pork ribs with Bob

Back to cooking at home for friends, and tonight we welcomed another librarian over. Bob is someone who lives here in Chicago and works in the area, but I only seem to see him at conferences in other cities, which I think is a little ridiculous. With that in mind, I asked him over for a casual Saturday night around the kitchen peninsula. The result, I think, was altogether pleasant.

Dietary restrictions for more than one person kept the carbs in the dinner to a minimum, which is a shame, because the pork ribs would have gone well with potatoes stewed in among them, or carrots, or a heaping mound of rice cooked with black bean liquor served up in a bowl with masa bisuits on the side. Oooooh, and some fregolata or a quick bread of some sort to go with the cheeses for dessert. Ah well. Bob, as you can see, was in awe of the trifle dish. He swears I hiked miles across the Canadian wilderness with this in my backpack, all in the intent of Canadianizing my little corner of the US, but I swear I bought the bowl at Sears down on State and Madison!

No matter, we had a lovely little dinner, but not before Conrad and I had scrambled to finally tidy up some of our mess around the house and make it presentable. My poor guy: he exhausts himself at work (and in Virginia) all week, then has to spend a somewhat sunny Saturday inside with a vacuum and dustrag. I'm glad he stole a few minutes of relaxation.

Dinner was family style. I made up a favourite standby: tomatillo-braised country-style pork ribs. It's such a winner of a recipe, I swear, and thank you Rick Bayless for that! And piping hot, as you can see! I put together a simple romaine salad and made a cilantro dressing to go with it. The other side was some pattypan squash cut up and seared with red pepper and white onion, seasoned a bit first with oregano, cumin, pepper, and salt. We enjoyed a Gruner Veltliner alongside, and stayed at the table through a cheese course, chatting amiably.

Clean up, I am happy to say, was minimal - the meal was a one pot thing essentially - and Conrad tackled much of it. 10:00 already? Time to grab a book or magazine and wind down before bed!

storm passes through

In the midst of cooking some tomatillo-braised country-style pork ribs for dinner tonight, I thought I heard wind kicking up and even a bit of thunder. Sure enough, a fine rain was driving against the buildings, and wind was whipping debris in the freight entrance to the nearby high-rise. Not long after that, it was all over, and a certain brightness was tussling with the dark clouds. Whenever this happens, we get such interesting light and shadow, the lake takes on a variety of hues, and in the direction on Michigan things look ominous....

with Chuck at Cafe Spiaggia

Last of the San Pellegrino dinners, and it was back to Cafe Spiaggia, this time with Chuck.

Yesterday was almost cold out. Certainly brisk. A bit of rain late on as well. Jackets and sweaters were not unwelcome, and during the drier parts of the day, the skies were dreary. The views from Conrad's office attest to that.


We met Chuck at six at the restaurant. Conrad and I got there a half hour earlier, in fact, having walked up Michigan Avenue and settled in at the bar for a drink (a Prosecco and pomegranate cocktail for me - not too sweet, deep pink and bubbly just to ensure that my reputation is intact). Chuck opted for the San Pellegrino menu, and I was tempted to have the gnochhi with wild boar ragu again. However, Conrad and I opted for ordering off the regular menu. A little more expense, but really super food.

So, starters: Chuck had the arugula salad with shaved trumpet mushrooms, Conrad had the tuna tartare (now THAT'S a surprise! not really.), and I went for the grilled green beans. They proved as delicious - slightly charred, smoky - as I had wanted.

Main courses, and Chuck - happily for him - opted for the gnocchi. Conrad and I both had trout. It's funny, I usually let Conrad order first so I can be one of those irritating people who will then order differently. I was in the mood for fish, though, and the waiter was recommending it highly. I like trout, though Conrad isn't an especial fan of it. Good choice, though. The skin was delightfully salted and crisp, the flesh was tender, and the potatoes, beans, and artichokes made it good and hearty.

