Swinging into Ohio Spring

It is Spring in Cincinnati. And Spring is wonderful. You really don't have Spring in California- the weather doesn't vary that much from season to season in San Fran- and all the rain comes in the winter- not the spring.

We did have one good indicator of the seasons in San Francisco. All you had to do was take a look at what all the young women were wearing. In the Winter, they wore sweaters, coats, gloves, boots and hats. In the summer they wore shorts, flip flops and short sleeves. The interesting part was that the temperatures were pretty close to the same regardless of whether it was February or July. But when you have lots of young women with wardrobes to wear, they used the clothes they had and it worked about as well as a calendar.

But Ohio does Spring- in a Big, Big Way. I think the real factor that dictates Spring is the fact that we also have Winter. If you don't have a cold winter, how would you know when Spring came? So sandwiched in between the cold and wet days- and the nights that plunge back down to a frost, there are these gorgeous days. And when those rains go away- and the sun breaks out in a big smile you almost feel an obligation to get outside and enjoy. So we did! So off to the neighborhood park we went! The other real indicator is the Spring flowers. Tulips, daffodils, pear trees, saucer magnolias, croacus, and hyacinths all are indicators of Spring and they out did themselves this year.

And there were swings... and swingers.

And of course the slide...

Some were fearless....



And some of us tried to act fearless...



And MIRRORS...



And just hanging out on a beautiful day in Ohio!

Sarah was trying to do her Pippi Longstocking imitation.

And if I see the ASPARAGUS- It has to be spring- It costs 1/2 as much and tastes twice as good. And this is the year for Pickled Asparagus- Homemade Pickled Asparagus:

See Mom always did Pickled Okra- why I've seen the "boys" fight over the last jar of pickled okra. But we just don't get very "pretty" okra here in Ohio. In fact the okra is so puny I'm not sure folks in Oklahoma would even recognize it as okra. But we do get asparagus- and asparagus can be pickled. So we (that is the Don and me) decided to get "pickled" for the spring. We used Mom's Pickled Okra recipe- just substituted the asparagus.

So here it is- you'll love it- you just gotta try it!

PICKLED ASPARAGUS

2 cups cider vinegar (Mom used "Hinze")
2 cups of water
2 TBSP of "pickling" salt (she had another recipe that said 4 tbsp- we used this one- but it's a bit too salty so next time I'm just going to use the 2)
1/4 tsp of alum

Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt.

Cut asparagus - enough for 4 pints- to fit the jars- tips standing up- and put them in each pint jar. Add a couple of peppers (in two jars we used Jalapeno- and then in another two we used the little Thai peppers- and add two whole cloves of garlic to each jar.

Divide the "pickling" liquid in half- in one half add 1 TBSP of whole mustard seed and 2 tsp of whole dill seed- And in the other half add 2 tsp of cumin seed and 2 tsp of coriander seed.

Cover the tops of the asparagus in two jars with the "mustard/dill" and two with the "coriander/cumin".

Seal the jars. Place the jars into boiling water for a water "pack" for 5 minutes to get a good seal. Let them set for a few days and then refrigerate until they are cold.

Yum! They are so, so good. You'll just have to make some for yourself- or maybe just come for a visit and I'll serve them up on a platter with deviled eggs. It really is SPRING!

NowRuz, NoRuz, NoRooz (Persian New Year)

Need a reason to celebrate and have a party between Valentines Day and Easter/Passover? Fouad provided the reason and the food last weekend. NoRooz (with accent on the rooz) is the celebration of the Persian New Year which also falls on the vernal equinox. This year it was on March 20th at 08:44 EDT. A Friday morning party wasn't really in the works, but the good thing about NoRooz is that the celebration lasts for 2 weeks. Those Persians really know how to bring in the New Year. So we went to Fouad and Mary's home on Saturday night for a Persian feast (compliments of Mary's wonderful cooking), and as always, Fouad provided the color commentary with all manner of details about how this celebration is supposed to take place.
It is so good to be home! We missed family- and friends- and celebrations- for any reason. And NoRooz was a great way to begin the spring celebrations! PS- And it is always great to have an excuse to eat Mary's cooking! Now that is something to celebrate.

