I'm coming down from my Texas high. But only because I'll be back, snuggling furry and baby friends alike in less than three weeks. Among my last few days in Tejas, I ate lots of pie (and other Thanksgiving goodness. There was also the most amazing home-made cranberry sauce and if my sister ever gets me the recipe, I'll post it). I also had the absolute pleasure of drinking peach and prickly pear (in all its hot pink glory) margaritas. Outside. On a deck. Without shivering and crying a little. It was perfect. Matt's El Rancho on Lamar is my go-to place for drinking margaritas and eating giant chips and salsa with my dad and un-offical godfather, Doc.
Breakfast tacos also made an appearance in my mother's kitchen. These were not your average tacos! They were made with turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese, sauteed peppers, kale and onions and topped with sour cream, avocado chunks, and salsa. Definitely will be on repeat in my own kitchen.
But now I'm back to good ol' flipping cold Maine and loving every minute of it. Especially when there is cheese involved in my day. Cheese is one of my kryptonites. Put some in front of me and I'll be all over it like brown on rice. I had a Groupon for MJ's Wine Bar at One City Center, just off Monument Square. I took my lactose intolerant friend, Jessie with me to spend my cheese and wine money. If I ever become lactose intolerant, god help my digestive system as I wouldn't stop eating my cheese, ice cream and other dairy-made loves.
I tried two new white wines: Ponte, a vinho verde from Portugal and St.Christopher, a Muller Thurgau from Germany. Both were light, sweet and only $5 during happy hour! Their happy hour is from 4-6 Monday through Friday. It's a great space that I felt very comfortable reading and drinking my wine as I waited for to J to arrive. I will go back there again and again (possibly because I bought another Groupon for more cheese!) because I enjoyed my experience there so much. The cheeses we ordered were pretty flipping phenomenal as well:
1. Aussie, a cow-created cheddar from, you guessed it, Australia. It was served on a plate with apple, a raspberry whole-grain mustard. (moan) Yum!!!
2. Prima Donna, a cow-created Gouda from my homeland, Holland and served with cranberry chutney and toasted pecans. This one blew me away in a way no other Gouda ever has!
3. Brillat Savarin, a cow-created triple cream from none other than France. This one came with blueberry compote and sweet lemon dijon.
All three surprised me and made me squirm in my chair with yumminess. We also had money to spare so we ordered some nuts: smoked almonds, honey chipotle almonds and pistachios. There was just too much food to eat all at once so we destroyed the cheeses, bread, crackers and sides and I took the rest of the nuts home for a salty snack the next day.
In other news, I took a long walk at Maine Audubon the other day and took in their new solar installation. It's an incredible feat of six rotating trackers (24 panels on each) and an additional 24 panels on the Environmental Center's building. That particular day was overcast, yet the trackers were still moving slowly, turning their faces to the sun who was not altogether present. The complete solar system will create 84% of Maine Audubon's Falmouth location electricity. That is a pretty incredible feat. I look forward to the day when I can have a house with solar panels, a wood stove and energy-efficient everything (including a gas stove-top range).
The end.
Breakfast tacos also made an appearance in my mother's kitchen. These were not your average tacos! They were made with turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese, sauteed peppers, kale and onions and topped with sour cream, avocado chunks, and salsa. Definitely will be on repeat in my own kitchen.
But now I'm back to good ol' flipping cold Maine and loving every minute of it. Especially when there is cheese involved in my day. Cheese is one of my kryptonites. Put some in front of me and I'll be all over it like brown on rice. I had a Groupon for MJ's Wine Bar at One City Center, just off Monument Square. I took my lactose intolerant friend, Jessie with me to spend my cheese and wine money. If I ever become lactose intolerant, god help my digestive system as I wouldn't stop eating my cheese, ice cream and other dairy-made loves.
I tried two new white wines: Ponte, a vinho verde from Portugal and St.Christopher, a Muller Thurgau from Germany. Both were light, sweet and only $5 during happy hour! Their happy hour is from 4-6 Monday through Friday. It's a great space that I felt very comfortable reading and drinking my wine as I waited for to J to arrive. I will go back there again and again (possibly because I bought another Groupon for more cheese!) because I enjoyed my experience there so much. The cheeses we ordered were pretty flipping phenomenal as well:
1. Aussie, a cow-created cheddar from, you guessed it, Australia. It was served on a plate with apple, a raspberry whole-grain mustard. (moan) Yum!!!
2. Prima Donna, a cow-created Gouda from my homeland, Holland and served with cranberry chutney and toasted pecans. This one blew me away in a way no other Gouda ever has!
3. Brillat Savarin, a cow-created triple cream from none other than France. This one came with blueberry compote and sweet lemon dijon.
All three surprised me and made me squirm in my chair with yumminess. We also had money to spare so we ordered some nuts: smoked almonds, honey chipotle almonds and pistachios. There was just too much food to eat all at once so we destroyed the cheeses, bread, crackers and sides and I took the rest of the nuts home for a salty snack the next day.
In other news, I took a long walk at Maine Audubon the other day and took in their new solar installation. It's an incredible feat of six rotating trackers (24 panels on each) and an additional 24 panels on the Environmental Center's building. That particular day was overcast, yet the trackers were still moving slowly, turning their faces to the sun who was not altogether present. The complete solar system will create 84% of Maine Audubon's Falmouth location electricity. That is a pretty incredible feat. I look forward to the day when I can have a house with solar panels, a wood stove and energy-efficient everything (including a gas stove-top range).
The end.