We had dessert of course, and the fun is in selecting gelati and sorbetti. I decided to go with all sorbetti this time: basil, pear, and banana. In the end, I think I should have had something tart as a counterpoint as all three flavours were on the sweet side and thus came across as flat all together. Still, mixing the basil and the pear together was a decent combo. Alas, the photo of my sorbets did not turn out well, so Chuck and his gelati must take their place:

A cab home, and it was some reading before bed. Conrad, poor soul, was wiped out from his hectic week spent mostly in Virginia. He fell asleep next to me as I read, and at 9:55 I managed to sneak out of the bed to go read in another room for another hour or so.

two meals out

A third night without Conrad - he's still in Richmond, due back tomorrow morning. Ah well, it gives me a chance to laze about guiltfree. Funny how the baking instinct hasn't kicked into overdrive in the meantime!

I've recently been enjoying some meals out for a promotion through San Pellegrino whereby proceeds go to fight hunger. Yes, I know, just donate to a food bank. But then I don't get to go to restaurants. Selfish, but with a conscience, that's me, I guess.

Tuesday lunch was in Old Town at Bistro Margot.

Things I liked:

1. The curry carrot soup was rather tasty
2. The nut tart was decent - not overly sweet

Things I was not wowed by:

1. Where the heck was everyone? Why so empty? Makes me wonder.
2. The croque monsieur. Okay, it was on brioche, but it came across as sadly chasing a bigger is better ideal. Not really. Kind of a waste of food, all those fries. Not bad tasting, but I think the quiche may have been a more sensible choice.
3. The waitress. Sorry. I don't think it was schtick to get tips, I don't think her approach is anything but well-meaning and sincere. But I tell you, it was a little much: unctuously musical voice with constant comments. "Oooh, yummy!" and that sort of thing in response to everything we ordered. A little scary. Reminded us unpleasantly of a former colleague, but I shan't name names here.

Also, to be honest, it was kind of a slow lunch, too slow. I'm whining now. Sorry. I loved catching up with CG and Melissa, but between the length of the lunch and the commute there and back, it was basically three hours. A little much for such a mixed experience. I may go back, but I'm not sure.

Last night was far better.
Arek, Heather,CG, and I dined at Boka. I go by the place almost every day on the bus, so it was nice to go in.

Things I liked:

1. Good salmon. Well prepared, attractively plated, and I was sorry when I was done that I didn't have a bit more.
2. Good cookies. Nice choice to have with some decaf as my dessert.
3. Good bottle of Pinot Noir for $40. Not stellar, but very drinkable. The A-Z Pinot Noir, from Oregon.

Things I was not wowed by:

1. The waiter wasn't so sing-song, but he was a bit smarmy. Not badly so, but it brought out a bit of snark at the table from time to time.

Boka wasn't hugely busy last night either. Odd, I thought. Ah well.

Tomorrow night it's back to Cafe Spiaggia. I will be glad to have the gnocchi again, I do think....

Picadillo

No, it's not really authentic. I made it with ground chicken breast (rather than beef, as I'd first known it, or with turkey as the recipe suggests). I have no doubt that there are many other versions, and that the proper way to serve it is with plaintains or stuffed into chiles. Sorry. It's a reliable little recipe from the book Latin American Cooking across the USA.

But for a Monday night dinner when I have time enough to do my mise en place before swim practice and then cook afterwards, it was satisfying. I tinkered with it some, adding slivered almonds. I also might have added some allspice or something to bring out more sweetness without adding sugar. Just the same, though, it made for a good, light meal. Better still, I have leftovers for a few days of lunches!

Sunday afternoon afloat

You know, although I did a bunch of laundry yesterday, swam some, and tidied up my spice cupboard (yes, yes, yes - GAY!!), I feel like this has been a most relaxing weekend without the slightest thing accomplished. Unless you count bookmarking even more accommodations and activities for the NZ trip in the New Year.

Blame must be assigned, so let's blame Dan, my financial advisor (and at the risk of turning this blog into a commercial venture, I will say that I do very much enjoy working with the man. It helps that his partner is a close friend and colleague of Conrad's, but I really do like that he can patiently explain financial stuff to a dummy like me!). Dan hosted a number of clients and potential clients aboard a lake lunch cruise today, and it was delightful. Six years in Chicago now and I've never once been on a boat on the lake or on the river? Shameful. Thanks Dan for curing that.

