11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
It's Spring, and It's Time To Turn Your Dirt!
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It's time to start turning your soil and add some compost! It's a really good idea to test your soil to see where the Ph is, and adjust it as necessary, using lime or gypsum.
Here's a few recommended organic soil fertilizers to add to your soil: blood meal, bone meal, fish and kelp emulsion and rock phosphate...
My garlic is about 8" high and the onion and leek sets will be planted this week. You can direct seed now, if your soil is warm enough, and then protect the bed from frost with a row cover. In my area tax day is a good rule of thumb for predicting the last frost!
Here's a few things that do well when you direct seed: spinach, chard, kale, beets, carrots, arugula, lettuce, peas, beans, potatoes, turnips and broccoli...
Bon Appetit! Chef Hobbes
It's time to start turning your soil and add some compost! It's a really good idea to test your soil to see where the Ph is, and adjust it as necessary, using lime or gypsum.Here's a few recommended organic soil fertilizers to add to your soil: blood meal, bone meal, fish and kelp emulsion and rock phosphate...
My garlic is about 8" high and the onion and leek sets will be planted this week. You can direct seed now, if your soil is warm enough, and then protect the bed from frost with a row cover. In my area tax day is a good rule of thumb for predicting the last frost!
Here's a few things that do well when you direct seed: spinach, chard, kale, beets, carrots, arugula, lettuce, peas, beans, potatoes, turnips and broccoli...
Bon Appetit! Chef Hobbes
Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail
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It's Thursday Slow Roasters! You know what that means... LADIES NIGHT! Tonight we are serving up a light and tangy cocktail to celebrate summer.
Everyone is looking for cold refreshing drinks with temperatures sizzling all over the country. What better to cool you down than a cold summery cocktail? Raspberries and lemon make the most delectable lemonade and this cocktail is a scrumptious adult version.
As a surprise to follow up my new found love of Cherry Limeade Cocktails, Chad surprised with me with a bottle of Raspberry Pucker. The first thing out of my mouth was Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail! So, off he went to the mixology lab to create this sensational drink for you!
Sweet grenadine mixes with the tart Raspberry Pucker and lemon juice to create an incredibly delightful cocktail. Watch this one ladies, it goes down so smooth and its so fabulous you will be making more!
Enjoy!
Don't forget to check out our spectacular giveaway! Fresina's Pasta Co & Italian Specialties is very generously giving away a custom Tour of Italia Gift Box (and will ship to the winners home) with an approximate retail value of $125.
Earn BONUS entries today by PINNING and FACEBOOK SHARING this recipe! Check the giveaway for details.
Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail
serves 1
2 ounces Raspberry Pucker Vodka
2 ounces club soda
1 ½ ounces fresh lemon juice
½ tablespoon grenadine
ice
lemon wedge
raspberry
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, lemon juice and grenadine to shaker, shake to combine. Pour soda into a short glass and strain vodka mixture into soda. Garnish with lemon and raspberry cocktail martini pick. Swirl pick in drink and serve!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The SlowRoasted Italian and e3studios.com. No commercial use is authorized,without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian ande3Studios.com. All rights reserved. The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.
It's Thursday Slow Roasters! You know what that means... LADIES NIGHT! Tonight we are serving up a light and tangy cocktail to celebrate summer.Everyone is looking for cold refreshing drinks with temperatures sizzling all over the country. What better to cool you down than a cold summery cocktail? Raspberries and lemon make the most delectable lemonade and this cocktail is a scrumptious adult version.
As a surprise to follow up my new found love of Cherry Limeade Cocktails, Chad surprised with me with a bottle of Raspberry Pucker. The first thing out of my mouth was Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail! So, off he went to the mixology lab to create this sensational drink for you!
Sweet grenadine mixes with the tart Raspberry Pucker and lemon juice to create an incredibly delightful cocktail. Watch this one ladies, it goes down so smooth and its so fabulous you will be making more!
Enjoy!
Don't forget to check out our spectacular giveaway! Fresina's Pasta Co & Italian Specialties is very generously giving away a custom Tour of Italia Gift Box (and will ship to the winners home) with an approximate retail value of $125.
Earn BONUS entries today by PINNING and FACEBOOK SHARING this recipe! Check the giveaway for details.
Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail
serves 1
2 ounces Raspberry Pucker Vodka
2 ounces club soda
1 ½ ounces fresh lemon juice
½ tablespoon grenadine
ice
lemon wedge
raspberry
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, lemon juice and grenadine to shaker, shake to combine. Pour soda into a short glass and strain vodka mixture into soda. Garnish with lemon and raspberry cocktail martini pick. Swirl pick in drink and serve!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The SlowRoasted Italian and e3studios.com. No commercial use is authorized,without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian ande3Studios.com. All rights reserved. The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.
Gourmet Strawberry Balsamic Popsicles
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Summertime calls for refreshing treats; fresh fruit and ice pops are tied for number one in our book. So how do you take your favorites and combine them into one incredible treat? It occurred to me when I was making the balsamic reduction for the Gourmet Caprese Burger. After reducing the balsamic, it was so amazing I was literally licking it off the spoon. So, I had to make a second batch, okay and a third too. I could not stop eating it and drizzling it on everything. I realized that first of all, Fresina's should look into turning their Signature Balsamic into lollipops. Seriously. I would buy them!
Read more »
Summertime calls for refreshing treats; fresh fruit and ice pops are tied for number one in our book. So how do you take your favorites and combine them into one incredible treat? It occurred to me when I was making the balsamic reduction for the Gourmet Caprese Burger. After reducing the balsamic, it was so amazing I was literally licking it off the spoon. So, I had to make a second batch, okay and a third too. I could not stop eating it and drizzling it on everything. I realized that first of all, Fresina's should look into turning their Signature Balsamic into lollipops. Seriously. I would buy them!
Read more »
A Look Back at the Week of July 2, 2012
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The TSRI Summer Grilling Celebration continued this week with 4 new dishes and another delish cocktail. What a fabulous week it has been. Fourth of July was spectacular and the food we had all week was utterly amazing! Lets take a look back at what we have been up to this week.
Don't forget to check out Fresina's spectacular giveaway! We will draw the winner Sunday night at 9:01pm Pacific.
Fresina's Pasta Co & Italian Specialties is very generously giving away a custom Tour of Italia Gift Box (and will ship to the winners home) with an approximate retail value of $125.
Capture the essence of summer with this scrumptious Gourmet Caprese Burger with Balsamic Reduction. Loaded with all the flavors of your favorite caprese salad. This is a must have at your barbecue this summer.
