An open letter to 2012

Dear 2012 -

I have high hopes for you.  2011 was good to me, good to us, for the most part.  It was a year filled with friends and family, travel and memories, food and laughter, health and wellness, interesting work and new opportunities. But there's always room for improvement. That's where you come in, 2012.

Your predecessor brought us fewer occasions to spend with loved ones than we would have liked.  It is incumbent upon you to bring several more opportunities to visit Michigan, see old friends, meet and get to know the new ones they're bringing into the world and spend time with our parents and brothers and sisters.  I'd also love to find myself at the end of your term riffling through pictures of travels elsewhere to be with those we love.  Halifax, Boston, Toledo, Denver, Chicago, I'm not picky, just bring our hearts to those they love.

Just as important as bringing us to those we love, bring them back to us.  Fill our table with the sounds of their laughter.  Allow me to cook and cook and cook and fill every dish with the joy it gives me to share them.  Let our dear ones return home or tuck themselves into our fluffy guest beds, full, content and with the same warmth from being in our house that we get by having them here.  (Hear that people? Come visit! We'll feed you!)

I'm also demanding that you provide ample opportunities for B and I to exercise our travel personalities.  Over the years, we've found that on vacation, especially just the two of us, we're different people.  We laugh easier, smile more and banter faster and with ever-increasing wit.  2011 took us for a short Vegas vacation and a mini-trip to Chicago. 2012, to do right by me, bring longer travel somewhere farther flung.  London? The Caribbean? Spain? I could content myself with any of these places, let's just choose and start planning.

Next, give my feet wings.  In March, I run my first half marathon. I'm doing it for my health, for the satisfaction of knowing that I can accomplish something truly difficult with the right mindset and dedication. I'm doing it for the opportunity to spend some real, no kidding quality time with my little brother before he's all grown up.  And finally, I'm doing it for my Dad.  Because 2012, you're going to be WAY better to my Dad than your predecessor.  This is not a request, it's a demand. The only way the word cancer will be uttered during your term will be as a memory of what he beat in 2011 and what he will continue to dominate.

Finally, while I was on the road in 2011 less than the previous year, I still slept 51 nights away from home for work. I averaged 50+ hours in the office per week (an average that was drastically impacted by a quiet November and December) and another 20+ hours per week from the warmth and comfort of my couch, but working nonetheless.  I said "no" to more social engagements than I can count thanks to the constant, stressful grind that is my job.  So 2012, here's what I want from you - a dramatic drop in work-related travel.  How about 30 nights? That seems like a good, realistic goal.  See what you can do. While you're at it, see what you can do to help B make it in the door 12 hours or less after he leaves every day.  Help us spend more than one hour a night in the same room while still conscious.  I'd love to request a way to diminish my average weekly hours, but I'm also realistic.  With new demands and changes and opportunities on the horizon, I understand the need to keep up the crazy hours, but let's try to keep them up from the metro DC area.

I hope my expectations are clear, 2012. Get to work!

A new kind of New Year

Sometimes planning a trip with a group can be difficult with all the moving parts and individual needs.  And sometimes the trip comes together like serendipity with every piece fitting perfectly into the puzzle.  That's how it happened that we ended up in Boston to ring in the new year.  Midway through November our friends in Halifax, A&D, found a great last minute flight deal to Boston.  In just a few days, we'd nailed down the details with our Boston-based friends, J&P, and booked in our own flights from DC to join them to welcome 2012.

We arrived on Friday, looking forward to getting to spend time with our friends over a low-key weekend with far more focus on the company than on outside activities. And that's exactly what we got.

When we arrived, A&D were at the zoo with X, their 20 month old daughter, giving us a few minutes to catch up one-on-one with J&P.  But an hour or so later we were finally all under one roof, having exchanged long over due hugs and greetings.  To our wonderful surprise, X wasn't even a little bashful being thrust into this whole crowd of faces she rarely sees in person.  So while she got familiar again with all the crazy people in the room, all of whom enjoy the sweet "aunt" and "uncle" monikers by which we're called, we set about deciding what dinner would entail and making a food plan for the weekend.

