.99, and five packages of Keebler cookies for $.99 each and two 19 oz. packages of Johnsonvilke sausages for $3.50 each.  I was proud of my shopping.

I read a case when I got home and at 4:14 rode to Montano for the second time this year.

I arrived home at the moment Suzette arrived.  I had left out one two pack of steaks so we could grill one for dinner.  I wanted a baked potato.  Suzette helped me wash and pierce the skin of each of about ten mostly small Yukon Gold potatoes and we put them into the oven to bake for an hour at 375 degrees on a convection setting.

I went to the garden and picked six or seven stalks of chives.

Suzette went to the garden and pulled a handful of French radishes and a handful of fresh mint and snapped the tough ends off a bunch of thick asparagus and toss them both in a bag with olive oil. I finely minced the chives and mint and put it in a bowl. She then grilled the asparagus, radishes, and steak on the grill.  The grill caught on fire and charred the vegetables but the steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare.  I went to the cup basement and fetched a bottle of De Ponte 2016 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir.  I love this wine because it is so smooth it’s an elegant finish.

I sliced the steak and poured glasses of wine while Suzette cut open a potato for each of us and lay a slice of butter, a spoonful of crema, and a handful of the chive/mint mixture in each. Potato.  We garnished our steak and asparagus with Béarnaise Sauce and carried our plates and glasses to the garden and ate a lovely meal in the cool evening.

Bon Appetit

May 23, 2019 Lunch – Taj Mahal. Dinner – Grilled Pesto glazed Lamb Chops and Sautéed Spaghetti with Chopped Asparagus plus PPI corn kernels and asparagus and onion and tomato,

May 23, 2019 Lunch – Taj Mahal. Dinner – Grilled Pesto glazed Lamb Chops and Sautéed Spaghetti with Chopped Asparagus plus PPI corn kernels and asparagus and onion and tomato,

I had a very busy day.  I made 2 slices of toasted bagel smeared with cream cheese and garnished with onion and white fish.  I ate one with a cup of Earl Grey tea before I was called to go to the candy store to meet our new tenant.  Then at 9:30 when I returned home I ate the other slice with another cup of tea.

I worked until 1:45 when Luke’s flight arrived from NY.  I picked him up a bit after 2:00 and we raced to Taj Mahal to eat lunch.  We were the last customers before the restaurant closed at 2:30.  The lunch buffet was just as delicious as always.  I ate there two times this week and enjoyed it both times. Luke says Taj Mahal compares favorably to the best Indian restaurants he eats at in NY.

We then drove to the dentist office for Luke’s 3:00 appointment.  After I dropped him off I drove home and picked up the lease for the new tenant at 524 Romero NW and drove to their Chili Fanatic store on San Mateo and we signed the lease.  I then picked Luke up and drove to the auto mechanic’s shop and we picked up the Prius that was having its battery replaced.

I then drove to the bank to deposit the security deposit check and then home.  When I arrived home the telephone rang.  It was Todd telling me he was at the Quaker meeting house and could meditate early, so I drove there and we meditated until 6:00.  I returned home at 6:30 to find Suzette had smeared the nine lamb chops with her special Sorrel pesto and grilled them.  She chopped up asparagus and ¼ cup and onion and sautéed it with the PPI tomato, corn, asparagus and tomato salad from the other night.   Luke had an on line session with four students at 7:00 that he was preparing for, so we ate hastily and then when he left we slowed down and I fetched a bottle of 2012 Origon Gran Reserva 60% Syrah and 40% Tempranillo that I had bought at a Trader Joe’s for $5.99.  Note: no one would drink the Apothic.  When Luke left for his on line session, we sat and ate leisurely with Willy as he told us about several job openings at his work that he might consider filling.  Pretty interesting stuff.



After dinner Willy left and we watched Endeavor, the BBC detective series until 10:00 and went to bed.  I dozed on the couch since I had not had a nap during the day.

Hurried delicious food is less delicious than slow delicious food.

