I am feeling much better and so is Marty; he’s a day or so behind me. I feel almost completely back to normal just a little tired.
I am climbing the walls bored to death now that I am feeling better. We are still holding off on production for a couple more days, but today I worked on the chalkboards for the outdoor farmers market. I have filing that needs to be done too.
We are starting to need some basic supplies and while I am well enough to go get them, I feel like I need to isolate for a little while longer. When I finally do go out I’ll be masked up for another week.
Right now, I am sitting on our back deck getting some fresh air. The temperature is a seasonably warm 63-degrees. The deck boards are warm on my bare feet. It is a nice spring day and hard to believe we are under a winter storm watch for tonight.
Yesterday, it snowed on Easter Sunday, not only here in Vermont, but in parts of Pennsylvania as well. The little bit of snow that stuck to the ground has melted. This kind of weather is completely normal for our area.
Tonight however, we are forecasted to get up to six inches of heavy, wet snow. Ugh! Talk about rubbing salt in my wounds of already being stuck at home, but stuck inside too? This totally blows.
I don’t know how much more television I can possibly watch. Yesterday, Marty and I watched a documentary about a young guy living alone for two years in the woods while building a log cabin by hand; complete with a secret hidden underground food pantry.
The documentary only had sounds but no talking. His dog only barked once. We actually paused the show when we needed to get a drink or go to the bathroom.
Why should you care about this? You shouldn’t, but it’s a description of how pathetic things are for me right now. Lol!
Have a great night guys. I’ll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed the weather forecast is wrong and we don’t clobbered with a lot of snow. 🤞🏼
I am a cook. I love cooking, and even more, I love to cook for people. It gives me so much joy when I make something delicious and watch people enjoy it.
Whenever my sister Jen comes to VT, I have the menu and the shopping done. I don’t mise en place or prep anything because we like to cook together.
When I stayed at her house last week, she had the menu and the shopping done and didn’t prep anything either.
Her children were away with her ex, so she had an opportunity to make anything I told her, except fishy-fish, lol. She wanted me to try some flavors and dishes she loves.
It’s fun watching her prep and cook. Jen is a pediatric dentist which is evident in how she cooks and bakes. Everything is done precisely and methodically.
I love that she tastes her food along the way and adjusts the seasoning. She is reading the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, which was a culinary game-changer for me. You can also watch the four-part series on Netflix.
Shakshuka
We had Shakshuka on Saturday night with roasted potatoes. I wrote about shakshuka in an Eggs in Purgatory blog post a few months ago, but this was my first time having it.
It was delicious and comforting. The eggs which were cooked in the flavorful tomato sauce were done perfectly. The dish was delicious, something I would make for brunch.
Lebanese omelet
Monday, she made a Lebanese omelet, another thing I had never had before. The omelet was full of veggies, parsley, and mint. The mint was the ingredient that made it different from other omelets; I was surprised I liked the mint so much. It was light and full of flavor.
Monday night, we had my favorite dish, a roasted beet salad. The beets were piled on a pool of an herb and olive oil vinaigrette topped with avocado and dill.
Roasted beet salad
The flavors all worked together, with the sweet roasted beets being the star of the show. I will be making this one when beets are in season at the farmers market.
She also made a Middle Eastern lentil soup with the beet salad. I was expecting a thick and dark soup and what we had was the complete opposite.
The lentil soup had rice in it and was topped with caramelized onions. The soup was brothy and light. The caramelized onions were the hero of this dish. The soup has so much more flavor than it looked. It was yummy.
I was the sous chef, chopping onions, garlic, and herbs. I cleaned up as she cooked. It was nice to take a backseat and let someone else cook for me.
I had no urge to take over like I usually would in the kitchen because I wasn’t familiar with any of the dishes.
I am so glad Jen shared these dishes and flavors with me; each was a pleasant surprise for my taste buds, plus the time we spent in the kitchen was priceless. 🙂
I am on day six of having covid and I am still sick. Nothing serious, just sick. I thought I was feeling better yesterday then I started to get congested before bed.
Misery loves company so Marty joined me in the covid department yesterday. He pretty much feels like I do. We both have such major fatigue it’s easy to rest all of the time.