Turn your ordinary barbecue menu into a spectacular one with this Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad! Fresh grilled summer vegetables and handmade pasta tossed in a simple garlic sauce and Parmesan cheese that is fantastic cold or warm!
Wake up your everyday sandwiches and burgers with this delightfully creamy simple Homemade Pesto Mayonnaise. Fresh basil pesto and olive oil mayo combine to make this incredible gourmet mayo!
Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail is a purely refreshing summer cocktail with tart raspberry and lemon and sweet grenadine! Absolutely perfect for an afternoon barbecue with the grown ups or an evening girls night. You are going to love this one.
This is NOT your ordinary strawberry popsicle. This elevated strawberry flavor and sweet balsamic is pure pleasure for your palate. Treat yourself to a Gourmet Strawberry Balsamic Popsicle! A low calorie decadent summer treat.
Have a beautiful weekend. We hope you enjoyed taking a look back at the week. We love to hear your comments and feedback, so if you make or bake any of our recipes, please let us know. We would love to link you up on our Featured page.
Have a fabulous weekend,
Donna, Chad and Munchkin
❤ ❤ ❤
The TSRI Summer Grilling Celebration continued this week with 4 new dishes and another delish cocktail. What a fabulous week it has been. Fourth of July was spectacular and the food we had all week was utterly amazing! Lets take a look back at what we have been up to this week.
Don't forget to check out Fresina's spectacular giveaway! We will draw the winner Sunday night at 9:01pm Pacific.
Fresina's Pasta Co & Italian Specialties is very generously giving away a custom Tour of Italia Gift Box (and will ship to the winners home) with an approximate retail value of $125.
Capture the essence of summer with this scrumptious Gourmet Caprese Burger with Balsamic Reduction. Loaded with all the flavors of your favorite caprese salad. This is a must have at your barbecue this summer.Turn your ordinary barbecue menu into a spectacular one with this Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad! Fresh grilled summer vegetables and handmade pasta tossed in a simple garlic sauce and Parmesan cheese that is fantastic cold or warm!
Wake up your everyday sandwiches and burgers with this delightfully creamy simple Homemade Pesto Mayonnaise. Fresh basil pesto and olive oil mayo combine to make this incredible gourmet mayo!
Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail is a purely refreshing summer cocktail with tart raspberry and lemon and sweet grenadine! Absolutely perfect for an afternoon barbecue with the grown ups or an evening girls night. You are going to love this one.
This is NOT your ordinary strawberry popsicle. This elevated strawberry flavor and sweet balsamic is pure pleasure for your palate. Treat yourself to a Gourmet Strawberry Balsamic Popsicle! A low calorie decadent summer treat.
Have a beautiful weekend. We hope you enjoyed taking a look back at the week. We love to hear your comments and feedback, so if you make or bake any of our recipes, please let us know. We would love to link you up on our Featured page.
Have a fabulous weekend,
Donna, Chad and Munchkin
❤ ❤ ❤
Grilled Barbecue Potato "Chips" Slices
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Summer creates a flurry of activities, commitments and fun obligations. Play dates, barbecues, picnics, and vacations. There never seems to be enough time to fit everything in. Food that is scrumptious and fast becomes number one in our house during the summer. Not to mention, have you ever grilled when it is 115° outside? Quick is king!
Sometimes you want grilled fries and you just don't have the time to parboil them. Enter the fabulous Grilled Barbecue Potato "Chips" Slices. Perfect for the summer grilling get together! No parboiling, no baking. Just, slice, season and grill! How easy is that?
These look like potato chips and taste like grilled fries. Crisp on the outside and tender inside. The seasoning gives them a smoky barbecue flavor with just a little kick of heat. You can adjust the recipe to add more heat, just increase the cayenne or chile de arbol.
TSRI Tip: Buy a coffee grinder at a thrift store and use it to grind your own spices. I have fallen in love with Chile de Arbol. It gives food a more complex flavors adding a very nutty/smokey layer to your dishes. It also add a real warmth that I truly love. It is not so easy to find as a ground spice. Head to the international aisle in your grocery store and pick up a bag of dried chile de arbols. Grind them in your coffee grinder and keep them in an airtight container.
The Winner of the Fresina's Pasta Co $125 Givaway is DB aka "Foodie Stuntman". Comment #11. Congrats again DB. We have been in contact with DB and he will be receiving his package real soon!
If you get a chance, stop by Fresina's and check out their store. There products are truly amazing. Pasta is unlike any I have ever had! And red sauce that is perfect straight from the jar. You will love it too.
Grilled Barbecue Potato "Chips" Slices
2 pounds Russet potatoes, cut to 1/4" thick on the bias
2 teaspoons chile de arbol or cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup evoo
In a large bowl, filled with ice water place potato slice. Allow to chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
In a small bowl combine chile de arbol, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until mixed well.
Drain potatoes. Place potatoes back into bowl and pour olive oil into pot and toss withseasoning mixture until all potatoes are coated. Use your hands to ensure a good coating onall sides of potatoes. Wash hands thoroughly when finished!
In a single layer, place potato slices on the grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until you see golden brown grill marks. Flip and cook the other side.
Enjoy! Serve with your favorite fry dipping sauce.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The SlowRoasted Italian and e3studios.com. No commercial use is authorized,without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian ande3Studios.com. All rights reserved. The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.
Summer creates a flurry of activities, commitments and fun obligations. Play dates, barbecues, picnics, and vacations. There never seems to be enough time to fit everything in. Food that is scrumptious and fast becomes number one in our house during the summer. Not to mention, have you ever grilled when it is 115° outside? Quick is king!Sometimes you want grilled fries and you just don't have the time to parboil them. Enter the fabulous Grilled Barbecue Potato "Chips" Slices. Perfect for the summer grilling get together! No parboiling, no baking. Just, slice, season and grill! How easy is that?
These look like potato chips and taste like grilled fries. Crisp on the outside and tender inside. The seasoning gives them a smoky barbecue flavor with just a little kick of heat. You can adjust the recipe to add more heat, just increase the cayenne or chile de arbol.
TSRI Tip: Buy a coffee grinder at a thrift store and use it to grind your own spices. I have fallen in love with Chile de Arbol. It gives food a more complex flavors adding a very nutty/smokey layer to your dishes. It also add a real warmth that I truly love. It is not so easy to find as a ground spice. Head to the international aisle in your grocery store and pick up a bag of dried chile de arbols. Grind them in your coffee grinder and keep them in an airtight container.
The Winner of the Fresina's Pasta Co $125 Givaway is DB aka "Foodie Stuntman". Comment #11. Congrats again DB. We have been in contact with DB and he will be receiving his package real soon!