Bon Appetit

May 22, 2019 Lunch – Church Street Café. Dinner – Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti

May 22, 2019 Lunch – Church Street Café. Dinner – Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti

I am getting busier and busier. I got free from my hearing this morning, worked on the draft of a letter for a new client and at noon called a Marie to suggest meeting her for lunch to review her lease.  I met her at Church Street Café.  She offered me lunch and I ordered a Vegetarian Chile Relleno plate with two large rellenos topped with and filled with cheese with sides of spinach and beans on the side and red Chile on the side.   I was talking and failed to take a picture but it was more than I could eat. A huge platter filled with food.  Enough for the hungriest of vegetarians.

I worked until 4:30 when Suzette and I took a nap.  When I awakened at 6:00 Suzette was already making Shrimp Scampi.  She had gone to the garden and picked garlic chives and chopped onion, mushrooms, garlic garlic chives, and asparagus which she then sautéed in butter in a large skillet.  She then added white wine and shelled shrimp to the skillet and sautéed them several minutes.

In a separate pot Suzette cooked Italian Spaghetti from Costco.

When both were cooked she plated first a pile of spaghetti and then covered the Spaghetti with the shrimp Scampi mixture and then grated Pecorino-Romano cheese on top.



Suzette poured us each a glass of 2017 Gruet Rose for each of us and we had a great dinner.

The shrimp were exceedingly tender.  Suzette’s comment, “They are good shrimp.”  I was surprised because these were 16-20/lb. shrimp we bought at Sprouts for 4.99/lb.  the cheapest ever.

The wine was also surprising. It had a crispness and character that I had not discerned before.  I really like. It reminded me of the La Nerthe rose we drank on Sunday at Museum Hill Café. Bright, fruity, with a good acid balance. The bottle says proudly produced in New Mexico but the wine is saying I was produced by a French wine maker.  I have lost much of the compulsion I usually feel to search for a better Rose now that we have a really good French style 100% Pinot Noir rose locally available.

It reminds me of a trip we took to France.  We went to a Market in a town Southeast of Avignon.  We had been studying a guidebook for shopping in France that suggested several brands of olive oil. I stopped at an olive oil and olive merchant’s table where I did not see the suggested brand and asked if they sold the suggested brand, the merchant answered, “No, monsiuer we sell only the local brands.”

And why not buy the local when the local brand is the freshest and you know who and how it was made.

A surprisingly good meal.

Afterwards We each drank a glass of limoncello and ate a bowl of ice cream for dessert.

I worked and Suzette soaked in the hot tub and we went to bed at 10:00.

Trump is beginning to lose his effort to stop the disclosure of his financial records and redacted portions of the Mueller Report to Congress.  Things are going to get interesting sooner rather than later.

Bon Appetit

May 21, 2019 Lunch – PPI Mapo Dofu. Dinner – Grilled Hamburger Steak with Roasted Potatoes, grilled onion, and tomato stuffed with Asparagus and corn salad

May 21, 2019 Lunch – PPI Mapo Dofu. Dinner – Grilled Hamburger Steak with Roasted Potatoes, grilled onion, and tomato stuffed with Asparagus and corn salad

I had a hurried partial breakfast of yogurt, milk, tropical fruit salad, and granola.

At noon I heated the PPI Mapo Dofu and ate it with PPI Japanese pickled carrots, cucumber, and radish.

At 5:30 I peeled and diced six Yukon Gold potatoes and dusted them with a Middle Eastern spice blend and tossed them in olive oil and baked them for 45 minutes at 350 degrees in a convection oven.

Then I formed 1/3 lb. hamburger steaks and sliced a medium onion into four thick slices.  Suzette sliced a heirloom tomato in half and garnished each half with a salad she made with corn kernels, diced asparagus spears marinated in a balsamic dressing overnight.

I fetched a bottle of 2013 Apothic Red blend from the cellar.  When I opened it and tasted it I discovered that it was mostly merlot and Zinfandel.  I preferred the Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir from California ($4.99 at Trader Joe’s) we drank last night but Suzette liked the heaviness, so I poured her a glass of Apothic and I poured myself the rest of the pinot.

