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Sunday, May 24, 2009

Libation

I should have been reading “Lolita.” Actually, I should have been listening to Jeremy Irons read it to me--courtesy of audible.com, and I think the only way I think I’d be able to get through it in time for our next book club meeting. But instead, I read Deidre Heekin’s ”Libation: A Bitter Alchemy,” which was--pardon the low-hanging pun--intoxicatingly good.

A gift from Michael (who actually attended the wine-tasting of which she writes toward the end), the book contains essays about the finer spirits of life (I refer to vodka, campari, absinthe, and the like). It also chronicles her personal story from her early days as a newlywed experiencing Italy for the first time ... to baker ... to restauranteur ... to micro-vintage winemaker.

I’ve been to Deidre and Caleb’s restaurant in Woodstock many times, and I confess that I’ve taken for granted how much knowledge and passion go into their food and wine pairings. Until this point, I only knew that each bite and each sip have been wonderful in the most understated and elegant ways. “Libation” gives me a bit of the backstory, and the narrative is as fine as their meals.

This past week has been a travel blur for me, with trips to Kentucky and New York. Thanks to Deidre, I also feel like I’ve been to Italy, Russia, New Orleans, Paris, and Vermont. I’ll drink to that. 

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Liner Notes

Pop Goes the Maebe
Meet our baby, Maebe. She’s now 12 weeks old, and she stops traffic just like her older brother Annyong did as a puppy. We’re more anchored to the home than ever with them--plans for Europe are tabled for another year, until they’re older and we’re more able emotionally to be without our babies for an extended amount of time. But it’s the perfect time to be home in Chicago, as the city comes alive again and winter becomes a distant memory.

Silpatting Myself on the Back
My favorite new tool in the kitchen is something I bought two years ago for the first annual Cookieback Mountain (imagine eight close friends in matching aprons baking cookies--the majority of which they’ll never eat--on a cold December Saturday). Silpat. Used them twice, and then they went into a drawer until the next Cookieback. And back in the drawer again. Then I saw them used to line a roasting pan in an issue of Saveur, and I regarded my Silpat in a whole new light. Last Friday I roasted chicken parts in a 450-degree oven for a total of 45 minutes. The chicken was perfectly golden, and Honey P. and I easily swabbed the brown bits from the non-stick surface with pieces of the meat. This morning I roasted asparagus dressed in vinaigrette for an arugula, mizuna, and parmesan salad.

B & L Gardens, Open for Business
The farmer’s market run by Paula at True Nature Foods doesn’t start up again until the third week in June, but Stewart and Gregg who run my favorite stand--B & L Gardens--at the market already have produce to sell. Yesterday morning I picked up some beautiful arugula, mizuna, asparagus, chives, and green onions. In the next month they’ll have greens, lettuces, herbs, and rhubarb available on Saturday mornings. If you’re interested, call Stewart at 773.506.1192, but please please please not before 10:00 a.m. You can also ask him to put you on his email list for pre-orders.

Two Favorite New Sites
I’m loving http://www.eatwellguide.org. You can plug in keywords, zip codes, or cities and get a list of local restaurants, farmers, markets, associations and the like that specialize in local, organic food. They’ve got an iPhone interface that’s pretty zippy, too. I also stumbled upon http://www.eatingwellanywhere.com today, fabulous recipes and delightful notes.

Friday, May 15, 2009

And Then There Were Nine

Nine more pounds, that is. Today I hit a milestone: 21 pounds lost since I began my new eating plan in January. I love the fact that everything in my closet now fits again or is too loose, yay! And I’ve discovered that deprivation isn’t necessary, only restraint. Indeed, I’m eating a lot more fruits and veggies (impossible not to, with a total calorie count of 1800/day, and 500 of them dedicated to wine or vodka). But over the last five months I’ve also enjoyed pizza, burgers, fries, dim sum, and all the stuff that got me to big. They’re simply fewer and farther between, and more reasonable in quantities.

Got the container garden planted using earthboxes last week with leeks, herbs, and heirloom tomatoes. If only it would stop raining in Chicago.

A couple of updates around the neighborhood: my favorite luxury-with-purpose store Haus closed at the end of April (and I’m stumped now about where to get appropriate bling for Angel #1’s 40th birthday). LaTache remodeled (though I can’t imagine their service or food have improved). The gelato case is back at Pasticceria Natalina, and Great Lake is coming up on its first-year anniversary. Michael, Honey P., and I had a couple of pizzas and greens from them for dinner two nights ago--divine, and I should have taken a pic to share. Sorry. There’ll be more, I promise!

So spring has arrived in Chicago and I’m almost in swimsuit shape for the summer. Hello, sun, come out wherever you are!