If you get a chance, stop by Fresina's and check out their store. There products are truly amazing. Pasta is unlike any I have ever had! And red sauce that is perfect straight from the jar. You will love it too.
Grilled Barbecue Potato "Chips" Slices
2 pounds Russet potatoes, cut to 1/4" thick on the bias
2 teaspoons chile de arbol or cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup evoo
In a large bowl, filled with ice water place potato slice. Allow to chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
In a small bowl combine chile de arbol, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until mixed well.
Drain potatoes. Place potatoes back into bowl and pour olive oil into pot and toss withseasoning mixture until all potatoes are coated. Use your hands to ensure a good coating onall sides of potatoes. Wash hands thoroughly when finished!
In a single layer, place potato slices on the grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until you see golden brown grill marks. Flip and cook the other side.
Enjoy! Serve with your favorite fry dipping sauce.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The SlowRoasted Italian and e3studios.com. No commercial use is authorized,without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian ande3Studios.com. All rights reserved. The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Red Beans 'n Rice
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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.
Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.
I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.
Bruce delivered!
1 lb red beans—soak overnight.
Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.
Add:
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water
Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.
Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.
This really hits the spot!
I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.
I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.
Bruce delivered!
1 lb red beans—soak overnight.
Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.
Add:
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water
Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.
Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.
This really hits the spot!
New Wines and Vines: Notes from the Winemaker
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Guess what feature is back folks? Wednesdays with the Winemaker!
This week's edition brings us Marek's tasting notes and food pairings of our newest Chatham Hill wines--including our very limited, wine club member exclusive: Sweet Cabernet Franc.
Food Pairing: A delicious match for ham or North Carolina barbecue dishes.
This week's edition brings us Marek's tasting notes and food pairings of our newest Chatham Hill wines--including our very limited, wine club member exclusive: Sweet Cabernet Franc.
2009 CABERNET FRANC – NEW VINTAGE
This is the first release of the 2009 vintage of Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc. It is a blend of Cab Franc grapes from two vineyards in Yadkin Valley, 70% Wilmoth Vineyard and 30% Winnbrose Vineyard. After undergoing extended fermentation and maceration, the wine was aged in French and American oak for 24 months with additional bottle aging prior to release. The wine can be enjoyed now but with proper cellaring will keep improving for up to four years. Tasting Notes: The Chatham Hill 2009 Cabernet Franc is an elegant, rich yet soft wine. With fleshy black cherry, blackberry and spicy oak aromas the wine is worth drinking now or cellaring for a special occasion. Succulent, dark fruit flavors of tart blackberry, plum, black cherry with a hint of peppery oak fills the palate and gives way to a smooth, medium finish.Food Pairing: The rich fruit in this Cabernet Franc pairs well with pan-seared pork or game with a variety of fruit sauces. Pan-seared duck with pomegranate glaze is an excellent meal to accompany this lush, dark, fruit-forward wine.2010 SYRAH – NEW VINTAGE
The 2010 vintage of Chatham Hill Syrah was crafted from hand-picked grapes grown in the Winnbrose Vineyard in the Yadkin Valley AVA. The addition of 5% of Cabernet Franc. Cold fermented and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. The wine is delightful now but try to cellar it for 2-3 years, which may be challenging to wait this long, to further develop in the bottle and you will be rewarded. Note: Only 50 cases were produced so stack up if you like it because it will be gone soon. Tasting Notes: On the nose, the 2010 Syrah reveals wild raspberry and boysenberry with delicate earthy notes, while the tart upfront berry fruit flavors (boysenberry, cherry and dark mulberry) give way to mellow tannins and soft acidity supporting the mid palate. The vibrant, juicy fruit runs the length of the palate and lingers with a "have another glass" finish.Food Pairing: Enjoy with lightly spiced chili, slow cooker beef stew, or a lamb casserole.SWEET CAROLINA RED – SWEET CABERNET FRANC - NEW WINE
This is a special release of Sweet Carolina Red made from 2011 Cabernet Franc grapes from Yadkin Valley. The sweetness in this fairly acidic wine revealed the richness of fruit flavors not noticeable in its dry equivalent. We encourage you to compare this wine with the dry Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc. This can be an eye opening experience revealing how even small changes in sugar concentration in wine can expose or suppress its aromas and flavors. We will appreciate comments comparing this new wine to our standard Sweet Carolina Red made from Carignan and Ruby Cabernet. Note: Only 50 cases were produced. This is a Wine Club Member Exclusive. Tasting Notes: Rich and fruity. Cherrypie and plum on the nose. Delicious flavors of sweet cherry pie, sweet black currant. Enjoy at room temperature or slightly chilled.Food Pairing: A delicious match for ham or North Carolina barbecue dishes.
2011 RIESLING – DRY - NEW VINTAGE
This is a new vintage of the Dry Chatham Hill Riesling crafted in the French Alsace style. Residual sugar: 0.20%. Tasting Notes: Rich citrusy aromas dominated by yellow grapefruit and tart orange with hints of peach. Bursts with lime, green apple flavors with hints of pineapple and lemon. The refreshing crispiness and rich fruit flavors make it a great food wine! Food Pairing: Delicious with fresh steamed oysters or crab. Wonderful with Asian, Thai, and lighter poultry entrees.2011 PINOT GRIGIO – NEW VINTAGE
The 2011 vintage of Chatham Hill Pinot Grigio is a delicious medium body, 100% varietal wine. Residual sugar: 0.15%. Despite low sugar it tastes very mellow and smooth. The wine was fermented at 45 deg. F and aged in a stainless steel tank. Cold fermentation and the absence of oak ageing allowed the wine to retain high concentrations of aromas and produced a fruity and refreshing wine. Tasting Notes: Light straw color. Aromas dominated by orange blossom, peach and melon with hints of lemon grass. Delightful flavors of orange blossom, lemon-lime, with a touch of mango. Clean, smooth citrusy finish with warm acidity and mineral nuances. Food Pairing: A great match with mild and creamy cheeses, fresh garden salads, and light pastas.Carol's Pick
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Today, we will feature one of our newest employees at the winery. While she is a new face behind the bar, she is certainly not new to the winery. Carol has been a loyal wine club member since 2008.
Carol has been “blissfully” married for almost 33 years to Bob who is retired Army. During the week, Carol is a self proclaimed “IT geek”, and she enjoys her “dream job” by working at the winery part-time. Carol has one daughter, Erika, who also works here at Chatham Hill Winery part-time, and they are spending the next year planning Erika’s upcoming nuptials.