Two hours on the lake, the grey cloudy weather clearing out well, a number of our friends also aboard. Ahhhhhh. Is it any wonder I'm so very lazy this evening? I could at least go put some clothes away.

So, from today, people:





Scenery:

Christopher cooks

Second night in a row that someone made us dinner. After the many fallow months without such invitations, we feel very kindly treated indeed!

Christopher had us over tonight. Yes, I've tried pimping him out to my single friends in the past, and I shan't give up. But let's focus on the food and company for a bit instead.

Much as when he and Daniel came for dinner, halibut was the main course. Christopher grilled it very nicely and passed a mango salsa to serve atop it. Also on the table - and not photographed, sorry - were the root vegetables with a thick sauce that I believe was a curry squash puree, asparagus, roasted onions, roasted mushrooms (no, I didn't eat them, sorry Chris!), and what am I forgetting? Ah well. Tasty stuff. Daniel had brought wine, as had we, so we sipped and chatted.

But I've jumped ahead of myself. Once Frank had arrived with the cheeses we all settled to snacking on them in the dining room while our host was busy in the kitchen. Some fine cheeses - I was very fond of the misshapen mound one, but I admit that the one with flower petals on it was quite appealingly pretty.

Some flat breads, some chips and salsa. Could have been a good dinner in itself.

Similarly, Christopher had provided some rich chocolate bundt cakes for dessert, and the three of us who eat chocolate cake did a good job getting through 1.5 of them. But the better dessert was the fruit salad: honey apples, white nectarines, blueberries, strawberries, a light bit of lime juice and sugar. We all attacked it with gusto despite the presence of the cakes.

After that it was coffee/tea, some photos from Christopher's past life (wherein he bore some resemblance to Chandler Bing) including his recent P-Town open water swim.

I am almost ashamed to admit that Conrad and I did little more than watch Frank and Daniel attack the dishes. Almost. For his part, Christopher was making himself pretty to hit the bars in the Gaybourhood with Daniel. Us? We're old marrieds. Bed time as soon as this is posted!

Oh, as for pimping out the single friends (Chris, Daniel, Frank), I can try, but let me divert your attention to this beautiful creature, Carla, instead:



In the end, another great dinner with friends from the team. Not a bad life to have even if we are clutching full bellies!

Chicken with chanterelles

A last-minute invitation arrived in my in-box yesterday mid-afternoon. Dan and Scott were offering us seats at their table for dinner with a couple of other teammates. Conrad and I - fortunately - have a rule that favours invitations to homecooked dinners, so we readily cancelled a dinner reservation to enjoy a meal with friends.

As mentioned in an early post, Dan and Scott are good guys through and through. They are also good cooks, excellent party hosts, and owners of a lovely condo with terrific views south to downtown. We arrived at 7 and settled in to snacking on bread, cheeses, ham and salami, pickles, mustards, and homemade crispy sweet potato ribbons. Dan mixed some cocktails using vodka that they'd infused with pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Tasty!Alas, the only photo I have of them that turned out halfway alright hardly shows them or their kitchen to best effect. Here's an older shot from early June that gives you a better look at them, though not their lovely home.

Chuck and Dom were there as well - the dinner was something of a thank you to Chuck for house and dogsitting while Dan and Scott were in Spain. The company and conversation were lively all night long, though I fear Conrad got a little lost in the Gilmoresian quality of it. Ah well. I'll get him started on the DVDs of the show and work on his whip-smart pop culture references.

Our dinner was chicken with chanterelles, fingerling potatoes, and fennel. Dominic, of all people, not only ate all his fennel, but he WASN'T a fennel virgin. We were shocked! It was a filling and entirely satisfying meal, enjoyed with a French syrah. Dessert consisted of individual fruit crumbles piping hot from the oven and some coffee.

Conrad and I managed to avoid doing dishes, for which I feel slightly guilty (but I'll get over it) and made it home a little after midnight following a nice saunter on a mild night up the Drive. I should note that less than an hour before we went over to Dan and Scott's a huge storm blew through that had the city's emergency sirens signalling the danger of tornados. I wonder, just wonder, if any were sighted in the end.