X has a lot of food sensitivities right now, which leaves eating out as a tough choice.  Conveniently, this trip included a whole bunch of people who like to cook and have no concerns with making adjustments to accommodate food sensitivities and (in my case) allergies.  As the Executive Chef of the J&P household, P had already laid a plan to make a hearty veggie-filled pasta for us the first night, bursting with Portobello mushrooms, eggplant and zucchini.  As a group we decided on a classic steak and potatoes meal for New Year's Eve and before long we were off to Whole Foods to get everything we needed (and of course, to stop at the liquor store to ensure we had plenty of "spirits" with which to welcome 2012).

Dinner that night was a big hit, both with the adults for the great combinations of flavors and well-prepared veggies and with X for the bow-tie pasta.  In fact, Uncle P's pasta making skills made him very popular for the duration of the weekend.

 Chef P chopping tomatoes to add to our pasta

We spent the duration of the evening doing what we do best, catching up, talking, laughing, basking in the presence of these people that we so seldom get to see.  Before we knew it, midnight was creeping up and we were debating if B and I could even catch a cab from Jamaica Plain back to our downtown hotel.  Luckily, P took control and within about 20 minutes we were headed for a good night's sleep (or so we thought).

Turns out, the beds at the Marriott Copley Place are medieval. Hard and awful.  But that made it easy to get up at a decent hour and get back to JP to start our day.

By the time we rolled in, A&D and X were already on the move and J&P weren't far behind.  D had offered early on to be our breakfast chef and was already one batch in on the steel cut oats that would be our morning meal.  After some "getting to know you" with the stove, I managed to produce some nicely broiled bread to enjoy with jam while we awaited the oatmeal. After enjoying D's excellent oats, we decided to head down to the Wharf to go to the Aquarium.  With all the creatures and colors, A&D hoped it would be a hit with X and let's be honest, the rest of us are pretty easily entertained as well.  Show me a penguin and I'm a happy girl.

I didn't have to wait long either, the penguin habitat is just about the first thing you see when you walk in the door.

Two penguin friends on display

After the penguins, we wound our way around a giant fish tank, filled with gorgeous tropical fish, rays, sharks and even a sea turtle. 

 A very blurry tortuga

Another blurry shot, this time of X saying "Hi!" to all the passing fish

Not long after, we got separated, J&P, B and I ending up in the outdoor sea lion habitat while trying (and failing) to follow A&D and X to the touch tank for X to meet a ray and a small shark up close and personal.  But somehow we managed to meet up around the front door just as we were all hitting our limits on tourist activities and hoping for a little lunch. Most of the nearby restaurants were crowded, but we managed to get a table at Joe's and enjoy a relatively peaceful lunch (if you discount the wretched waitress who was, shall we say, less than helpful). 

By the time we finished our late lunch it was dark and we decided to head back to J&P's by way of Faneuil Hall.  The whole plaza was filled with Christmas decorations including an ENORMOUS Christmas tree and an ice sculpture sleigh.

J&P in front of the Christmas Tree

After watching a street performer for a few minutes, we made our way to the T and back to J&P's to relax and eventually get to making dinner.  Everyone was ready for some down time when we got back and we all piled into J&P's living room. X, however, had napped on the T on the way back and was ready to burn off some more energy. So while we all sank into couches and spots on the floor, X got out her boogie book and leggings and did some reading and dancing.