Carol’s favorite pastime? Exploration! During Erika’s first year at college, Carol and Bob decided to visit every pub in Raleigh listed on pubcrawler.com, and they succeeded in this quest!
Additionally, Carol loves to travel. She has lived in Germany, and she and Bob were able to travel to many European countries from there. During these travels, Carol’s love of wine started. In 2004, she attended the Wiesbaden Germany wine festival, and since then, she has visited wineries in Napa, Washington state, Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, Virginia and North Carolina. Carol also loves to read, cook, and make the occasional batch of wine in her pantry.
Currently, Carol’s favorite Chatham Hill Wine is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve which she likes to pair with grilled portabella mushrooms.
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| Carol at Artessa Winery in Napa |
Carol has been “blissfully” married for almost 33 years to Bob who is retired Army. During the week, Carol is a self proclaimed “IT geek”, and she enjoys her “dream job” by working at the winery part-time. Carol has one daughter, Erika, who also works here at Chatham Hill Winery part-time, and they are spending the next year planning Erika’s upcoming nuptials.
Carol’s favorite pastime? Exploration! During Erika’s first year at college, Carol and Bob decided to visit every pub in Raleigh listed on pubcrawler.com, and they succeeded in this quest!
Additionally, Carol loves to travel. She has lived in Germany, and she and Bob were able to travel to many European countries from there. During these travels, Carol’s love of wine started. In 2004, she attended the Wiesbaden Germany wine festival, and since then, she has visited wineries in Napa, Washington state, Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, Virginia and North Carolina. Carol also loves to read, cook, and make the occasional batch of wine in her pantry.
Currently, Carol’s favorite Chatham Hill Wine is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve which she likes to pair with grilled portabella mushrooms.
Facts About Our New Releases
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In this "Wednesday with the Winemaker" blog, Marek gives us an "insider's" look at some of our new releases. Ever wonder what type of barrel your favorite wine was aged in or for how long? Where are the NC vineyards where we source our grapes? Find the answers to these questions and more below. (Sorry the size is so large; I want you folks to be able to read them easily!)
As always, if you have a question or comment for Marek, leave them below.
Cheers!
As always, if you have a question or comment for Marek, leave them below.
Cheers!
Sara's Pick
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So, I have been avoiding it long enough…it’s time to talk about myself. Here we go: I am a Junior English major and Public Policy minor at UNC—Go Heels!—and a single mother to one of the world’s most amazing 13 year old boys ever: Bailey. When I am not mommying, working, studying, writing papers, volunteering, fostering animals, writing blogs, updating facebook, or Tweeting, I like to sleep. And listen to live music. And sing very loudly in my car. I am also an accomplished living room dancer and pop culture addict.
At UNC, I am a class of 2013 Senior Marshal, on the Student Parent Association Executive Board, and founding member and Executive Board member for Autism Speaks U. I am also a foster home for the Carolina Pet Rescue.
I have been with Chatham Hill Winery for 18 months, although my dad and step-mom have been wine club members at the winery for, like, ever. When Marek and Jill were looking for some help behind the bar, my dad referred me. So, thanks daddy because I love my job! In addition to doing a small bit of “behind the scenes” work with the blog, facebook, etc., I am also a tasting room sales associate. You will find me behind the bar most weekends. I love talking to people. I love talking about wine. I am a very lucky girl.
My pick for my favorite Chatham Hill Wine is the Pinot Grigio. Tropical fruits. Citrus. Clean and crisp. I love this wine with a simple spinach salad tossed with green apples, dried blueberries, walnuts, a mild Danish blue cheese, and a touch of raspberry vinaigrette.
Cheers!
 |
| Me and Bailey; UNC Homecoming, 2011 |
At UNC, I am a class of 2013 Senior Marshal, on the Student Parent Association Executive Board, and founding member and Executive Board member for Autism Speaks U. I am also a foster home for the Carolina Pet Rescue.
I have been with Chatham Hill Winery for 18 months, although my dad and step-mom have been wine club members at the winery for, like, ever. When Marek and Jill were looking for some help behind the bar, my dad referred me. So, thanks daddy because I love my job! In addition to doing a small bit of “behind the scenes” work with the blog, facebook, etc., I am also a tasting room sales associate. You will find me behind the bar most weekends. I love talking to people. I love talking about wine. I am a very lucky girl.
My pick for my favorite Chatham Hill Wine is the Pinot Grigio. Tropical fruits. Citrus. Clean and crisp. I love this wine with a simple spinach salad tossed with green apples, dried blueberries, walnuts, a mild Danish blue cheese, and a touch of raspberry vinaigrette.
Cheers!
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Biryani
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I had Ilaiy teach me how to make several of the Indian dishes he learned from his mother, but Biryani was one that got away from me. Luckily he was back in town a couple weeks ago, so I declared him Chef for a Day, and invited the masses over.
He used lamb, but I tried it again on my own, with chicken. He uses a lot more thai chili's and red pepper than the average human being can tolerate. I've noted below where we deviated from the original recipe to make it manageably kicky.
You'll have to be careful when you eat this. Indian families traditionally eat this with their fingers (no fork), working yogurt in to the rice, and setting aside the whole spices and leaves. If you're going to do it "your" way, you may end up spitting cloves.
You can find these spices, and the leaves at Annapoorna, in Champaign.
Biryani Ingredients
Vegatable Oil
3 sticks whole cinnamon
5 whole cloves
5 star anise
5 whole javentri
3-4 Bay Leaves
Handful black peppercorns (we left these out for company)
1, teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (we also omitted this, to reduce heat)
1 tomato, sliced
2 Onions, thinly sliced
Big chink of ginger
5 thai chilies (*he would normally use 10)
2 BULBs of garlic (about 20 cloves)
heaping teaspoon Cumin Powder
heaping teaspoon coriander powder
heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
2.5 lbs. lamb (or chicken—I used chicken thighs)
About 5 c. rice
Mint Leaves about 1 cup
Curry Leave about 1 cup
Saffron
milk
Set the rice to soak in a roaster, before beginning cooking.
Fry the first 7 spices in a little oil, until their yummy aroma is released.
Add onions
Add Ginger, Garlic and Thai Chili's
Add Tomato
Sauté it til they brown . Add the Lamb (or chicken) and fry until brown.
Add chili powder, cumin and corriander , Salt to taste.
Transfer to a pressure cooker. Add a couple cups of water, mint and curry leaves, and cook in pressure cooker for about 15 - 20 min for lamb (I cooked the chicken for about 12 minutes)
Meanwhile, add saffron to about 1/4 cup of milk and simmer lightly to mix.