The weird thing with having covid is I am craving foods like crazy. Normally, when I have a craving I make whatever it is. I have been craving roasted chicken since Wednesday. Luckily for me it cooks itself and I had one in the freezer.
We didn’t loose our taste or smell but mine is dampened a bit because of my stuffy nose however the smell of the chicken roasting is heavenly and is making my stomach growl.
Through this entire sickness I have been starving. I mean STARVING! The bad part is I don’t have the energy or want to cook. We’ve been living on simple things that don’t require much or any cooking.
The other thing I am craving are sweet things, something I hardly ever crave. I want ice cream and those little chocolate pudding cups with whipped cream sprayed from a can. Funny right? Of all the things to crave. Lol.
I just threw some rice, chicken broth and some seasonings into the rice cooker; another dish that cooks by itself to go with the chicken later. The best part is there will be hardly any dishes to wash.
I was thinking yesterday that this is the first Easter I am not making a big dinner. It will be as simple as it gets. It will also just be the two of us having dinner.
We did pick up a tiny ham before we came down with covid so I will bake that. I also have some asparagus on hand and will make some easy kind of potatoes.
No deviled eggs or pizzagaina like I always make. No brunch quiche, Easter desserts or little dinner rolls for leftover ham sliders.
You know what? It’s ok. I am actually too tired to care and here’s the thing, I don’t have to make those things only on Easter Day. I can make them anytime.
I wish you all a very Happy Easter, Passover or Sunday, which ever you celebrate. 🙂
Fuck! It was only a matter time. What I thought were allergy attacks in NJ turned into a fever, coughing, fatigue and a heavy chest.
I woke up this morning feeling worse than yesterday and took my temperature which was 100.1. Then, I got out one of those free covid tests and surer than shit, it was positive. I kind of expected it.
This was the moment I’ve been fearing since the beginning. Maybe now the Psoriasis that reared its ugly head in April 2020 will finally go away along with the anxiety attacks.
They said from the very beginning everyone is going to get it, from the looks of it they were right with these two new variants.
Thankfully, I’ve had colds much worse than this. I am drinking plenty of fluids, staying in our bedroom resting, willing myself to get well, and to test negative quickly since the business is on hold at the moment.
It doesn’t matter who, what or where I got it, I have it and am dealing with it. C’est la vie.
Our view from the bench we sat on in front of Murray’s Cheese Shop.
Last Sunday, my sister Jen and me went on a 3-hour food and history walking tour of Greenwich Village, NY. It started as a sunny spring day in NYC, then the weather rapidly changed. After the second stop on the tour, it felt like the beginning of March.
I learned so much about the Village that I divided the food and history into two parts. The food tour that we took has been in business for 21 years. They took my gluten-free business very seriously; so did the restaurants.
Our guide’s name was Bert and he had a fantastic personality. He is an actor, comedian, improviser, and tour guide for 18 years. He knows his shit. Our group had 14 of us; luckily, everyone was fun and easygoing.
We met at the famous Murray’s Cheese. Wow, was all I could say. It is a beautiful store and a cheese lover’s dream. It is not overpriced if you can believe that one. Many cheese stores here in VT are much more expensive.
The first tasting spot was Joe’s Pizza. This stop I knew would be the roughest one for me. If I had to choose a last meal, NYC pizza would be on the menu.
Before Bert went inside to get the group’s pizza, he gave us the history. Joe’s has been in business for over 100 years and is famous. Everyone who’s anyone has eaten there.
Bert also explained how NYC water really does matter when making pizza and bagels. Pizza and bagel makers from other parts of the country have been trying to change the scientific components of their water. For instance, raising or lowering the ph, phosphorus, magnesium, etc. It’s serious business.
That is the size of a regular cheese pizza!
Bert also discussed the sauce was San Marazano tomatoes with nothing added. No garlic, salt, or pepper. They used a high-quality cheese that didn’t contain oil resulting in a slice of pizza that didn’t leave a greasy puddle behind.
Do pizzerias use cheese that contains vegetable oil? Yup! “Pizzeria” inexpensive cheese contains oil for better melting ability. That is what they use in places that serve $1 slice pies, not at good places like Joe’s. You get what you pay for.