After being thoroughly entertained by X dancing (and J's failed attempts to do the robot), we finally had to get it together to start on dinner or we really would be eating at midnight. P was in charge of the steak and roasted brussel spouts and I had potato responsibility.  While P prepped at the counter, I sat down at the table to peel and slice potatoes for Patates sto furno, Greek-style potatoes cut into spears and roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt pepper and oregano.  Not long after getting down to business, I had some sous chef assistance from X.  Once all the potatoes were down in the pan, X helped dress them with oregano and salt.  After I mixed it all together with the olive oil and ensured every potato was covered, X showed her cooking skills, informing me that the potatoes needed more salt, which she happily tossed in for us. 

With dinner on the way, we sat back to enjoy our evening with more chat and laughter.  We opened a few bottles of wine, enjoyed some stinky cheeses, but mostly again, just enjoyed each other.  At some point, as we all sat around the table, X crawled up into A's lap to play.  Part of that play included A and X going through the motions of "rowing" while A sang "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."  And because we are awesome, we all joined in.  And then we started singing in rounds, with A&D singing the first, B the second, J and I the third and P coming in on the fourth with his own tuneful rendition of "I Had The Time of My Life" which oddly, fits right into the cadence of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."  X dug the full-court press we were giving her song and proceeded to row and laugh and row some more.  When the singing had finally lapsed, B even graced us with his bizarre spoken word rendition.

After all this excitement and her train nap, X finally consented to sleep, just in time for the adults to sit down to dinner and to ring in the new year.  While it wasn't the crazy, booze-soaked new years of the past, the company, down to the newest little member of the crew, made it a perfect way to welcome 2012!

The next morning we were a little slower to get moving and finally all came together for breakfast (or in X's case, Breakfast Round 2) around 1030.  D made us some excellent blueberry pancakes and bacon while we all milled around in the kitchen, knowing it was our last day all together.  The highlight of this meal though, again, was X.  Crawling up on a chair at the table, she declared (after some prodding from a certain Uncle B) that "Uncle B is awesome!", "X is awesome!", "Everybody's awesome!". 

And this cuteness wasn't the last thing X had in store for us at breakfast.  She followed up, with some more help from a certain rotten Uncle, with "Aunt J is naughty" which she proceeded to repeat as long as we continued to laugh, which wasn't hard to negotiate considering what she was saying.  

After breakfast we decided it was time to take our awesomeness outside for a walk in the gorgeous 50 degree weather.  We meandered up to the Arboretum, which is just a few short blocks from J&P's place.  Full of people running, biking and walking dogs, we weren't the only ones looking to take advantage of the nice weather.  We spent about an hour roaming around, more or less following A and X wherever their wanderings took us.  

 A and X, negotiating where to go next

When we finally arrived back at J&P's, we only had a couple of hours before B and I would have to pack up for the airport.  We spent the last of our time where we had spent most of the weekend, clustered around the kitchen table, snacking and chatting and laughing.  Which brings us to the last official act of the weekend - the great Hall Street sprint.  My memory has failed and I have no idea how this argument started, but not long before we were due to depart J&P began to argue about who could spring faster.  B and I have arguments like this too as we're both pretty competitive.  However, our arguments tend to end as intellectual exercises, each postulating why we think we're superior.  Not J&P.  They each presented their case for greater sprint speed, but they didn't leave it at that.  They took it outside for a foot race!

J (who may  have been at a disadvantage in her skinny jeans) and P, ready to head outside to race

Getting set at the starting line with B as the line judge

D and X on the porch, waiting for the race to start

P, about to cross the finish line, about 15 feet ahead of J

Needless to say, P smoked J.  But their race was hilarious and a great, light-heated way to end a wonderful weekend.  Before long we were getting suitcases in the car, giving last hugs and saying our goodbyes. 

I can only describe this weekend the way I describe most times spent with these incredible friends.  Cathartic. Soul-soothing. Necessary.  Thank you all for a great trip and new year's celebration. We can't wait to do it again!