Drain the rice. Add the saffron & milk mixture, mix thoroughly. Ilaiy used his hands to mix this altogether, so I did too.
Add the lamb & spice mixture to the rice.
Bake at 450 for abt 20 minutes, or until the rice cooks.
Serve with plain yogurt on the side.
I had Ilaiy teach me how to make several of the Indian dishes he learned from his mother, but Biryani was one that got away from me. Luckily he was back in town a couple weeks ago, so I declared him Chef for a Day, and invited the masses over.
He used lamb, but I tried it again on my own, with chicken. He uses a lot more thai chili's and red pepper than the average human being can tolerate. I've noted below where we deviated from the original recipe to make it manageably kicky.
You'll have to be careful when you eat this. Indian families traditionally eat this with their fingers (no fork), working yogurt in to the rice, and setting aside the whole spices and leaves. If you're going to do it "your" way, you may end up spitting cloves.
You can find these spices, and the leaves at Annapoorna, in Champaign.
Biryani Ingredients
Vegatable Oil
3 sticks whole cinnamon
5 whole cloves
5 star anise
5 whole javentri
3-4 Bay Leaves
Handful black peppercorns (we left these out for company)
1, teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (we also omitted this, to reduce heat)
1 tomato, sliced
2 Onions, thinly sliced
Big chink of ginger
5 thai chilies (*he would normally use 10)
2 BULBs of garlic (about 20 cloves)
heaping teaspoon Cumin Powder
heaping teaspoon coriander powder
heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
2.5 lbs. lamb (or chicken—I used chicken thighs)
About 5 c. rice
Mint Leaves about 1 cup
Curry Leave about 1 cup
Saffron
milk
Set the rice to soak in a roaster, before beginning cooking.
Fry the first 7 spices in a little oil, until their yummy aroma is released.
Add onions
Add Ginger, Garlic and Thai Chili's
Add Tomato
Sauté it til they brown . Add the Lamb (or chicken) and fry until brown.
Add chili powder, cumin and corriander , Salt to taste.
Transfer to a pressure cooker. Add a couple cups of water, mint and curry leaves, and cook in pressure cooker for about 15 - 20 min for lamb (I cooked the chicken for about 12 minutes)
Meanwhile, add saffron to about 1/4 cup of milk and simmer lightly to mix.
Drain the rice. Add the saffron & milk mixture, mix thoroughly. Ilaiy used his hands to mix this altogether, so I did too.
Add the lamb & spice mixture to the rice.
Bake at 450 for abt 20 minutes, or until the rice cooks.
Serve with plain yogurt on the side.
Lentils & Rice
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Low household staples and coming out of a flu-induced fog, I searched the pantry today for something I could make that would be 1) warm & hearty, and 2) simple: something that could be prepared almost entirely from the couch.
1/2 c. red lentils
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. onion
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 t. chicken curry masala
1-1/2 c. water
Add the milk to the lentils, and soak in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Saute the onion in the butter and oil until softened. Add the lentils & milk, and the curry masala, and the water. Simmer for 1/2 hour, or until lentils are soft.
Serve over rice, with lemon, if desired.
Low household staples and coming out of a flu-induced fog, I searched the pantry today for something I could make that would be 1) warm & hearty, and 2) simple: something that could be prepared almost entirely from the couch.
1/2 c. red lentils
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. onion
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 t. chicken curry masala
1-1/2 c. water
Add the milk to the lentils, and soak in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Saute the onion in the butter and oil until softened. Add the lentils & milk, and the curry masala, and the water. Simmer for 1/2 hour, or until lentils are soft.
Serve over rice, with lemon, if desired.
Homemade Pizza: Dough & Tomato Sauce
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Pizza Dough
4 c. flour
1.5 c lukewarm water
1 packet yeast
1 t. sugar
2 T olive oil
1 t. salt
Mix yeast an sugar into 1/2 cup of the warm water; let sit 5-8 minutes.
Mix flour and salt together in large bowl. Add additional 1 cup of water, yeast mixture and olive oil to form pizza dough, adding extra flour or water as needed.
Turn dough into an olive-oil coated bowl, cover with towel in a warm area for 1 hour. After 1 hour, punch down dough and let rise another hour.
Roll out on floured countertop, and transfer to pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.
Spray or brush a thin coat of olive oil on crust. Sprinkle with tomatoes/sauce, and other desired ingredients. Bake at 400 degree until cheese and crusts are browned to your taste.
TOMATO SAUCE
Saute 1 t. garlic in olive oil. Add 1 can of tomatoes, 1 t. oregano, and 1 t. basil, and simmer until juice reduces.
PIZZA INGREDIENT IDEAS
Cheeses
Vegetables/Fruits/Herbs
Pizza Dough
4 c. flour
1.5 c lukewarm water
1 packet yeast
1 t. sugar
2 T olive oil
1 t. salt
Mix yeast an sugar into 1/2 cup of the warm water; let sit 5-8 minutes.
Mix flour and salt together in large bowl. Add additional 1 cup of water, yeast mixture and olive oil to form pizza dough, adding extra flour or water as needed.
Turn dough into an olive-oil coated bowl, cover with towel in a warm area for 1 hour. After 1 hour, punch down dough and let rise another hour.
Roll out on floured countertop, and transfer to pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.
Spray or brush a thin coat of olive oil on crust. Sprinkle with tomatoes/sauce, and other desired ingredients. Bake at 400 degree until cheese and crusts are browned to your taste.
TOMATO SAUCE
Saute 1 t. garlic in olive oil. Add 1 can of tomatoes, 1 t. oregano, and 1 t. basil, and simmer until juice reduces.
PIZZA INGREDIENT IDEAS
Cheeses
- Fresh mozzarella (skip the bagged, shredded stuff! Just chunk up fresh mozzarella around the pizza.
- Fontina
- Feta
- Bleu cheese
- Sausage
- Pepperoni
- Bacon
- Canadian Bacon
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Chicken
Vegetables/Fruits/Herbs
- Mushrooms: fresh or canned
- Roasted red peppers
- artichokes
- garlic
- onions
- Olives: black, green, kalamata
- Tomatoes: fresh sliced or sundried
- green peppers
- jalapenos
- spinach
- sliced pears
- pineapple
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Red pepper flakes
- caraway seeds
Red Beans 'n Rice
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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.
Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.
I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.
Bruce delivered!
1 lb red beans—soak overnight.
Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.
Add:
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water
Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.
Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.
This really hits the spot!
I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.
I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.
Bruce delivered!
1 lb red beans—soak overnight.
Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.
Add:
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water
Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.
Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.
