ERIN GO BRAGH

Have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!

You are the Sunshine in My Life

A fleeting thought


As I was walking back to the house from getting the mail I felt the sun. I mean I really really felt the sun - felt it like I have not felt it for months!

It was so nice to feel that warmth - a warmth like no other - no fire, no furnace, nothing feels as good and as life giving as the rays of the sun.

Apparently, I am not the only one who was enjoying the sun. Glenn announced that some bulbs are starting to poke up in the garden when he came home for lunch today. The earth must be feeling the magic of the sun as well.

I hope all of you are able to enjoy these subtle, but so important, rumblings of Spring.

We are now Cheeseheads

No, we did not move to Wisconsin. We have a plethora of fresh, homemade and highly perishable cheese.

Our truly homemade ricotta was used in blood orange/ricotta pancakes and calzones. Both creations were divine.

And we have mozzarella coming out of our ears. We both took the class so we have double the amount that was described as, "having enough to open a small pizzeria." So does that mean we can open a large pizzeria? Luckily it is all good. Unluckily, it is recommended that we eat it within three days. I never thought this possible, but I am a little sick of cheese. Anyone up for coming over for fondue tonight?!

Random Friday

I have some random thoughts.



I received an untraditional, but greatly appreciated Valentine's gift from Bob and Kelly. They run the CSA that we belonged to last summer. As well as providing us with awesome produce, they raise chickens, cows and pigs.


That brings me to my V-day gift. Bob had his pigs butchered and processed. Pork is my FAVORITE meat. I adore almost all parts of the pig. Bob gave me (and, I guess Glenn too, even though it was a little bit difficult to share) a slab of bacon. When I say slab, I mean slab - I was able to slice it into nice thick strips. Oh, I was in heaven sniffing all that smokey goodness on the way home from Kelly and Bob's.

I am closely rationing this delicacy. On Monday we made spaghetti carbonara - delish! And my plans for the remaining bacon bring me to my next random thought.

Those of you with delicate/sensitive palettes, please brace yourself, or skip this next part all together. And, those with an adventurous approach to food, please read on. I am toying with the idea of creating a chocolate bacon cake a la this candy bar. Chocolate is my lifelong #1 food, so I thought I would try to combine two of my food favorites. So, my question to you is, are any of you interested in a recipe for chocolate cake with chocolate bacon ganache? I am up for the challenge!

Last random thought, and it is in keeping with the food theme. Last night Glenn and I made ricotta cheese. It could have not been any easier. We are debating about how to use this special cheese this weekend. He is pulling for calzones stuffed with our delicate ricotta and fresh-from-the-garden tomato sauce (well, at this point, it has taken a detour into the frosty depths of the freezer). I am thinking of pairing the ricotta with some blood oranges. Last week we bought an entire case of blood oranges, about 80, for $10.00 and I am trying to get creative before they go bad. Related to all things cheese, we are taking a cheese making class at Zingerman's tomorrow.

Have a fun weekend!

It's Coming Up - The Best Chocolate Day of the Year!

Oh, I know what you are all thinking. No, no, I am not referring to the obvious day. The BEST day for chocolate procurement is February 15 (yes, the 15th, not the 14th).

Traditionally, the 15th is the day the stores roll out the Easter candy. One of my all time favorite* chocolates is Hershey's Eggs.

*I have a bit of a Jekyll/Hyde relationship with food. On one hand, I like and appreciate fine quality, hand crafted food. On the other hand, sometimes the siren song of the junky, questionable-quality food is just too strong and I cave - think Pillsbury crescent rolls, dollar store cheese puffs, etc

So, the Hershey's Eggs fall squarely into the junky category. However, a little bit of my shame was erased when a serious professional foodie, Sean, who works at Ann Arbor's foodie nirvana (also known as Morgan and York) guessed (and subsequently agreed) on ONE try what the all-time-best Easter candy is.

I know you are all dying to know what makes candy so special. First of all, it is only made at Easter (absence DOES make the heart grow fonder). Secondly, it is like the sophisticated more refined sibling of M & Ms. The candy coating is crunchier and the chocolate is creamier. It certainly does not hurt that the eggs are about double the size of a regular M & M.

Now, you all know what I am doing this Valentine's weekend, or at least the second half of the weekend; stalking the candy aisle at Target

post note - just before posting this entry, I did a little googling and found that I am not alone in my love for Hershey's Eggs. More alarmingly, when I went on the Hershey's Easter candy site, I did not spot my beloved eggs - have they, too, been discontinued(do not even get me started on the disappearance of some of my favorite things due to the economy)? More investigation is in order.

Talk to Me People

Already I am at a loss for words. Well, not really, but at a loss for words that I want to put into the blogosphere!

However, I thought a post was in order due to the fact that I (think I) removed the you-must-have-a-google-account restriction on leaving me a comment.

So for all you people who wanted to comment on my post(s) (you know who you are Kelly, Maggie, G. etc.), please give it a try.

Hmm, I think my next step in this blogging adventure will be to add some photos.


Take care!

How About a Little Arm Chair Travel?

I know I am not the first to say it, but I am so sick of this cold cold winter. The fastest cheapest way to escape this perma-frost (and those of you who have been to my home know how accurate that statement is) is to let my mind take a little trip.

Some people hear a song or smell an aroma (or odor) and are instantly somewhere else. Me, I taste a certain food, and presto, I am in another place.

The other evening Glenn and I dined at the Mega Coney Island (desperate times call for desperate measures). I ordered, well actually Glenn did too, a gyros with a side of fries. While I stacked the fries on the open faced gyros, I immediately was back in Greece and the year was 1994.

Have you ever had a food experience that is so perfect that all other similar food experiences are measured against it? Gyros in Kolanki Square (Athens, Greece) would be one for me.

Everything, I mean everything about it was perfect. For starters, gyros in Greece, need I say more? Secondly, Kolanki is a very nice part of Athens were everything is clean and cute. The gyros stand was on a pedestrain street that had little bistro tables sitting under twinkle-light festooned trees. I am sure that I went there for lunch on occasion (remember I was there a whole semester), but it is the evening/night visits that easily come to mind.

The standard gyros at this particular stand was stuffed with freshly sliced, perfectly seasoned lamb, homemade tzatzki (the Greeks do not hold back on the garlic, yum!), Mediterranean-sun riped tomatoes and french fries. French fries on a sandwich, as opposed to next to the sandwich was a new thing for me. (As noted earlier, I still prefer my fries on the sandwich.) And, to top it all off - a draught Heineken. Beer at a fast food joint (that was what the gyros stand essentially was) was quite a novelty for the college-aged me! Oh, it was all so good.

I have searched high and low, but a more perfect, or even equal, gyros has eluded me. Athens anyone?

this post is dedicated to my Grecian twin, Jenny T - I hope you are reading this girl!