A big meal plus booze equals a bad night of sleep, especially given how very sore I am today from having gone to the gym on Thursday morning for the first time in over four years. Ugh. Swimming in less than an hour, and then maybe a nap? Laundry is more likely. But then: a homecooked dinner at a friend's a second night! We're living a charmed weekend, somehow!

Happy Birthday Allison!

Yes, you met here in this blog mere weeks ago, but I've known her for just over 8 years now. I recall baking cookies to bring in for her at school on her birthday way back in 1998. Good times.

The photo above is from younger days as well. I was in Toronto visiting her in 2001 at the end of September. Good visit: we managed to get to a Travis concert, as I recall. Ah, to be that young again. I was 31, she was younger than that!

:-P

Happy birthday Allison! We hope to get up there and visit before toooooo long!

Dave's post-Big Shoulders barbecue (better late than never!)

If anyone had any doubt that Chicago's summer was winding down, the day of Big Shoulders should have offered a telling clue. More than the race conditions themselves, the cold, windy backyard barbecue at Dave's was evidence. Coats, anyone? Everyone? Were we really at a mid-November tailate party?

Happily, Dave has an excellent touch with the country style ribs. Also happily, Dom was in his cups, tongues were loosened, and Kaleb learned some valuable life lessons!

Photos, over a week after the event, but better late than never....

And man, that Dave can cook (though I submit the cupcakes as proof that I have a recipe or two up my sleeve as well)!



The designated eaters:













Not Smelts, but very welcome guests:

Ribs (catching up on older news and photos)

First of a couple of posts - since e-mail is all fouled up STILL (I shall refrain from commenting on the quality of the university's IT department!) I have time enough to post some lingering things.

First up, and more recent, dinner last Friday. Our friend Bradley came over - it's been a good half-year (well, not so good given all that he and we have been through in our past months) since last we saw him, so it was a treat catching up. I got home early from work and put together some back ribs. Mmmmmm. Ribs. Yum. Rather than a typical vinegar or tomato barbecue sauce (and please: no southerners or St. Louisians or Kansas Cityites telling me what proper barbecue is!), I started out with a "splash" from the book the NBF sent. Sadly, it tasted rather like a sharpy, lemony salad dressing, and as I had two salads as the side dishes, I modified the splash with a big whack of honey. Hmmm, maybe I wasn't that far off a vinegar sauce, then. No matter, the ribs were darn tasty, a bit sticky, and the meat was sliding off the bone nicely.

We killed two bottles of wine over cheese and crackers and tapenade then dinner. We polished it all off with the fregolata I had baked the night before, accompanied by cheese, chocolate, and a sweet black plum. And more wine!

:-)

North Pond

Ahhhhhhhhh....

Just home a short time ago from a leisurely dinner at North Pond Restaurant in Lincoln Park. It was our first visit there, dining with our friends Bryan and John. In fact, the dinner was arranged so that I could properly thank Bryan in particular for the time he spent holding my hand in the emergency room in July and getting information to Conrad who was stuck overnight on the west coast. I had heard good things about the place, so it was my pleasure to treat them to dinner there.

I only wish all the photos had turned out! Nonetheless, onwards we go....

The thing that caught my eye on the menu was not something I ended up having. Frogs legs were on the menu, and I do like them. Paired with sweet corn in some way, they sounded rather appealing; I saw two servings brought to an adjacent table, and I was tantalized. However, all four of us decided to have the seasonal tasting menu, and this may have been the wiser choice.

We started with a bottle of a French Sauvignon Blanc from a wine list that had a number of very moderately-priced options. John drinks only modestly and Bryan almost never, so in practice that meant that Conrad and I largely shared the bottle. Happily, dinner was not rushed, so I don't think we'll feel any aftereffects.

Up first: seared Hawaiian ohno on a watermelon salad with a scattering of fresh herbs. Lovely little start.

Course #1: a deconstructed salad niçoise, but with cold smoked salmon and cured shallots on haricots verts, heirloom potatoes, olives, cheery tomatoes, and a horseradish cream. Nice.

Course #2: Alaskan halibut topped with a cucumber mint salad in a fennel broth. Clean tasting, subtle.