This really hits the spot!
Don't Make It Worse
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Yesterday I had, to quote Judith Viorst, "a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day." A big project that I had screwed up royally occasioned a tense conversation with someone I love, and I don't handle conflict very well - actually, I can't deal with conflict AT ALL - so when I have conflict, I cry, which never improves matters, for what is more pathetic, really, than a 57-year-old crybaby? So at 4:30 I left work and slunk home to spend the evening wallowing in misery.
Here is the important thing: I wallowed in misery for the next several hours, but I didn't do anything to make things even worse. I had already had a huge late lunch, but I could have driven to Dairy Castle and bought myself a cheeseburger AND a hot fudge sundae with their wonderful black raspberry ice cream, thereby undoing a week's worth of careful eating monitored by My Fitness Pal. I didn't do that. And there is a certain person I was tempted to call, thereby undoing two weeks' worth of resolve not to call this person. I didn't call this person. Instead I got in bed and read for the entire evening: Beverly Cleary's two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet, reading that I need to do to revise and expand my paper on Cleary's Henry Huggins and Ramona books for the book being made out of the papers from the China conference. So in a small way, I actually made my life better.
But making things better is more than we should expect of ourselves when it's wallowing time. It's enough that we just don't make things worse. This morning I woke up and weighed myself and had a pleasant number to record to My Fitness Pal. I felt glad I hadn't made any phone calls to regret afterward. I walked to the Greencastle farmers' market and had a blissful hour sitting in the shade chatting with the knitters and crocheters who congregate there. Now I'm going to drive to Bloomington with my friend Keith to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and have an early dinner.
Things are going to be okay. They always are, sooner or later. But because I didn't make things even worse on my bad day yesterday, things can be better sooner rather than later. And I'm grateful for that.
Here is the important thing: I wallowed in misery for the next several hours, but I didn't do anything to make things even worse. I had already had a huge late lunch, but I could have driven to Dairy Castle and bought myself a cheeseburger AND a hot fudge sundae with their wonderful black raspberry ice cream, thereby undoing a week's worth of careful eating monitored by My Fitness Pal. I didn't do that. And there is a certain person I was tempted to call, thereby undoing two weeks' worth of resolve not to call this person. I didn't call this person. Instead I got in bed and read for the entire evening: Beverly Cleary's two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet, reading that I need to do to revise and expand my paper on Cleary's Henry Huggins and Ramona books for the book being made out of the papers from the China conference. So in a small way, I actually made my life better.
But making things better is more than we should expect of ourselves when it's wallowing time. It's enough that we just don't make things worse. This morning I woke up and weighed myself and had a pleasant number to record to My Fitness Pal. I felt glad I hadn't made any phone calls to regret afterward. I walked to the Greencastle farmers' market and had a blissful hour sitting in the shade chatting with the knitters and crocheters who congregate there. Now I'm going to drive to Bloomington with my friend Keith to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and have an early dinner.
Things are going to be okay. They always are, sooner or later. But because I didn't make things even worse on my bad day yesterday, things can be better sooner rather than later. And I'm grateful for that.
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Don't Make It Worse
To contact us Click HERE
Yesterday I had, to quote Judith Viorst, "a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day." A big project that I had screwed up royally occasioned a tense conversation with someone I love, and I don't handle conflict very well - actually, I can't deal with conflict AT ALL - so when I have conflict, I cry, which never improves matters, for what is more pathetic, really, than a 57-year-old crybaby? So at 4:30 I left work and slunk home to spend the evening wallowing in misery.
Here is the important thing: I wallowed in misery for the next several hours, but I didn't do anything to make things even worse. I had already had a huge late lunch, but I could have driven to Dairy Castle and bought myself a cheeseburger AND a hot fudge sundae with their wonderful black raspberry ice cream, thereby undoing a week's worth of careful eating monitored by My Fitness Pal. I didn't do that. And there is a certain person I was tempted to call, thereby undoing two weeks' worth of resolve not to call this person. I didn't call this person. Instead I got in bed and read for the entire evening: Beverly Cleary's two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet, reading that I need to do to revise and expand my paper on Cleary's Henry Huggins and Ramona books for the book being made out of the papers from the China conference. So in a small way, I actually made my life better.
But making things better is more than we should expect of ourselves when it's wallowing time. It's enough that we just don't make things worse. This morning I woke up and weighed myself and had a pleasant number to record to My Fitness Pal. I felt glad I hadn't made any phone calls to regret afterward. I walked to the Greencastle farmers' market and had a blissful hour sitting in the shade chatting with the knitters and crocheters who congregate there. Now I'm going to drive to Bloomington with my friend Keith to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and have an early dinner.
Things are going to be okay. They always are, sooner or later. But because I didn't make things even worse on my bad day yesterday, things can be better sooner rather than later. And I'm grateful for that.
Here is the important thing: I wallowed in misery for the next several hours, but I didn't do anything to make things even worse. I had already had a huge late lunch, but I could have driven to Dairy Castle and bought myself a cheeseburger AND a hot fudge sundae with their wonderful black raspberry ice cream, thereby undoing a week's worth of careful eating monitored by My Fitness Pal. I didn't do that. And there is a certain person I was tempted to call, thereby undoing two weeks' worth of resolve not to call this person. I didn't call this person. Instead I got in bed and read for the entire evening: Beverly Cleary's two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet, reading that I need to do to revise and expand my paper on Cleary's Henry Huggins and Ramona books for the book being made out of the papers from the China conference. So in a small way, I actually made my life better.
But making things better is more than we should expect of ourselves when it's wallowing time. It's enough that we just don't make things worse. This morning I woke up and weighed myself and had a pleasant number to record to My Fitness Pal. I felt glad I hadn't made any phone calls to regret afterward. I walked to the Greencastle farmers' market and had a blissful hour sitting in the shade chatting with the knitters and crocheters who congregate there. Now I'm going to drive to Bloomington with my friend Keith to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and have an early dinner.
Things are going to be okay. They always are, sooner or later. But because I didn't make things even worse on my bad day yesterday, things can be better sooner rather than later. And I'm grateful for that.
Old Time Religion
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Last Sunday afternoon I went with my dear friend Keith to a church ice cream social in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Putnamville United Methodist Church. Putnamville is a tiny hamlet around five miles south of Greencastle. To get there, we could have driven on a major road - state highway 231 to state highway 40 - but knowing how I love the back roads of Indiana, Keith chose a route on narrow county roads that wound past fields of corn and soybeans.