As an added bonus this year, my cousin Vicki and her husband Lindell were in the process of moving from Ft Worth to Pittsburgh and were able to stop over in Cincinnati on their way. Of course Fouad welcomed them to the celebration, because we all know how much Fouad loves a party. Vicki and Lindell will be so much closer (notice Pittsburgh is just not that far from Cincy)- so we expect to see a whole lot more of them!

The celebration started off with Fouad providing an overview of how this party is supposed to be done in Iran. The picture below shows Fouad in front of a table that was laden with examples of traditional fare.

All of the symbolic items were there mostly representing the arrival of Spring. Eggs that are a symbol of new birth seem to be a staple of all Spring celebrations including Easter and Passover. In addition there was also a blooming Hyacinth, garlic, an apple, sumac berries, vinegar and a few other signs of Spring. There are traditionally 7 of these items which represent the seven angelic heralds of life-rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.Another symbol of this holiday is fire. People normally build a bonfire and then jump over it, something that burns off all the bad things in life. We took a different approach and each one of us lit a candle which were allowed to burn out. Below are Vicki and Lindell and below them are Fouad and Me. Note that I am smiling for the camera. I think we still need to work a bit on Don's smile. What do you think?

In addition to jumping over fires (or lighting candles) and eating well, people also cover themselves with cloths, go outside, and bang on pots to welcome the new year. As usual, Fouad provided an excellent example of how it is done. That's him under the cloth.

Another tradition is that the mothers in the celebration are given eggs to eat. They get one for each of their children and grandchildren. Max's expression below pretty well describes her response. I think we can paraphrase it as: "you want me to do what?" Wow- now I like hard boiled eggs- I mean really- I really like hard boiled eggs. But I have a LOT OF CHILDREN- AND GRANDCHILDREN- so I was staring at 13 eggs (fortunately I was spared the grand baby #7 coming in June)- So next year I'm going to have 14 EGGS!

And finally after dinner, Fouad brought out the traditional hookah. Don't take this picture wrong. I was asked to demonstrate the proper use of a hookah and did my best to provide an appropriate digital moment. Trust me- we didn't do anything illegal- we're too old- too tired- and of course we're all now going to bed early- so the party is OVER- when the young ones are just getting started-But we had a great time! And are looking forward to next year- and the start of spring!

March Madness??

Well- before we get to the March Madness- Let me tell you today is absolutely gorgeous- weather doesn't get better than this. 70 degrees! Clear skies! No wind! And the daffodils are beginning to flower! And it is St. Patrick's Day- the first of the "welcome" spring holidays. So I made a Shepard Pie- well sorta Shepard Pie- I didn't use lamb (which is why it is called "Shepard's pie- chickens don't need a "Shepard") I used chicken- happy chickens of course- well not very happy recently- though one time this chicken was happy- running about an Amish Farm- not Irish- but there just isn't much Irish in this part of the world. And then I used parsnips- not potatoes. And then since the Irish (and the British and the Germans and the Scots) are not really known for actually seasoning food I borrowed from the Morrocans and used coriander seed, tumeric, cumin seed- threw in celery seed for good measure and salt and pepper.

We did open a couple of bottles of Guinness- but I quickly switched to a French wine.

Now that we've finished with the St. Patrick's Day- we moved onto March Madness.

OK, Max and I are definitely not obsessed with sports (other than watching baseball during the summer), but we decided that this year we would participate in that age old tradition of filling out the NCAA championship brackets with our choices of the winners. We have NEVER paid much attention- this despite the attention paid to this Madness by much of our family. Of course to do this properly one needs to have something at stake, something on which you bet so that if you win, you get the obviously deserved reward for picking all of those winners.