Course #3: heirloom tomatoes with a ravioli filled with Walla Walla onion soup, topped with prosciutto and parmesan. This was where I really took notice of the food - the tomatoes were marvellous, but the ravioli was inspired. A shame the photo isn't so good.

Palate cleanser: anise and hyssop sorbet. If the tomato salad bumped the dinner up a notch from a pleasant start, the simple sorbet jolted it harder. Sweet, tangy, a slight tingle on the tongue. The sorbet was the colour of a deep green tea ice cream. Not a full course, but an amazing little treat. I won't upload the shot of it here - just not at all great.

Course #4: meat, three ways. The centre of the plate was dominated by a medallion of very tender, very rare beef tenderloin garnished with a bit of salt and situated near a tomato relish. To its left was a ground filet patty served with a corn relish and a streak of arugula puree. To its right was a piece of meat I shall not name for legal reasons served atop some beans that must have been cooked with bacon or something like it (darn good!) and a streak of beet puree. John was rhapsodic at this point. Conrad and I were enjoying a glass each of an Australian shiraz at this point. Another photo I'm sorry turned out poorly, so I will not post it here.

Course #5: frozen peach souffle atop Italian meringue, topped with diced peach and a choclate peach sauce. We joked about needing bread to mop up the plate, but we thought a piece of cake on a stick, like a cotton swab - a Cake-Tip, would have been a helpful thing. John and I also had decafs to wind down. And as above, the better the food, the worse the photo!

Afters: a little plate on which were macaroons sandwiched with white port raspberry jam and chocolate coriander truffles. When the waiter came round to see if we needed anything else, I laughingly suggested another plate of the treats; he obliged quite kindly and indulgently. I very much hope I tipped him sufficiently.

So, a meal in a lovely setting (a prairie style building in the park) that began pleasantly though not exceptionally ended up wowing us with three courses and two extras. In other words, we'd love to go back!

It's a gorgeous night out: mild night air (warmer outside than in the well air-conditioned restaurant) and the skyline view from the front of the restaurant would sway anyone to a good mood. Our bellies are full, and we are hoping for a satisfying night of sleep ahead!

AIDS Walk 2006

Summer has its last hurrah here in Chicago - not too hot, mind you, just a nicely warm September Saturday morning. I could have been at the pool, but I chose to walk instead.

The day I started back to swimming in August, a former, original Smelt was there to ask the team to support a local organization, Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV). I hadn't heard of it before, but they were doing some things I liked the sound of: education for kids in school, care and support for people in Chicago who are dealing with HIV and AIDS. The local-focus of their programs appealed to me; yes, there's needs to be a cure for HIV/AIDS, but a lot needs doing for the day-to-day reality of those with the disease. I was gratified to hear that by entering a team in the AIDS Walk, they'd receive 75% of the monies they raised. It's long past time that the Smelts renvolved themselves in community efforts like this, and I decided instantly to participate.

Support from my friends has been marvellous. As I write this, they have donated just short of $800, what I see as an astonishingly generous sum. I am grateful to all of them. Whether it's because they support me, or they looked at what BEHIV is doing and thought well of it, they made a sunny day brighter. Corny, but true.

Ah, so the walk. Quite a crowd, and unmissable amongst them was a huge group of Loyola students clad in a colour that Conrad would consider painting the apartment! They had cheers and pep leaders with bullhorns. Quite a spirit they showed. Though I was part of the BEHIV team, I walked the 5 km with two other Smelts, Scott and Dan. Good guys, through and through! We eventually had to get a little beyond the Loyola kids if only to hear our own conversation above the bullhorns.

An hour and a half after the start, we were done. I think I have a light sunburn, very light, but that's fine. I hadn't saved the world, but I did a small something, and I felt in a buoyant mood. I parted company with Dan and Scott near the Art Institute and continued on to meet Conrad on the Institute steps. From there we walked through Millennium Park and on to Macy's for lunch and a bit of shopping. By the time we got home, a nap was in order, and I think it was well-earned!

(to the tune of Frère Jacques) Fregolata, Fregolata....

If you ignore the anonymous butt in the photo and look a little more closely, to the left you will see a board on which there is a chunk of orange cheese (Mimolette, nicely aged, superlatetively yummy) and some broken wedges. Ah, my friends, it is those broken wedges I was in pursuit of tonight!