The church social featured grilled hotdogs with all the trimmings as well as an excellent selection of home-made pies. We shared a piece of the raspberry pie: delicious. Music was provided by a bluegrass gospel band called Upward Journey, playing toe-tapping tunes like "I Saw the Light" and "Leanin' on the Everlasting Arms."
I could have sat there listening to the music and eating pie forever, but Keith and I had to get on the road to head to Goldsmith, Indiana, population 200, Keith's home town in rural Tipton County, where we attended the Sunday night card game that has been going on for FIFTY years, since the players were small tykes hanging out at the town wallpaper store. I don't play cards but loved listening to the banter of these friends of many decades.
So first my day had old-time religion. Then it had an old-time card game of old-time friends. Gimme that old-time Indiana!
Last Sunday afternoon I went with my dear friend Keith to a church ice cream social in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Putnamville United Methodist Church. Putnamville is a tiny hamlet around five miles south of Greencastle. To get there, we could have driven on a major road - state highway 231 to state highway 40 - but knowing how I love the back roads of Indiana, Keith chose a route on narrow county roads that wound past fields of corn and soybeans.
The church social featured grilled hotdogs with all the trimmings as well as an excellent selection of home-made pies. We shared a piece of the raspberry pie: delicious. Music was provided by a bluegrass gospel band called Upward Journey, playing toe-tapping tunes like "I Saw the Light" and "Leanin' on the Everlasting Arms."
I could have sat there listening to the music and eating pie forever, but Keith and I had to get on the road to head to Goldsmith, Indiana, population 200, Keith's home town in rural Tipton County, where we attended the Sunday night card game that has been going on for FIFTY years, since the players were small tykes hanging out at the town wallpaper store. I don't play cards but loved listening to the banter of these friends of many decades.
So first my day had old-time religion. Then it had an old-time card game of old-time friends. Gimme that old-time Indiana!
Happy Birthday, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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Today is the 300th birthday of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born June 28, 1712, in Geneva. I teach a "single philosopher" course on Rousseau regularly; it is one of my two "signature courses." (The other is Intro to Ethics.) I consider something to be a signature course if you would get a very different course (not necessarily a worse course, but definitely a different course) if you took it from somebody not me.
My Rousseau course is different from anybody else's because I love Rousseau more than anybody else does. Most of all I love the passionate intensity with which Rousseau engages life, the intensity of what he would call his "sentiment of existence."
His autobiography, The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was the first great modern autobiography, striking for its shockingly candid confessions about childhood sexuality (Rousseau had a predilection for "chastisement"), deeply regretted misdeeds (he cast blame upon a fellow servant girl for the theft of a ribbon he himself had pilfered, leading to her dismissal and likely ruination), and bizarre life choices (he had a prolonged sexual relationship with a female mentor, Madame de Warens, whom he regarded as his "maman"; he had five children with the woman who later became his wife, an illiterate chambermaid, and gave them all away to a foundling asylum). "How can you like such a person?" I'm frequently asked. I like him because he tells us all of this without hesitation in a book that makes for riveting reading on every page. My students always tell me how glad they are that we begin and end the course with reading the Confessions.
We also read Rousseau's novel, Julie, or the New Heloise, the best-selling novel of the 18th century. I have to admit that my students are less pleased about this, as the novel is extremely long, told in letters that run to twenty or thirty pages in some places, recounting the doomed love between Julie and her tutor, who is given the alias of St. Preux. His real name is never disclosed, presumably so that readers can suspect that it might be none other than Jean-Jacques himself. In his treatise on education, Emile, which reads in places like a novel, the fictional tutor of the fictional child, Emile, is actually called Jean-Jacques. The man did not have a small ego.
But he had prodigious talents that would justify a large ego. His Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, a hymn to what humankind has lost as we moved from "savage man" living in an amoral, innocent state of nature to the corrupt artificiality of civilized society, was a founding document of romanticism. His On the Social Contract was a founding document of the French Revolution's call for radical democracy. The child-centered educational methods of Emile are influential to this day. His late-life collection of essays, Reveries of the Solitary Walker, are masterpieces of French prose. Oh, and he also wrote an opera (score and libretto) that was the toast of Paris - Le Devin du Village (The Village Soothsayer).
So happy birthday, my dear Jean-Jacques. I wish I could be in Geneva for the festivities. Instead, I'll observe the day with a solitary walk, filled with reveries of a tormented, brilliant, paranoid, sensitive, witty, narcissistic, fascinating genius.
Today is the 300th birthday of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born June 28, 1712, in Geneva. I teach a "single philosopher" course on Rousseau regularly; it is one of my two "signature courses." (The other is Intro to Ethics.) I consider something to be a signature course if you would get a very different course (not necessarily a worse course, but definitely a different course) if you took it from somebody not me.My Rousseau course is different from anybody else's because I love Rousseau more than anybody else does. Most of all I love the passionate intensity with which Rousseau engages life, the intensity of what he would call his "sentiment of existence."
His autobiography, The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was the first great modern autobiography, striking for its shockingly candid confessions about childhood sexuality (Rousseau had a predilection for "chastisement"), deeply regretted misdeeds (he cast blame upon a fellow servant girl for the theft of a ribbon he himself had pilfered, leading to her dismissal and likely ruination), and bizarre life choices (he had a prolonged sexual relationship with a female mentor, Madame de Warens, whom he regarded as his "maman"; he had five children with the woman who later became his wife, an illiterate chambermaid, and gave them all away to a foundling asylum). "How can you like such a person?" I'm frequently asked. I like him because he tells us all of this without hesitation in a book that makes for riveting reading on every page. My students always tell me how glad they are that we begin and end the course with reading the Confessions.
We also read Rousseau's novel, Julie, or the New Heloise, the best-selling novel of the 18th century. I have to admit that my students are less pleased about this, as the novel is extremely long, told in letters that run to twenty or thirty pages in some places, recounting the doomed love between Julie and her tutor, who is given the alias of St. Preux. His real name is never disclosed, presumably so that readers can suspect that it might be none other than Jean-Jacques himself. In his treatise on education, Emile, which reads in places like a novel, the fictional tutor of the fictional child, Emile, is actually called Jean-Jacques. The man did not have a small ego.
But he had prodigious talents that would justify a large ego. His Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, a hymn to what humankind has lost as we moved from "savage man" living in an amoral, innocent state of nature to the corrupt artificiality of civilized society, was a founding document of romanticism. His On the Social Contract was a founding document of the French Revolution's call for radical democracy. The child-centered educational methods of Emile are influential to this day. His late-life collection of essays, Reveries of the Solitary Walker, are masterpieces of French prose. Oh, and he also wrote an opera (score and libretto) that was the toast of Paris - Le Devin du Village (The Village Soothsayer).