Vegetable and chickpea curry

Several of my favorite people are vegetarians and I too often find myself scratching my head about what to serve when they come to dinner. As a result, I've spent a fair amount of time hunting for interesting vegetarian options.  I stumbled onto this recipe from Cooking Light and was pleasantly surprised to find that with a few tweaks we could enjoy a very healthy, veggie-filled meal that was still hearty enough to feel like a winter comfort food.  The ingredients and instructions below are my updated version.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
6 carrots, sliced (1/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and minced
3 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
6 lemon wedges

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add curry powder, sugar, ginger, garlic, and Anaheim pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in chickpeas and next 8 ingredients (through broth). Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.

 The chickpea and vegetable mixture, ready for its last ingredients

Add spinach and greek yogurt; stir until spinach wilts. Serve over Basmati rice with lemon wedges.

Before and after: smaller guest bedroom

Finally, a year and a half after moving in, we've finished redoing our first room! I know, I know. It took long enough. But with our crazy travel schedules and long work hours its taken a long time to get any of the changes we wanted to make underway. Just a few days before Christmas I put the finishing touches on our office/smaller guest bedroom.

Remember the before, complete with fabulous sun and moon wallpaper border and blue aluminum blinds.

Before

And now, the after. A new paint job, new dark wood blinds and best of all - NO WALLPAPER.

The "guest room" part of the room, complete with your own cat

The "office" part of the room

What do you think?

Soft gingersnaps

Generally, I'm not a fan of gingersnaps. They get stale quickly and within a day or so go from tasty cookie to something with which you could bludgeon a robber.  At least that's how I felt until I found this little gem of a recipe. They are soft, delicious and as close to perfect as a cookie gets. I took these to my office holiday party and received RAVE reviews.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Additional sugar

Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. If you don't have stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, but be mindful that this batter gets very heavy and thick and might burn out an old or less powerful hand mixer. Add eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Refrigerate the dough for one hour.  Roll into one inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar. Place two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Tru(th) be told, I liked Boka better

Since B and I flew in and out of Chicago to attend his sister's wedding, we decided it would be a great opportunity to steal a little bit of time just the two of us.  This was a tough decision to come to because we have so many friends in Chicago that we love and would like to have seen. But it's been a long year with too many hours work, too many miles traveled individually and not nearly enough time spent just enjoying each other.  So we decided to keep our trip, which was quick anyway, just between us, in spite of all the wonderful people we wanted to see while there.

Xoco or proof that food doesn't have to be expensive to be fabulous

We arrived in Chicago in time to check into our hotel on the Magnificent Mile and grab a late lunch.  We had done some online research before arriving and decided to give Rick Bayless's downtown cafeteria style spot, Xoco, a try.

Taking our position in line, we had just enough time to decide on our tortas and order before our places in the 40-seat restaurant were available.  B chose the Pepito torta, a crusty sandwich filled with braised shortrib, caramelized onion, Jack cheese and black beans.  I selected the Choriqueso torta, a mash up of house-made chorizo, roasted Poblano peppers and tomatillo salsa.  Both were unbelievable.  The meat in B's sandwich was so tender it fell apart and the caramelized onions added a delicious sweetness.  My sandwich was the spicier of the two.  Packed with heat, I had a hard time putting it down.  In fact, had B and I not agreed to share both sandwiches I would have mowed through both halves without a second thought.

Xoco's wood firing oven where every delicious torta is made

Boka, a return to our roots

The year that B and I lived in Lincoln Park, a new restaurant - Boka - sprang up right across the street from our apartment.  We went in for drinks a couple of times, but at the time we were so poor we could scarcely afford a glass of wine. We never even considered eating there, it wasn't an option.

But this restaurant, new in 2004, is still there and getting rave reviews. It was awarded its first Michelin star last year.  So we couldn't pass up an opportunity to try it now that we wouldn't be forgoing rent money to do so.

