Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Cheese, flying, and home dating challenges


Triple creme camembert tart tatin
A mid-afternoon indulgence with a local cheese. This fantastic creamy cheese, with flavours reminiscent of mushrooms, with a decadent creamy finish. They only make this cheese during the holidays, so it is a wonderful luxury. I used fuji apples, not the best choice perhaps as I would have preferred a little bit more tartness, but they held firm while cooking. The original recipe called for hard cider simmered with fresh thyme, cider vinegar, brown sugar and cracked pepper. This glaze is served over the browned apples, and the cheese baked till warm. I subbed in white wine for lack of cider, and served it with english cream crackers. On a rainy, rainy Sunday, this was lovely, even if Dave and I ate it while he watched football....what fun would life be without cheese?

I am immersed in projects now, proposing a research outline for critique. I am slugging through various articles at the moment, and should have a draft ready by tomorrow. Time consuming, a bit mind-numbing, but must get done. Josh is home sick today, otherwise he would be at jr kinder and I would be at work. Dave is flying today, after months of not being able to due to his fracture. I really hope he plays soccer again too, I know it would be rather devastating if he didn't. At least he went down at the peak of his game, playing nationals. I am hopeful he can get back into it, he has started running again, so that is the first leap so to speak....

Dave and I need a date. The kids have been stealing our time lately, to the extent that even our "home" dinner dates have gotten shelved. These have been something we could always rely on, always a backup for lack of sitters, when kids activities and Dave's work gets in the way. Late evening, candles, music, wine, and of course great food is always a good romantic recipe. However, as the kids get older, go to bed later, and we get busier, it has gotten harder. We both decided we need to be firm about setting the time aside to steal for ourselves, thus this weekend we will have a date. I do not have a firm food idea in mind, but I will by Friday....I am thinking morels with brandy cream, that recipe has been in my head lately, and perhaps a pasta with a similarly mushroom theme....

If this infernal rain ever eases, we could sit out by the fire in the evening too. The grass is very green, and it is incredibly warm. This is something we never did in January elsewhere, but outside in the evenings has always been a great source of relaxation for us. We plan to camp in some of the more distant islands this summer, and likely spring, and just enjoy some really great quiet time.

I hope Dave's flight goes well today, he is always happier flying and on his various taskings. I would say more, but frankly I need to get back at things here. Josh is engrossed in Mr. McGorium's wonder emporium, and I have managed to read several chapters, as well as threw together a quick salsa of tomato, garlic, 4 peppers, chiles, cumin, salt, lemon, pepper, and smoked paprika. I did not feel like digging through my messy spice cupboard for the ancho chile, so the paprika went in. It was tasty either way. For fun night this Fri I think we will do tex-mex, with some cilantro-lime chicken, spicy rice with black beans, and maybe some baked tortillas? Still in the planning stage here....I am thinking I would like mexican martinis with that....mmmmm.

Update: glorious, glorious sun. So warm ,+10, felt like spring. The sun is so bright here when it shines, it was lovely. It always makes my house look dusty though when all the sun shines in...then I have to clean it.....But I took Josh out in his stroller, to enjoy the warm sun, and then had to turn back. The poor lil man told me I should have brought a blanket to keep his knees and feet warm. The fever still has its hold obviously, so we turned back. It was a brief but lovely outing.

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