                                                           The Salads

                                                                   The wines

                                                                 The dinner

Suzette Grilled the hamburgers and onion slices. After she flipped the hamburgers she garnished them with slices of foie gras and Manchego Cheese.

The resulting hamburger was delicious and there was a lot of textural variation between the soft salad and hamburger and the firm roasted potatoes.
I enjoyed the foie gras capped hamburger, which reminded me of a steak lunch I had in Hungary served with a whole sautéed duck liver on top.  Tonight was not as impressive but equally delicious.

I enjoyed bites of hamburger with grilled onion, cheese, and foie gras.

After dinner I drank a cup of chai and we flipped the feathur bed and went to sleep

Bon Appetit

May 20, 2019 Lunch – Taj Mahal. Dinner – a Grilled Dinner of Lamb Chops, Asparagus , and White Sweet Potatoes

May 20, 2019 Lunch – Taj Mahal. Dinner – a Grilled Dinner of Lamb Chops, Asparagus , and White Sweet Potatoes

I had my usual breakfast of granola, yogurt, tropical fruit salad and a touch of milk.

Then I ran several appointments and joined Mike for lunch at Taj Mahal.  The lunch buffet at Taj Mahal has never been reduced in quality, although the price has increased over the years.  It now is $12.25, which I consider fair, especially when restaurants of similar quality such as India House in Santa Fe charge $14.95 for a buffet lunch of comparable quality.  I ate tandoori chicken, beef meatballs in tamarind sauce, and chicken tikka Marsala plus saag and some rice and fresh onion slices and riata.

I called Suzette to see if it was okay to invite Mike to dinner and she agreed.

Then I had rice pudding for dessert.

Here are pictures of the buffet.

After lunch I went home and worked until 3:30 and then napped until Suzette arrived at 4:30.

We decided to use a Moroccan rub on the lamb shoulder chops but instead of Billy’s recipe we used a prepared rub containing sumac, garlic, and olive oil that gave the meat a reddish color.

Suzette fetched and snapped 15 stalks of large asparagus and sliced the two white sweet potatoes she bought at Sprouts on Saturday and coated them with salt, pepper, and olive oil..  When Mike came a bit after 6:00 I was working, so he drank a scotch with Suzette.  When I finished I made a gin and tonic and joined them.

Suzette then grilled all three ingredients on the grill and we had a grilled dinner. I opened the bottle of 2014 Anciano Tempranillo Crianza Rahim and Sarah gave me for Christmas.  It was smooth and delicious and complemented the lamb and brought back memories of pascal lamb and Tempranillo in Spain.

After dinner Suzette dozed in front of the TV while Mike and I ate goat cheese and French Brie on toasted French bread and drank glasses of Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir ($4.99 at Trader Joe’s).

Later after Mike left at 9:00 I ate the last of the Clafoutis with a cup of tea and a shot of Calvados.

Mike loved the meal and I must admit that it was simply wonderful.

The best asparagus this side of Segovia in the springtime five or six years ago, a wonderfully flavorful marinated lamb chop, and amazing grilled slices of white sweet potato with a really good wine.

A really good meal.

Bon Appetit

May 19, 2019 Lunch - Museum Hill Café. Dinner – Steamed Stuffed Trout with Steamed Asparagus and an Ear of Corn

May 19, 2019 Lunch - Museum Hill Café. Dinner – Steamed Stuffed Trout with Steamed Asparagus and an Ear of Corn

I awakened at 7:30 and began watching the news programs and drank a cup of green tea.  Suzette awakened around 8:15 and drank coffee and then went to check the garden.

At 9:00 I toasted a slice of bagel and smeared it with cream cheese and garnished it with slices of onion and Gravad Lax.  I drank another cup of green tea to wash down the bagel.