Bert came out with a gigantic 14-cut pizza and those cheap white paper plates; pizza is always on. Before the tour, he handed me a beautiful antipasto salad; while delicious didn’t help me salivate for that pizza.
The apple and cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and were so beautiful lining the streets of the village.
Next on the tour was a sit-down stop at a taqueria named Tacombi. They are known for their authentic fish tacos, like the ones found on the beaches of Mexico, not anywhere in the US.
The weather turned nasty right after I took this photo.
The owner started selling tacos out of a VW Kombi camper in NYC and called the place Tacombi joining the two inspirations. It is a very hip and cool spot in the west village with delicious tacos.
Photo credit Tocombi.
I couldn’t have a fish taco since it’s battered and fried, but I did have one spread with flavored sweet potato and blacks beans. It was delicious, and I didn’t feel left out here.
Watermelon juice is the signature drink at Tacombi which is real watermelon juice and so good.Bert made the tour so fun and exciting because his enthusiasm was contagious. Ever wonder what’s down those stairs to the basements of NYC? Bathrooms like this one. It was clean though I will give them that.
The next stop was a standing outside stop, Faccios Italian Specialties. The group was given an arancini or rice ball and a slice of thinly sliced soppressata. I was giving a marinated freshly pulled mozzarella knots. I make arancini, so I was fine with the cheese. The soppressata was delicious and one of the meats they specialize in.
Next, we had a sit-down stop at Pesce Trattoria, which is in another ancient building with a gorgeous, original tin ceiling. Bert told us restaurants were required back in the day to have tin ceilings in case a fire broke out in the kitchen.
The meatballs were identical! Photo credit of restaurant from Pesce Trattoria.
This is where I was almost leary to eat my gluten-free meatball. It looked exactly like everyone else’s. The inside of the meatball looked like everyone else’s. I trusted them and tasted a soft and delicious meatball in a simple sauce. They sprinkled on a blend of romano and pecorino cheeses.
At every “sitting stop,” Jen and I used their bathrooms since bathrooms are hard to come by in NYC if you don’t know. It was cold and super windy so sitting in a warm restaurant felt wonderful.
We walked to our next standing stop called The Donut Project, a woman-owned business with all women employees. Being gluten-free, real donuts are hard to come by; I’m this case, my gluten-free donut trumped the real thing!
Look at the depth of those donuts! I forgot to take a side view of my donut I was so excited to eat it!
The donuts at The Donut Project come in very different flavors and toppings. My donut was huge and delicious. It was fried like a donut should be, not baked in a donut pan some places try to pull off. This was the best thing on the whole tour for me.
Jen said the donuts the group got were delicious covered in a lemon glaze, but my donut was better. How do you like those apples??
We walked to our next stop, and it didn’t seem like it could get colder or windier. We were frozen to the bone. Our sit-down stop was a Rafele. Rafele opened in 2012 when the chef from Naples even had his own pizza oven sent over.
As soon as we walked into the restaurant, I was smart and got a seat at the bar near the pizza oven to warm up. The place was very nice and the kitchen was small like most restaurant kitchens.
My eggplant parmesan was another one of those dishes I couldn’t believe was gluten-free. The chef presses the eggplant for 24 hours to get out all the water, then dips it in egg and sautés it. I am not sure if the tour’s eggplant was breaded, which it didn’t need.
Simplicity in its finest form describes the food at Rafele.
We stayed here the longest before our last standing stop at Rocco’s bakery, another west village institution. The group had mini cannolis while I was given a cup of cannoli filling and a pignoli nut cookie.
I didn’t miss the real cannoli in the least; my cup of the filling was huge. I was happy with this substitution.
After the tour was over, Jen and I got a table in Rocco’s, and each had a cappuccino. Originally, we were going to hang around for two more hours and have dinner in the village, but since we were not hungry and were freezing, we planned to head back to Jersey.
We had dinner later that night at an Indian restaurant called Nirvana. It was close to where she lived, and the food was warm and comforting after such a cold day.
The experience exceeded my expectations. The Original Food Tour Company, the tour company we used, has many other food tours in the city. I can’t wait to go on more!