We arrived in time for our 7PM reservation and were seated in a cozy corner booth near the rear of the restaurant. It was a great spot to enjoy some intimate conversation and reminisce about our days in Chicago.  We enjoy that particular kind of reminiscing because, in retrospect, we were seriously strapped for cash, overworked (I was in grad school and working full time for the Senate and B was working 80 hours a week on a campaign) and so damn happy. I'm not saying we're uphappy now, it's just a different kind of happy. We're real adults now with all the responsibilities that entails.  Back when we lived in Chicago, we had all the freedom of adults but not nearly as much of the reality that comes with it.

One short trip down memory lane later, we were greeted by a friendly server who, in addition to answering some questions about the a la carte menu, explained the three, six or nine-course Chef's tasting menus.  Basically, you just tell them what you don't like (or in my case are allergic to) and they create the requisite number of dishes without any additional intervention from the customer.  We chose the six-course menu with the wine pairing and sat back to await the surprise of each course.

First Course: Quartet of sushi and seafood

This will be one of the last photos, as darkness became increasingly problematic

Clockwise from the lower right we enjoyed a British Columbian oyster with a yuzu glaze; yellowtail with edamame, sesame and white grape; red snapper carpaccio with black truffle; and adobo seared tuna with king crab nori roll.  

Every single bite was bursting with flavor. B's favorite - hands down - was the oyster. He described it as a fresh blast of ocean.  I fell in love with the adobo seared tuna.  Perfectly prepared, the seasoning was robust yet somehow didn't overpower the tuna and king crab's subtle flavors.  Everything about this box was incredible.  With a first course like this we couldn't wait to see what else was on the way!

Second course: Steel head trout

Our second course was composed of a small piece of perfectly seasoned steel head trout with exceptionally crisp skin.  It shared the plate with celery root puree, curried leeks, seafood dumplings and pickled crosnes.  The first bite was a little bit of everything and it was exquisite - a perfect balance of flavors.  Tasting each item individually however, revealed that the leeks were the best thing on the plate. I should be raving about the trout, and don't get me wrong, it was very, very good, but the leeks had more flavor than any vegetable I have ever encountered. 

Third course: Sweetbreads

Next to the table was a small assortment of veal sweetbreads served with roasted figs, celery root puree,  broccoflower and wild mushrooms.  

If you can put aside the idea of what you're eating, this is a dish I would recommend without question.  Sweetbreads, when prepared properly as Boka certainly did, are tender and succulent. The most interesting element of this plate was the juxtaposition between the mushrooms and the sweetbreads.  The earthy bite of the mushrooms against the soft, buttery texture of the sweetbread made the whole dish.

Fourth course: Lamb

When considering the a la carte menu, the lamb loin with poached milk belly, arancini, broccoli hash and black garlic sauce was high on my list.  And lo and behold, a very similar creation appeared as our fourth course.  The lamb was a perfect medium rare.  But the star of this dish, again, was the vegetable.  Likely packed full of butter, the broccoli hash had all the sweetness of a broccoli floret and none of the bitterness of the stems.

Fifth course: Beef Tenderloin

Our last savory course arrived bursting with meaty flavor.  Again, perfectly prepared, the medium rare beef tenderloin could be cut with a butter knife.  Add to it a tiny Yorkshire pudding, savoy cabbage and Cipollini onions and you have a truly incredible set of flavors.  The highlight of this dish was the beef, yet I found myself wondering how the cabbage was prepared that it had none of the normal, almost slimy texture of cooked cabbage (something I generally don't like).  It was delicious.

Sixth course (bonus course): Panna cotta

This was the most unexpected course. An addition from the Chef, our first sweet course could have happily ended the meal for me.  Made with yogurt, this panna cotta was tangy and rich without being overpoweringly sweet.  Topped with a gelee and fresh grapes, it was extremely refreshing and a great way to clear the palate.  

Seventh couse: Chocolate Ganache

The last course - we were SO full at this point! Maybe that's why this course felt like it missed the mark.  But the Chocolate ganache with flourless chocolate cake and horchata ice cream just seemed a little one-note after all of the incredible combinations of flavors we'd enjoyed throughout the evening. Sure, it was decadent, but it just didn't hold up to scrutiny the way every other dish had.