So happy birthday, my dear Jean-Jacques. I wish I could be in Geneva for the festivities. Instead, I'll observe the day with a solitary walk, filled with reveries of a tormented, brilliant, paranoid, sensitive, witty, narcissistic, fascinating genius.
The Last Day
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Today is the last day of my first year here. I've moved out of the adorable tiny house I rented this year from a professor on sabbatical in Guatemala. When I return for year two, I'll be renting a beautiful but bigger house from a professor on sabbatical in Germany. So I packed up all the huge quantity of stuff I had brought with me last summer from Colorado, plus the huge quantity of stuff I have somehow acquired during my year here: books! clothes from my new favorite boutique, Greencastle Goodwill! and two fabulous cookie jars! and more! All of that has been moved to my fortunately spacious office at the Prindle Institute. I'm flying back to Colorado, not driving, so I'm taking only a carry-on suitcase and small backpack on the plane.
I will have tears in my eyes as I lock the door of my little house for the last time. I have been so happy here this year, even though the year turned out to be very different in many ways from what I imagined. I thought I'd have endless hours to start writing the memoir I've been thinking about, to read and write poetry, to proceed on my 2012 writing resolution to write "a book that surprises me." Well, I did do a considerable amount of scholarly writing, as well as two chapter books that were rejected by either my agent or my publisher (note: rejection is good - it means you're stretching and growing), and the start of two chapter books that did get accepted.
But mainly I threw myself into the intense intellectual life of this small college in the middle of a small rural county in western Indiana. I taught three successful classes, including one I had never taught before. I participated in six reading groups in the fall and five reading groups in the spring. I attended countless talks and concerts. Seldom was there ever an evening I was home. I explored so much of Indiana - drives to see the covered bridges of Parke County, New Harmony and Lincoln's boyhood home with my sister, opera in Bloomington, the maple syrup festival. I had weekend trips to Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cincinnati. I reconnected with dear old friends. I made dear new friends.
Overall, I would say that this year I've been about as happy as a person can be. And there is a lot to be said for happiness. Indeed, one of the happy events I attended this year was an entire retreat/seminar on happiness. Now I could lead that retreat and teach that seminar. And after six sweet weeks back in Colorado, I'll return for year two. Here's hoping it will be as happy as this past year has been. But it could be a tenth as happy and be happy enough.
I will have tears in my eyes as I lock the door of my little house for the last time. I have been so happy here this year, even though the year turned out to be very different in many ways from what I imagined. I thought I'd have endless hours to start writing the memoir I've been thinking about, to read and write poetry, to proceed on my 2012 writing resolution to write "a book that surprises me." Well, I did do a considerable amount of scholarly writing, as well as two chapter books that were rejected by either my agent or my publisher (note: rejection is good - it means you're stretching and growing), and the start of two chapter books that did get accepted.
But mainly I threw myself into the intense intellectual life of this small college in the middle of a small rural county in western Indiana. I taught three successful classes, including one I had never taught before. I participated in six reading groups in the fall and five reading groups in the spring. I attended countless talks and concerts. Seldom was there ever an evening I was home. I explored so much of Indiana - drives to see the covered bridges of Parke County, New Harmony and Lincoln's boyhood home with my sister, opera in Bloomington, the maple syrup festival. I had weekend trips to Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cincinnati. I reconnected with dear old friends. I made dear new friends.
Overall, I would say that this year I've been about as happy as a person can be. And there is a lot to be said for happiness. Indeed, one of the happy events I attended this year was an entire retreat/seminar on happiness. Now I could lead that retreat and teach that seminar. And after six sweet weeks back in Colorado, I'll return for year two. Here's hoping it will be as happy as this past year has been. But it could be a tenth as happy and be happy enough.
Forty Years Later
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I'm back in Colorado now, after attending my 40th high school reunion on Saturday. Forty years!
I stayed with my sister and her husband, who bought our childhood home several years ago, some fifteen years after my mother moved away and sold it to another owner. Much of the house has been remodeled: entirely new kitchen, French doors leading out to an entirely new deck - but much of it is uncannily the same - same mailbox with same wrought-iron house numbers on it, same forsythia bush by the driveway, same doorbell chimes, same heat vent where we used to lie on the floor to dry our hair (though the vent now has a little shelf of teddy bears in front of it - in general, the house now has an estimated 10,000 more teddy bears than it did when we were growing up there).
The past three reunions, or maybe even four, were held at my friend Kim's beautiful house in Basking Ridge. This year one of my classmates felt like mixing it up a bit, and so she organized a get-together at a roadhouse with a 60s vibe, where we could listen to songs like "Cherish" by the Association, and "To Sir with Love" (the very song to which I "led off" a dance with Dick Thistle at an 8th grade dance - oh, the memories!).
Someone had brought a yearbook, which triggered the idea of retaking pictures of the "senior superlatives" for our graduating year: the boy and girl voted most likely to succeed, best athlete, most popular, did most for class. We were able to reshoot five pairings, which seems quite amazing, four decades later. I was Class Actress. Here I am with Nick Tufaro, Class Actor., holding the yearbook open to our page (we're the bottom photo on the left). I don't know if we look like stellar thespians, but there we are, anyway.
I stayed with my sister and her husband, who bought our childhood home several years ago, some fifteen years after my mother moved away and sold it to another owner. Much of the house has been remodeled: entirely new kitchen, French doors leading out to an entirely new deck - but much of it is uncannily the same - same mailbox with same wrought-iron house numbers on it, same forsythia bush by the driveway, same doorbell chimes, same heat vent where we used to lie on the floor to dry our hair (though the vent now has a little shelf of teddy bears in front of it - in general, the house now has an estimated 10,000 more teddy bears than it did when we were growing up there).
The past three reunions, or maybe even four, were held at my friend Kim's beautiful house in Basking Ridge. This year one of my classmates felt like mixing it up a bit, and so she organized a get-together at a roadhouse with a 60s vibe, where we could listen to songs like "Cherish" by the Association, and "To Sir with Love" (the very song to which I "led off" a dance with Dick Thistle at an 8th grade dance - oh, the memories!).
Someone had brought a yearbook, which triggered the idea of retaking pictures of the "senior superlatives" for our graduating year: the boy and girl voted most likely to succeed, best athlete, most popular, did most for class. We were able to reshoot five pairings, which seems quite amazing, four decades later. I was Class Actress. Here I am with Nick Tufaro, Class Actor., holding the yearbook open to our page (we're the bottom photo on the left). I don't know if we look like stellar thespians, but there we are, anyway.
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