This created our first problem. We decided that the bet should be something that we wanted, that could be provided by the other, and something that we didn't already have. One rule imposed by Max was that we also had to disclose it in this blog, so that left out some of my obvious bets. Trust me- I didn't ask what his bets might be- I don't want to know- not now- not ever...

Now, just exactly what did either of us want that the other could provide (within the confines of this blog) we didn't already have??? Anything either of us really wants we already have. Need I remind you of the Kitchen Aid mixer that apparently I wanted for my Christmas present a couple of years ago. Sure enough Max "surprised me" with one well before Christmas. There seems to be lots of these examples, new pots and pan, a new vacuum sweeper, other kitchen stuff, and this year a new indoor herb "AeroGarden". So what could I possibly want?? I couldn't come up with a thing. Now- trust me- I know how very, very, very happy I am with Don- And I also am always aware of how "indulged" I am (coffee brought to me in bed 7 dayas a week- cleans the kitchen after every "cooking adventure" I might dream up- If I say I like roses- then he's out back digging up a new garden to plant roses- I want a piano- and now I have a GRAND one)- I couldn't think of a single thing that I might wager.
Consequently, we finally decided that the winner would get "winner bragging rights" for one day.

Now to choose the winners in our brackets. Unfortunately, neither of us has watched a college basketball game all year long. We have no idea who has beaten whom. But does that really make any difference since every year there are always some very surprising upsets.

So Max used her magic by picking teams that were from states that had some meaning to her. As she said: "I picked from the heart". For example, since she knows someone from Tennessee, she picked 16th seeded Chattanooga over top seeded UConn and 8 seeded BYU and Radford (Radford??) over North Carolina because she just doesn't like the South. I don't think she knows Radford is in Virginia. But nonetheless March Madness is about upsets, so who am I to question such logic? She did pick Oklahoma to win it all, so her faith in OU sports hasn't diminished after their awful performance in football bowl games year after year. Don had assured me that he hadn't been reading ANYTHING at all about college basketball this year- And that he really didn't have ANY IDEA who might win- and since I don't know ANYTHING about college basketball (stopped watching when the guys started wearing the long shorts) it seemed that the playing field might be relatively level. So I picked FROM THE HEART (Brandy says that this is how she picks her teams)- Always pick the team playing AGAINST ANYONE from Texas, California or the south- except for Duke- I know kids who went to Duke- so I don't consider it a TOTALLY SOUTHERN school- Besides I think I remember hearing that they play pretty good basketball. And I could NEVER, EVER, EVER choose someone over OU. I am LOYAL!

I used a much more informed approach. I did know what the seeding was (I do know what seeds are- just didn't know that basketball has seeds- thought just gardens did!) and who is favored in the supposed easy games for the top seeds. I mostly went with teams I knew of, teams that were in tougher conferences and teams with big names. I think my guesses are probably no better than Max's but we will see. Let the games begin!!!

St. Patty's Day Cake!

It was a grand quest- though I must admit I was often distracted- often ambivalent- and even on during some times- totally disinterested. But then it would pop back into my path- and I would be once again reminded! But let me start from the beginning. And the beginning is a glass dome cake platter- on a pedestal even.

Part 1:
I saw this glass cake platter at the local "Glass Barn" and immediately had visions of it sitting on my table with some delicious cake or other waiting to be eaten. The "Glass Barn" is truly a cheap glass outlet that has all kinds of glass stuff at really cheap prices - I mean really cheap. This vision despite the reality that Don and I are neither terribly crazy about cake (Don much prefers pies) and of course when the kids were all home who has time to bake- and now that they're all gone cakes are just TOO BIG for just Don and I. So mostly the glass dome cake holder sits empty- only the promise of a cake- almost never a cake. Oh, from time to time I'd put some cake or other onto the platter- and would usually discard much when it became too dry to appeal even on the hungriest of afternoons. Those cakes were really pretty sitting under that dome, but eventually they just got thrown away. I mean, how much cake can two people eat?