At 10:00 we decided to make breakfast.  Suzette fried four sausage patties and the four eggs in a large skillet.  I toasted another slice of bagel and spread cream cheese on it and a couple slices of onion. I refreshed my green tea Winthrop hot water and Suzette made her favorite Sunday morning beverage, a Bloody Mary.

We then dressed and at 11:00 drove to Santa Fe.  We drove directly to the International Folk Art Museum on Museum Hill overlooking Santa Fe and the Jemez Mountains to the west.

We wanted to see the Alexander Girard exhibit.  He was not only instrumental in helping organize the Museum, but he was one of the greatest designers of the 20th Century.  He worked for Henry Miller and Knoll and was friends with the Eames and Eero Saarinen.  It was a fantastically interesting exhibit.  Here are some pictures.

  

      

                                          A beautifully designed exhibit

At 2:00 after seeing the entire exhibit, we walked across the raised plaza to the Museum Hill Café. I had checked the menu and it looked interesting, but after we were seated we were amazed when the special menu for the Girard exhibit was presented because it offered a rose produced by one of my favorite wineries, Chateau Nerthe in Chateauneuf du Pape that I had never drunk before.  We ordered a bottle for $43.00, which seemed very reasonable to me.

  

God Bless Chateau La Nerthe 

 

A happy girl with her wine and her cell phone

Suzette ordered corn custard garnished with a poblano green cream sauce and a slice of avocado.  I ordered two duck and cheese flautas with a ramekin of mango salsa and one filled with mango purée.

 

The view from our table to the west with the Jemez Mountains in the distance

 

We were both supposed to also receive a salad.  My flautas were on a bed of greens but Suzette’s dish lacked a salad.  When we brought that to the waiter’s attention he immediately brought Suzette a salad dressed with a drizzle of creamy balsamic dressing.  We requested more dressing and were brought a ramekin of dressing.  I combined my greens with her salad and we dressed and shared the combined salad.

Lunch was excellent and the wine superb.  Our best meal of the month. We had visited Chateau
La  Nerthe on our first trip together to France because we enjoyed their wines at a wonderful dinner at Restaurant Christian Etienne in Avignon.

The complexity and vibrant fruitiness of the Rose was startling.  We could not stop drinking the wine.  It ranks near the top of my favorite roses.  I highly recommend it, especially if you like Rhone grape varieties from Chateauneuf du Pape

After our entrees we still had wine in our glasses so we shared a slice of pecan pie made with molasses.  It was thick and wonderfully gooey.

After lunch we drove to Stephen’s Consignment where Suzette found an Allesi Italian designed pepper grinder that was the identical design as our corkscrew we bought in Brussels.

After Stephen’s we drove home arriving at approximately 5:15.  I dozed on the way home and rested and the Suzette lay down for a nap after we arrived home.  I awakened at 6:15 and went the garden to gather dill, thyme, parsley, and chives.  Suzette awakened while I was in the garden.

I also picked strawberries and then took the herbs inside and chopped them finely and then cut off the head of the 1 lb. trout and we stuffed the stomach cavity with the herb mixture combined with soft butter, which is the Swedish recipe.

Suzette steamed the asparagus and boiled the corn and cooked the fish in the steaming oven for 25 minutes.  Everything was well cooked. I simply took a knife and fork and lifted the backbone from between the two filets as easily as ever and lay one filet on each of two plates with a portion of the
herb stuffing.

Suzette had placed the Béarnaise sauce near the pots on the stove to warm a bit and we garnished the asparagus with near room temperature sauce and buttered the corn with a stick of firm butter.

I opened and poured glasses of Pinot Grigio delle  Venezie bought on Saturday at Trader Joe’s for $5.99.  It is seemingly our summer house wine.  I like it a lot with food because it is light and has a pleasant balance of acidity and fruitiness.  Of course the fact that it is the  Pinot Gris grape helps a lot.

After dinner we watched the conclusion of Les Miserables and went to bed a bit after 10:00 following another day of wonderful food and super wine and interesting activities.

Bon Appetit