Food Memories

Greetings and Happy New Year from Ter.  I was thinking this morning, while preparing a big Sunday brunch, about how food has shaped my life and created many memories.  Like most families, ours has been shaped by food and drink.  Just like G blogged about Grandma Kate teaching her to bake bread, my G has done the same for me.  I remember being a little girl, Grandma's "Petite Little Flower" as she so affectionaltely called my sister and myself, and experiencing so many cool food-related things with her.

I remember the picnics on Grandma's living room floor and that drool-worthy homemade cheese sauce she made to top our pasta (that I have NEVER been able to accurately duplicate.).  I remember the Christmas Crepes that were tradition for so many years.  I recall the Cinnamon toast, the monkey bread, the snow ice cream.  I remember getting into her magical car (named Bermelda Lou) once a week and trekking around Northern Wisconsin in search of the best pie.  I remember traveling to Minnesota with Grandma and Grandpa and ordering a hamburger at the Vietnamese restaurant we stopped at.  Yes, you read that correctly.   Although I was too little to remember it, story goes that Grandma and Aunt Shell took me to a Chinese restaurant when I was tiny.  Something about me spitting an almond across the room, or squeezing coffee creamers until they exploded.  They would need to clarify that one...:)  Either way, my point is = family + food = stories. 

The power of food tradition is so strong.  I am enjoying forming new food traditions with my husband.  We go for our clam chowder every other week, which I have already written about... but one of my favorite new things is the mystery of my Friday night drives home from work --wondering what toppings Andy has developed for the pizza this week.  Sometimes it's cilantro, tomato and onion pizza fries -- another time kalamata olives, grape leaves and crispy ham, or crab and spices.  I love Friday mystery pizza night. It's always so good.



Golden funnel cake goodness

As I write this, I am preparing our latest once-in-a-while indulgence- funnel cakes.  This time around the funnel cakes have a bit of cinnamon and rum in them (We tend to rumify everything we can).  I just snuck a piece and it's quite good.   -->

husband's cup and thick "grogg"

<-- Coupled with our spiced Vermont Country Blend Coffee, this is shaping up to be a tasty day.  Another one of husband's newest concoctions is a grogg for his coffee.  It's a thick mixture of raw honey, molasses, cinnamon, fresh ground nutmeg, maple syrup, vanilla and ginger.  We didn't use a recipe - we just hit the pantry and started throwing things into the jug.  It's pretty sweet, but a little goes a long way, making for an earthy, spicy cup that you could never buy in a coffee shop.


Last week we experienced our first Nor'easter (which was easy-peasy compared to the blinstering WI winters we are accustomed to) and were blanket with beautiful, fluffy -glittery snow, perfect for making some of that snow ice cream that G taught me as a kiddo.  A huge, mounded bowl of fresh *WHITE* snow, when mixed with some simple staples, becomes an incredible delicacy.  We took some culinary liberties this time around and added maple syrup - and yes, spiced rum.  Very good!  Below you will find the recipe from the cookbook G wrote... another wonderful memory is trying out all of the foods as she wrote the book...and what a super special thing for a little girl to have a recipe named after her and published?    G's the coolest.

The recipe from G's cookbook...

       

Our 2013 Maple and Spiced Rum Snow Ice Cream

I will leave you with one more memory - that I am reminded of often.  Below is a photo of my cubicle at work... the framed item was given to me by G in a card for my birthday a few years ago.  I believe it sums this post up better than I could ever hope to.  

"The most important things to do are to get something to eat, something to drink, and somebody to love you." - Brenda Ueland.

Happy feasting -- with family.  A lesson I have learned - family is what [and who] you make it.

What are your favorite food memories? Please comment below and share!

-Kate's Granddaughter

The Amazing Perception of Dogs!

I (Shell) am not sure if Great Grandma Kate ever had dogs... Kate passed away about a year before I was born, but canines have always had a special place in my heart.

I’ve  always thought that my dogs know what I’m feeling.  They have that way of giving me a gentle nudge when I’m not feeling so great, licking away my tears and just giving me a good snuggle when that is exactly what I needed.  But, I have never realized just how perceptive my favorite pets are until this past year. 

We have two German short hair pointers, Kona and Sieben.  They are sisters and Kona is the alpha.  Sieben is content being very laid back, bossed around and in general conceding to her older sister’s demands.  They love running on our almost 6 acres of land and are able to mostly tire themselves out hunting shrews, chasing squirrels and tormenting garden snakes.  When we go to work at our pizza place at night, they “kennel up” in a very spacious play area in the basement or their equally spacious kennel outside during the summer months.  Mostly, or so we thought, they just sleep while we are gone. 

The first sign of trouble came this past August when we came home from work to find they had “busted out” of their downstairs kennel and were working on detaching the basement door at the top of the stairs.  Needless to say, we were upset.  So, a new kennel was purchased, put together, secured to the concrete walls and life went on.  Then, a couple of weeks ago, we came home to Kona at the top of the stairs, Sieben in her kennel, and both barking up a storm.  Obviously, they were trying to tell us something.  Being the clueless humans that we are, we didn’t do anything about it.  Hello! Kona, weighing in a barely 45 lbs climbed a six foot high kennel and launched herself out of it! So, when it happened yet again, my husband spent a day putting a roof on their kennel.  However; there had to be something more.  What to do?  I didn’t want to get rid of Kona.  She is “my” dog of the two, the one I picked out.  And, after six years, we are attached.  But, why, all of the sudden is she acting up?

So, I turned to Cesar Milan’s book: Cesar’s Way, and, even though I don’t really agree with some of The Dog Whisperer’s principles, the part about separation anxiety made sense.  Thinking it through a little more, Brad and I have been quite anxious in the past few months, something that Kona had obviously picked up on.  And, I’m probably grumpy when I kennel her up, since I’m not too happy with my evening work situation right now.  I’m sure she notices.  The cure, according to Mr. Milan, is to work your dogs out, for at least an hour a day.  Heck, the book states, it will be good for both of you!

Well, I took the advice to heart and started a couple of days ago, walking both dogs for an hour a day, first thing after waking up (after coffee, of course).  Mind, you, we live in Northern Wisconsin.  Our roads are snow covered!  Today, it was a frosty 2 degrees.  But, as we settle into our pace, it becomes at once renewing and exhilarating.  It’s good to be outside with nature for an hour a day.  Kona and Sieben seem to look at it as an assignment, a chore to get done before going on with their day.  And they rise to the occasion.  I’m sure it is only a matter of time before they realize that it is 7:30 every day when we walk, and they will coax me out of bed and into keeping up the routine. 

It’s three days in, and suddenly, I don’t feel so anxious.  I feel restored and hopeful: something I haven’t felt in a very long time.  These past couple of days, I find myself looking forward to the walk.  My head feels clearer.  My goals have come to light.  My glutes, abs and calves are screaming with life.

Now it has me thinking, who is this helping more, Kona or me? On some level I think maybe she knew exactly what I needed.  After our walk and her treat, she lies down with a contented sigh.  Her work is done here.

My two dogs & I this summer (Kona is up front, of course)