Part 2:
Remember I told you about the hippie restaurant in Chicago- the Heartland Cafe--http://www.heartlandcafe.com/

Well what I didn't tell you- that on the desert menu (we were too full after our meal to eat any desert- so we didn't try anything)- Anyway- on the desert menu there was a cake that sounded interesting- very interesting- a CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE- I snapped a picture of the menu so I wouldn't forget the name- and we were off to another adventure in the Windy City- and this cake definitely to wait for another time.

Part 3: I have a soft spot for all things Irish. My best friend Clare and her husband Oliver (from Oklahoma City) would take me every year to the Irish Festival in Dallas- we'd go on the cheap- all 3 of us in the same room. And we would drink the Guinness. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Guinness. Why it coats so perfectly the whole mouth- so by the end of a day enjoying Irish music and dancing- and that wonderful, wonderful Guinness- my whole mouth would have the soft velvety coat of the dark beer. But there's just not much Irish here in Cincinnati. The Germans invaded, staked out their claim so we have Oktoberfest- German Beer Gardens- and of course sausage and Goetta... And about this time of the year I'm always a bit lonely for my Irish friends.... Cincinnati does have an annual St. Patrick's day parade and we went one year. Boy was that ever a bust. Mostly anybody that had a green hat walking down the street along with lots of political folks riding in cars. It was pretty awful.

But this year there is at least the CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE!
I found the recipe on one of my favorite food blogs:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/ganached-guinness-goodness/

I really think you'll like it. It's really, really, really good. So here goes:

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a bundt pan being very careful to get butter in all the creases- I think I'll also try to flour my next time because my cake did stick in a couple of spots on top. 2. Combine 1 cup of Guinness and 1 cup of butter (2 sticks- don't substitute margarine) and heat to a simmer over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup of good quality unsweetened cocoa. Whisk until smooth. Cool slightly.


4. Whisk 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar and 1.5 tsp of baking soda and 3/4 tsp of salt. Using an electric mixer (I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer- how how I love my KitchenAid Stand Mixer!) to mix 2/3 cup of sour cream and 2 eggs. Add the Guinness mixture beating until mixed using the low speed. Add the flour mixture and mix briefly on the lowest speed. Now use a spatula to finish blending. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 35-45 minutes- until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


6. Cool on rack while still in pan. Turn onto platter when cooled.
7.Now you're going to make the ganache to drizzle onto the cake.

Melt 60z of good semisweet chocolate chips and 6 tbs. of heavy creme and 3/4 tsp of instant espresso coffee over double boiler ( I just used a smaller pan sitting in a larger pan with boiling water in the larger pan because I can't remember where I put the double boiler that I use so seldom- but this worked just fine so I'm going to stop looking for the lost double boiler.) Drizzle the ganache over the cake.


And I will mention that Don was at work while I made this cake so-

Clean up was all mine- Yuck!

And of course if you bake a new cake you have to have "testers"- And I do have wonderful "testers'-

Actually Taylor was "cooking" his own playdough cookies.

And Sam was much more interested in her new talent at crawling about!

You got to love these pigtails!

But at least Mary did try the cake and claimed it to be wonderful. In fact she even took about a fourth of it with her. Thank goodness, she took it so we didn't have to throw it away. We have eaten more of it than almost any other cake Max has made in the last few years.

PS:
This was the week for PERFECT PRESENTS! First, Vickie sent us a venturi to aerate our wine-


Don administered a "blind" taste test- and it really, really, really works- I love it!

OK, for all of you who forgot your basic physics class: The Venturi effect is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when a fluid flows through a constricted section of pipe. The fluid velocity must increase through the constriction to satisfy the equation of continuity, while its pressure must decrease due to conservation of energy: the gain in kinetic energy is balanced by a drop in pressure or a pressure gradient force. An equation for the drop in pressure due to venturi effect may be derived from a combination of Bernoulli's principle and the equation of continuity.

A venturi can also be used to mix a liquid with a gas. If a pump for forces the liquid through a tube connected to a system consisting of a venturi to increase the water speed (the diameter decreases), a short piece of tube with a small hole in it, and last a venturi that decreases speed (so the pipe gets wider again), the gas will be sucked in through the small hole because of changes in pressure. At the end of the system, a mixture of liquid and gas will appear.