The recipe is called Italian Shortbread with Almonds, Brandy, and Lemon (Fregolata). I love saying that word, but I live in fear that someone like Steven - who knows his Italy and things Italian - will somehow disabuse me of the notion that this is a genuine Italian treat. No matter. It's becoming a standby, a rich cookie to serve in a delightfully haphazard manner. The recipe, by the way, is one from a Pasta & Co. cookbook I gave my Mum several years back. I think it pairs well with the cheese, and on a board with a scattering of pomegranate seeds, accompanied by a dessert wine (a Round Barn black walnut, perhaps?), it makes for a fine cap to an evening. Or something fun to put out at a party, as we did in the photo above. The shot is one from the Allison and Sean party.

Wednesday night is a Project Runway night, of course, and I paid bills and wrote a few cards. And through much of that, I had this big disk of cookie in the oven. When it cools, I'll cut it up and put it in a tin. I think Conrad's office will be getting a treat tomorrow!

Big Shoulders: final wave of photos

Ahhhh, Sunday evening. We're not long back from a stroll along the lakefront before the sky completely darkened. In the dim light we were able to see how muddy the water forced up against the concrete terraces was. Mighty impressive waves crashing, spray flying. We couldn't help but think how much worse the conditions at the beach could have been yesterday.

I'll post the photos from the BBQ at Dave's separately tomorrow or later in the week - I'd like to shut down the computer for the night after this (or at least shut down all but iTunes) and get back to reading a book as a way of winding down.

In the meantime, photos taken as and after Smelts finished yesterday's race:

Big Shoulders: third wave of photos

Alright, a good big breakfast (poached eggs, chicken sausage, fresh raspberries, toast with lingonberry preserves, OJ, coffee) is in my belly, and I have slept many hours. Time to get some more pre-race photos posted....



















Looking out at the beach and the course on a dismayingly grey day:



The Smelts Pep Team:

Big Shoulders: second wave of photos

Pun intended!

Another batch of photos for all to enjoy! More photos to come - I think it's better to try this in a few batches than putting them all in Yahoo! photo albums. Let me know if you agree.

Pre-race photos of the various team members:



















A good enough set for tonight. Lots more to come, but I think I'll go read for a while and then get an early night of sleep!

more shots from baking

Home from the BBQ. I've eaten far too much crap today. Before Dave comments more about wanting to wear my cupcakes, allow me to tempt you with a few more photos.

I put together some white chocolate chip-macadamia nut cookies from dough I'd pulled from the freezer last night. That was a doodle - slice, mound, bake.

The cupcakes were a little more involved. I'd made the recipe twice before - including once for a MoveOn.org bake sale that a few teammates were running on the corner of Broadway and Melrose.

Bake the cupcakes. Cool. Pipe into them a peanut butter filling.

Dip in ganache. Dip again.

Decorate with a rosette of peanut butter filling.

It took some time, but the reception to them at the BBQ was terrific.

Oh, and I must thank the not-so-N-anymoreBF for sending me the amazing gift of preserves and fresh veggies; the box they came in was ideal for transporting the cupcakes!

Cupcake (tease)

Off to the BBQ, with a bunch of these as my contribution....

Big Shoulders

I won't write much here - I'm in the middle of baking (quelle surprise!) for a team BBQ on what promises to be a grey, cool Saturday afternoon. Big Shoulders was this morning. Tough conditions, and kudos to those who finished. Conrad, alas, was not among them. The waves and water temperature were overwhelming, and he left the race early into it. No matter - I still think he's darn cute!

A few photos for now; I shall post more later....

First Yoshi's dinner of the week

Yes, first. First of four, to be precise - tonight was the fourth, and good it was. Alas, the sardines are not on the menu anymore, but they were mighty good while they lasted!

I'm still playing catch-up from the weekend. Conrad's mother is with us for this weekend, Conrad is readying himself to swim Big Shoulders in the morning, and I'm baking some candied ginger and dried apricot scones for his Mom to enjoy.