I hope you got an idea of what the tour was really like. I would highly recommend taking the 3-hour tour one-day yourselves. It’s a great way to experience the history behind the real deal places and not taken to tourist traps.
When I wrote “a 3-hour tour” I automatically thought of Gilligan’s Island. LOL! 😂
Look for part two of the food and history walking tour very soon!
This is the building where the outdoor shots of the popular TV show Friends were taken. Everything else was filmed in Los Angeles, California.
This morning I got up early at Jen’s house and was on the road at 6:05 am. I pulled into our driveway at 8:55 am. The ride went quick!
I planned all along to get out of Jersey before rush hour traffic which is one of the reasons we left NJ in the first place.
Before a trip, I am always anxious, I haven’t driven down to New Jersey in a few years. Marty usually does the driving.
I left on Saturday from The Troy Farmers Market and was at Jen’s house in one hour and 45 minutes. The ride was smooth and there was hardly any traffic. Same thing this morning. Thank goodness!
Skye, my little Ford Maverick handled great. I felt safe and confident. I was able to speed up quickly if I needed to pass someone and get back over into the right lane. This was my first long drive with her and it was really awesome.
I have tons of things to write about the trip, I am trying to organize my thoughts and photos for a couple blog posts.
We had a great time together and got to do everything we wanted to including going into Greenwich Village for a walking tour, cooking together, going out to eat, drinking wine and watching Netflix.
Today, I am getting getting ready for the busy work week. Yes, I may have taken a nap too. 😉
Enjoy the rest of your day, the sun came out and it turned out to be a decent day. Yay!
***There may be some errors in this post which I apologize for, I did it on my phone and not the laptop.
Today while Marty and I were working in the production kitchen he snuck up on me and did a loud “doot-da-do ” in my ear. I was so focused on cleaning the big tilting kettle we used to cook the spätzle in to see what he was up to. I screamed, “Marty, you’re an asshole!”
Standing there behind me, he held an empty paper towel roll with a huge grin on his face. “Boy, you really jumped,” he said. “Yes, I am working, which you should be doing too.” Then, we both cracked up laughing.
If you don’t know what a doot-da-doo is, I was surprised to find the word in Urban Dictionary.
Husband- “Don’t throw away the doot-da-doo“! Wife- “What’s a doot-da-doo”? Husband- (places paper towel roll to lips) “DOOT-DA-DOO“!!! (Smiles)
Marty and I have been together since 1985 and have a lot of fun together. If either one of us finds a doot-da, do we either do what he did this morning or clunk each other over the head with it.
Klausie-boy knows exactly what a doot-da-doo is. If he sees someone with one in their hand, he will try to tackle the person. Otto knows what one is also, except he likes to dig them out of the bathroom trash cans and eat them.
Noah and Sam know all too well about doot-da-doos. Marty is a jokester and is very funny. After being with him for so long, I know when he is full of it. I tell people not to believe a word he says.
Marty likes to prank people on the phone. He used to prank his co-worker, and she was only 20 feet from him. He always used a different accent and a ridiculous story. She never knew it was him until he started laughing. Luckily for the world, it’s harder to prank people now with caller ID.
One day, he pranked our friend Martin pretending to be someone from Home Depot. Martin was waiting for carpet installers to show up to carpet his three flights of stairs and another room. Marty made up some bullshit story about why they couldn’t come and couldn’t reschedule for months. Martin started freaking out until I couldn’t stand it anymore and yelled, “Martin, it’s Marty.”
Martin thought he was the King of Pranksters until he met his match. Now the two of them try to get each other all the time. Marty’s “holy day” is April Foods Day. He’s gotten a lot of people over the years, all in good fun.
After I cleaned the kettle, I ran out of paper towels on another roll in the production side of the kitchen. I decided one doot-da-doo was enough for one day. 😉
Right after I hit publish on this post I have to pack for my sisters’ trip and get everything ready for the farmers market tomorrow morning. Martin saved the day by inviting us over for a roasted chicken dinner tonight, now I don’t have to cook and can get stuff done.
Happy Friday! I’ll catch up with you when I get back from Jersey. I will be taking lots of photos of our food and history tour of Greenwich Village and other sites in the city.