Three hours, seven courses and seven wine pairings later we were back on the street looking for a cab, feeling gluttonous but extremely satisfied.  What a fabulous way to wander down memory lane, coming back to our old neighborhood to try this tremendous restaurant (which really, really deserves that Michelin star).

Tru(ly) a little ovepriced

For our last meal in Chicago before heading home the following morning, we made a reservation at Tru in Streeterville.  Right down the street from our last apartment in Chicago before moving to the East Cost (are you seeing a theme here?), this restaurant has been receiving accolades for as long as I can remember.  We had to give it a try.

We arrived in just a few minutes past our 730PM reservation time - evidently we'd forgotten just how long it takes to cross Michigan Ave - and were ushered into the lounge to wait for our table.  In just the five minutes we spent in the lounge we caught sight of three men in tuxedos and an Ambassador in full regalia.  We joked about the irony of living in the DC area and never running into an Ambassador, but in Chicago he walked in like he owned the place.  But we didn't have much more time to contemplate it as our table was ready.

First a comment about the service. In addition to excellent food, this is what you're paying for at a restaurant like Tru. Over the course of our two hour meal we had no less than a half dozen sets of hands ensuring our every need was met and that doesn't even include the Sommelier.  This type of service began from the moment we sat down and were greeted by our Barack Obama look-alike server.

Since we had been over the top with our Thursday evening meal at Boka, we decide to stick to the a la carte menu for the evening and after several discussions with our waiter and sommelier decided on a first course and entree a piece as well as an exceptional bottle of Pinot Noir.

B chose the duck consommé with confit and foie gras ravioli as his first course and the wild Scottish hare as his main. I selected the Grass fed beef carpaccio with yuzu and aged white truffle balsamic for my first course and braised Wagyu beef short ribs as my main.

Unsurprisingly, the timing of our meal was perfect, with the appropriate lull between courses to savor the flavors. For B, the duck consommé was the stand out, packed full of earthy duck flavors and rich bites of foie gras. His main arrived with a lot of whimsy on the plate. The hare and its accompaniments were arranged to look like a Scottish moor. While it was well prepared and delicious, the portion was disappointingly small for the exorbitant price. In fact, we found this to be true of every dish all evening. We're used to fine dining portions which don't and should not compete with the modern American portion of whole sides of beef, but even for fine dining these were extra dainty. For me the highlight was the short ribs. Braised 72 hours, this was the most succulent, tender meat I have ever encountered, all four bites of it.

We rounded out our evening with a selection of three cheeses, a cow, a sheep and a goat milk cheese. Each was delectable in its own right, but as I capture this only the goat cheese made high in the Pyrenees stands out in memory. Rich and nutty, I could have eaten it all night.

Our last course was a shared dessert and like most fine dining establishments, the pastry chef did not disappoint with the honey crisp apple beignets. Served with smooth homemade vanilla bean ice cream, these new French pastries were an excellent blend of flaky and buttery on the outside with warm and gooey on the inside and a lovely high note on which to finish our meal.

While I understand the accolades Tru receives for the flavor and presentation of its food, I wouldn't go back. Yet I would happily duplicate the Boka experience. For about 60 percent of the price of Tru we had an incredible, stand out meal at Boka, complete with every flavor you could want and nearly as much of the fine dining experience.

Congratulations A & D!

The second weekend in December, Ben and I hopped a plane to Chicago to attend his youngest sister A's wedding in Kalamazoo. They had a quick but sweet ceremony at the County courthouse followed by plenty of pictures and a lovely lunch at a local Italian restaurant.  We got to spend some time chatting with the happy couple over lunch and even got to spend a little time with Ben's mom, uncle and sister B.

Congratulations A and D. May you find many, many years of marital bliss ahead of you!