So to put it simply, you pour the wine through this little glass funnel and it sucks a lot of air into the wine as it goes through. The result is the wine being "smoothed" with the harsh flavors being removed. It actually works.

And then Amy sent me the most beautiful "charm" to wear- close to my heart- to remind me of our beautiful time in San Fran. I LOVE IT!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Baby Momma Brandy in Chicago

Now as I started telling the story of our Baby Momma Adventures I mentioned that this whole trip started out quite simple. Brandy was going to fly to Chicago (at one time Will was even going to come along) for a long weekend with her little sis in her new Chicago Digs. But of course those simple plans were BEFORE THE MOTHERS stepped to the plate and "took charge". So first Maggie (and sister-in-law Annie) planned the Boston baby shower- and then Mary Jo and I planned the Cincy Party. But eventually the Baby Momma Brandy did make it to Chicago- and I went along- to drive- and to supervise. But as Amber lamented during the trip planning stage- exactly how much partying could anyone do with a PREGNANT- so there really wasn't much supervising to do- though I did keep them busy trying to drag me along from place to place- they are tough to keep up with.

We started with Breakfast- I plan all my days around meals- and I don't miss any!

So we began with Ann Sathers (my favorite place for breakfast- maybe even my favorite place for breakfast in the WHOLE WORLD)- for Cinnamon Rolls and eggs.


And the look of satisfaction after the first bite!

Now I have a few more pics of the girls on DAY 1- and then still some on DAY 2- but by DAY 3 they would rush away anytime they saw me coming with the camera.
But on DAY 1 they really indulged me!

Now this first day was absolutely gorgeous weather- in fact this weather was so great you wouldn't have even known we were in Chicago- you might have been confused and thought that rather we were in San Fran...


Except for the ice floating in the lake... That I think might be a first clue!

And we spent most of the day outside- walking the neighborhood- and walking the path near the lake- both in Amber's neighborhood- and up at Loyola.

And we walked around the outside of Wrigley. They're working on getting the ball field ready- but let me tell you- they have a lot of work to do yet- it did not look like baseball season is almost here.

And we took the "L".

And ate at a "hippie" restaurant.

I think they're a bit discrete about their politics don't you?

Well- Day 2 weather was every bit as BAD as Day 1 had been good. Cold- and pouring down- I mean POURING DOWN RAIN. We got absolutely drenched walking to breakfast- so we hiked it back to the apartment- changed clothes- and took the car instead of Public Transportation.

First stop- Adler Planetarium- And fabulous exhibits- And so much to learn...

I did my first 3D! Of my entire life!

And then we were off to the Field Museum...


We started with SUE- the largest tyrannosaurus rex (known of course as T-Rex to close family and friends)- Sue was found in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1990 and has been on display in Chicago since 2000. No plastic model for Chicago- this is the REAL DEAL!


You could spend days in this museum- and still not see everything. So our afternoon visit barely made a dent- the rest will just have to wait for another day- and another visit...


And in case you're wondering- the WEATHER stayed miserable for DAY 3 as well- cold, rainy, windy. Another perfect day for museums- so we were off to the Art Museum-

And the Edvard Munch Exhibit. Now I really don't have many pictures from this day. The girls were REALLY TIRED of stopping for me to take yet another picture- and with the change to day light savings time we lost an hour of our afternoon- so moss did not grow under our feet-

Even at the Conservatory!

This conservatory was INCREDIBLE- about twice the size of the one in Cincy- and even had an entire room for FERNs- I was wishing in a big, big way that my daughter-in-law were with us- she would have absolutely loved it!

And here I mostly took pictures that were blurred as the girls rushed from one room to another before we were rushed out into the Chicago cold and wind!

Now at the end of this trip we were all exhausted. But I saw even more to love about this beautiful city. And can't wait to go back- and see more- again- and again...

And again!