The classic martini post that was just published isn’t showing the photos. Maybe the host site is wonky right now and it will correct itself. I apologize…
A martini may be one of the most recognizable cocktails known worldwide and are an American cocktail. A martini is a drink that oozes class and glamour. A true Hollywood drink, we have James Bond and many other movies to thank for that.
I’ve known what a martini is since I am 7 or 8 years old. My father taught me how to make one when I was around 10. My dad was a part-time bartender for a caterer and was a good teacher.
One of my parent’s martini glasses with a martini on the rocks.
I began mixing up martinis for my parents at their request. I made a damn good martini, even at 12. I knew the difference between martinis and how my parents like theirs. I was already their maid, so why not their butler too? 😂
On the rocks with feta stuffed olives and cocktail onions. Yum!
The history of the martini has a few different versions but all agree on the place of origin in Martinez, CA in the mid-1800s. The martini started as a gin-based drink with vermouth, bitters, and lemon. The vodka martini debuted in the 1950s when vodka became a popular spirit.
In 1962 James Bond ordered his martini, “Shaken not stirred.” Most people know that line from the movie but aren’t exactly sure what it means beyond the obvious. More about that later.
Like everything else, martini purists will argue until the cows come home about what makes the best martini or how to make the best martini.
A martini starts with either gin or vodka. I happen to be a vodka martini girl. Next comes the dry vermouth, an aromatized fortified wine flavored with various botanicals and sometimes colored.
Vermouth.
The amount of dry vermouth added to a martini classifies a martini as wet, dry, or extra dry. My parents liked extra-dry martinis.
The basic recipe for a classic martini starts with 3 ounces of gin or vodka. For a wet martini, 1 ounce of vermouth is added, 1/2 an ounce for a dry martini and barely wetting the ice or basically waving the bottle in the air above the glass for an extra dry one.
I used the barely wetting the ice method when I was mixing martinis for my folks. I like dry martinis myself but can drink all three, to be honest with you.
The next thing to mention is if a martini is served straight up or on the rocks. Straight up means no ice, while on the rocks means with ice. I like my martinis ice cold and straight-up, but sometimes I make one on the rocks. It all depends on what kind of mood I am in.
Now, back to whether a martini should be shaken or stirred. A martini made in a mixing glass with ice and shaken chills the drink to 5 degrees in 15 seconds. The drink is then strained into a chilled martini glass. That’s how I like mine.
Purists believe that shaking a martini is an act of blasphemy, bruising the gin or vodka. They think the drink should be made with ice in a mixing glass, stirred gently with a bar spoon, and then strained into a chilled glass. This method takes longer to chill the drink down to an acceptable temperature.
My dad’s gin he kept at our house for gin martinis. That’s how much he left in the bottle the last time he was here. I’ll never drink from it, I keep it for nostalgic purposes. He passed away in 2000.😞
Shaken or stirred can also refer to how much or fast the ice waters down the drink. Some argue that a shaken martini may be slightly cloudy, whereas a stirred one is crystal clear. In my experience, when either is poured into a chilled glass the result is cloudy when it is first made anyway.
What else to add to a martini is another cause for discussion. Purists call for a lemon peel, while others like olives or cocktail onions. The olives can be large stuffed ones with feta or bleu cheese, garlic, or jalapeño peppers. The classic is three olives on a pick. That’s my favorite, but I like all of the others too.
Whenever I make or order a martini, I ask for a dirty vodka martini straight up with three olives. What’s a dirty martini? The “dirt” comes from adding a splash of olive brine. A double dirty martini has more olive brine added.
I explained a classic martini, but there are now literally hundreds of different kinds of martinis made by mixologists today.
Here’s the next question, what is the difference between a plain old bartender and a mixologist.
In cocktail culture, the term “mixologist” refers to someone who studies the history of mixed drinks, has a rich appreciation of the ingredients and techniques used, and regularly creates new and innovative mixed drinks.
A bartender is someone who makes standard drinks and house specialties. A bartender can work quickly and manage crowds of people, whereas a mixologist works methodically in a more intimate bar environment or craft cocktail lounge. Speakeasy bars with secret entrance ways have popped up worldwide for customers looking for a complete (and expensive) bar experience.