So, back we go to last Sunday and dinner with Allison and Sean. By Sunday night they'd moved to the Fairmont, but they were looking forward to dinner at Yoshi's, having heard us talk up the place so much. And I have to say, as a meal it was hitting a number of my favourite things.

Appetizer: fried sardines. Even the bones were crispy. Served with fried parsley and fried olives, a little mound of sea salt, and some lemon. Hot and not greasy, just yummy.

Main meal: roasted, boned double cut pork chop. Served sliced atop a guajillo chile sauce and alongside mashed sweet potato and a poblano relleno, tempura-style. Pork and chile relleno both? Pinch me!

Dessert: a fresh fig tartlet in a chocolate pastry shell, served warm with a simple vanilla ice cream melting on it. Lovely.

To drink: I stuck with wine. A Sauvignon Blanc to start with, then the four of us shared two bottles of a King Estate Pinot Noir. I ended with a glass of Zinfandel after dinner. I will admit, I was always a dreadfully inexpensive drunk, and seven weeks off worsened that. I was out cold ten minutes after getting home. Whoa!

I can't even remember really well what the others have save that Sean had a steak and Allison also had the fig tart. A really enjoyable, luxurious evening at the bar, chatting with our various friends. Who knew I'd be back so much this past week, switching to the grilled radicchio slad with goat cheese and pine nuts most nights. I had that again tonight, and enjoyed the mussels for my dinner along with a glass of the Riesling.

Photos:Sardines

Oh yeah, Conrad had the smoked salmon and endive salad!

Michael and Laura were there.

More Laura.

And more, this time with Yoshi.

Me and Rakhael - her husband Gil was taking other photos.

With Allison and Sean, once again.

Party for Allison and Sean

I am so very behind on posting to the blog, and I can only tear myself away to do this when PR is on a commercial break. Sorry.

Back to Labour (yes, Jeffrey, Labour) Day weekend: Allison and Sean came down from Toronto for a visit. Allison is a dear from from our GSLIS days, and she's been to Chicago about a half-dozen times. This was Sean's first time, however, and we think and hope he liked it. At least for most of the weekend the weather cooperated!

Two-dozen people filled our cozy apartment on Saturday night, some of the Allison had met before, some not. I laid out some snacks, having baked some white chocolate chip cookies, a fregolatta (an Italian shortbread, baked as one large cookie, and flavoured with lemon, almonds, and brandy) and some lemon romano crackers,and made up some mixed nuts spiced with rosemary and cayenne. Some serrano ham, some cheeses, some olives, a whole bunch of wine and beer available. Folks, we had a party on our hands!

So, some photos...

Smelts:


Hey, wait, she's not a Smelt!

Library folk:



Non-Smelts, non-library folk (yes, we know some!):
Hey, nice shirt Handsome!

More Allison and Sean even:

But really, folks, what blog is this? It's all about the food 'round here!

Sunny Labour Day weekend

So far so good, though I hope that writing about clement weather will not jinx it for the rest of the long weekend. Allison and Sean benefitted, though, spending much time outdoors yesterday seeing the sights while Conrad and I pursued clothes shopping at Nordstrom, Levis, and Eddie Bauer (great sale on polo shirts).

He and I drove downtown, and I was able to capture some images from the car as we drove. Not the best shots because of that, but still....








Once downtown, we stopped into a sushi bar for lunch. I leave you with one last photo before I get the party photos posted to a different blog entry....

Allison and Sean arrive

A few days' inactivity on the blogging end o things from me, but I've been doing things. Why, Wednesday night was taken up with the very important task of watching Project Runway, for example. No, actually, I've done some swimming ans spent time on some data from work. Barrel of monkeys, I tell you.

It should be a good weekend, though. Allison and Sean arrived late last night from TO, and we did manage to get them down to Firefly for a glass of wine and "light" snack. Between that and baking another big batch of the white chocolate chip cookies, I'm likely weighing some 14 ponds more this morning. Time to purge!

The "light" snack I had:

Everyone is still in bed though I've heard the sound of various bathroom runs. Swimming for me and Conrad in a while, and then we'll see what the two of them are up for. We'll have some 20 people over tonight for a party, so that will take up my late afternoon and evening. It promises to be a jampacked weekend....