An ice-cold martini in the dark.
Different specialty martinis include bikini, chocolate, watermelon, blood orange, chocolate, lemon, raspberry, cucumber, mint…you get the idea. Bartenders make these specialty cocktails with standard flavored spirits such as different schnapps or flavored vodkas. Did you know there is whipped cream vodka? My neighbor bought it by mistake and gave it to me; it tastes like whipped cream.
Mixologists make these specialty drinks with infused vodkas and gins, sweet and savory simple syrups, and fresh herbs. Watching a mixologist prepare these drinks is a show in itself. All the care justifies the higher price, thought, and preparation each drink takes to make; mixologists are compared to chefs.
So why in fucks name did I decide to write about martinis? Here is how my brain works…I watched season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and she was drinking a straight-up martini with three olives. Yup, I had to have one. I’ve been on a martini kick these days ever since and wanted to write about them. That’s why. 😜
Cheers, my friends! Tomorrow is Monday…Let’s make it a good one!
Klaus enjoyed the warm sunshine this morning while we were working. It turned cloudy and started to rain around noon.
It’s hard to believe it’s already a week since we were on the train heading into Penn Station. While we were gone, the orders started pouring in; all of our biggest accounts placed orders.
Large orders always happen when we take a couple of days off, just like they did when we were in Vegas in September. Three years ago, we tried to get away for a couple of days in Connecticut but came home after only one day to catch up. Just for the record, this is a great thing, just a bit overwhelming for me, and is kicking my ass.
Boxes staged to be filled for deliveries.
It’s Thursday morning; I fed the dogs while Marty prepped out in the production kitchen. After today, we will have made more spätzle than we do in two weeks. Tomorrow, we still have another big production day to prepare for the farmer’s market.
My legs have been tired after walking for miles in NYC and then standing so much in the kitchen, but I was utterly exhausted after I got home last night from almost three hours of belly dance.
By the time I got groceries lugged into the house, put away, and made dinner, my legs felt like someone from the Sopranos had put cement boots on me.
After I ate, I dragged myself upstairs and got ready for bed. Usually, I have to unwind after a long day, but last night I couldn’t have been more unwound already. I needed to go to bed, period; I couldn’t get out of my own way fast enough.
Music pushed me along today in the production kitchen. The speaker is always covered in the very fine blend of flours we use, it’s inevitable just like in a bakery.
The alarm woke me from a deep sleep early this morning; I had to set it; we had a long day ahead. Production was brutal for me. BRUTAL! I felt more exhausted this morning than I did at the Amtrak Station on Friday night, which didn’t seem possible.
Spätzle making.
Somehow, I worked my way through production and cleaned up; we finished in record time because we had to hit the road to make deliveries. These were deliveries that needed to be at restaurants in time for their dinner service.
It’s 1 pm. I am in the truck with Marty; we are making deliveries to The Cooper Grouse, the restaurant in the Taconic Hotel in Manchester, VT. Tonight the new chef, Chef Dusty, is launching his new menu, and we happen to be on the menu with pork chops. ☺️
It’s always wonderful to see when local restaurants use local products from local farmers and food artisans. We live in a place that screams, “Use local,” even though most restaurants find it easier to use products from Sysco, a colossal food service company.
We are also going to HN Williams in Dorset, Southside Steakhouse in Rutland, and The Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden, where our spätzle is a popular option on their wedding reception menu. Wedding season will begin right after mud season is over.
The dining room in the bar at The Mountain Top Resort.
When we got to our last stop, The Mountain Top, we were starving. We decided to grab a late lunch there before coming home. We were the only people in the bar dining room and had a table with a fabulous view. I was tired; it was fantastic that the service was fast and the place was quiet.
The view from our table at lunch. Imagine your wedding cocktail hour on the terrace, one of the many reasons why it’s such a popular wedding venue.
It’s 5:30 pm, almost 12 hours from when I started my day. Finally, this is what I have been waiting for all-day…to put on my pajamas, make an ice-cold dirty vodka martini straight-up with 3 olives, and sit on the couch with my feet up. If I end up in bed by 8 pm, then good for me, tomorrow is another big production day.
