Happy Birthday & A Fabulous New Gastronomic Discovery

It is AMAZING to me that after over seven years in Jefferson County and nearly four in Port Townsend we had yet to eat at the highly recommended Wild Coho Restaurant. For some reason this little restaurant in the Uptown District with only 10 tables had intimidated me. Perhaps it was that it seemed so elegant that I was afraid we'd feel out of place. The chef came to Port Townsend via two of the finest Seattle restaurants and we're lucky to have him. I was intimidated despite having been to some of the nicest restaurants in Seattle and other cities. Well tonight was John's birthday and I decided to surprise him with reservations at what proved to be an absolutely delightful and charming restaurant. On this, a Wednesday evening, only half the tables were full so we got the full attention of the server and our service was impeccable. And the meal, it was easily the best meal we'd ever had in Port Townsend. We started with Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage and Mascarpone followed by Organic Seasonal Greens, Tomato-Rosemary Vinaigrette, Roasted Tomatoes, Mt. Townsend Trailhead Cheese and Little Garlic Croutons. For our entrees John chose Grilled Lamb Sirloin with Grilled Onion-Artichoke Risotto and Tomato-Mint Relish and I had Grilled Flat Iron Beef Steak with Potato Garlic Gratin, Morel-Roasted Onion. Of course since it was John's birthday we had to top it off with desert and we chose to share the Trio of Custards--Espresso, Crème Brulée, and Cinnamon Plum Tea Custard.

One thing I love about this restaurant is that it uses local foods, from cheeses at the Mount Townsend Creamery to Berries and produce from the great Finnriver Farm, Chimacum and Greens, famous garlic, and potatoes from Corona Farms most every ingredient used is local. This is where I want to spend my money for a delicious meal. Another fun thing about this restaurant is on Thursdays they have their "small plates" where for $5, $6, or $7 diners can choose one or more plates at bargain prices. John and I have decided we're going to do this several times a month.

We have a lot of really great restaurants in this little town by the bay, The Silverwater, The Castle Key at Manresa Castle, T's, and Sweet Laurette's (our favorite for brunch) but it is clear we've found a new favorite. It was a wonderful way to spend a birthday evening.

Musical Review: The Spitfire Grill

After living in this community for over seven years we finally went to a performance by its community playhouse, The Key City Players, last night. The musical, The Spitfire Grill, is based on the movie starring Ellen Burstyn and has been a long-time favorite of mine. When we heard from our next door neighbor that he was going to be one of the performers in this musical, we knew right away that we wanted to go see it. The basic premise is this: Percy Talbott is a young woman who has just been released from prison (for reasons not revealed until much later) and takes a bus to the idyllic small town of Gilead, Wisconsin where she gets a job at the Spitfire Grill run by the crotchety Hannah Ferguson. Hannah, a widow who lost her only child in the Vietnam War, has been trying to sell her little diner (the only one in town) for 10 years without success. Hannah falls, breaking her leg, leaving the running of the diner to Percy and her nephew (Celeb)'s wife Shelby. They do a terrific job of bringing the sleepy little eatery back to life. In the meantime they concoct an idea having a raffle to get rid of the Spitfire Grill and even make a little bit of money. It isn't long before the entries come in by the mailbag loads. There are a lot of light moments as the letters are read (people have many reasons for wanting the Spitfire Grill). But a lot of questions to be answered -- who will win the Spitfire Grill? Who is the mysterious man showing up at the back of the grill every night? Will there ever be true love for Joe and Percy? And the music!!!! How wonderful to use music to give emotion to these wonderful characters. I particularly liked Percy's song "Into the Frying Pan" with sort of a country-western twang. Aimee Kelley Spencer who played Percy did a fabulous job in every aspect of this play. Other songs ranged from operatic-type songs done marvelously by Rowen Matkins to comedic relief by Deena Lien-Richards. Katherine Jensen did a fine job as Hannah Ferguson. The male actors, John Edwards as the villainous Caleb and James Milton as Sheriff Joe were no less sung and acted to perfection. And one mustn't forget the wonderful Mickey McKinney who actually speaks volumes without saying a word. As John and I both commented when we got home, it's marvelous and amazing to find that we have the talent in our small town to find actors who can so perfectly fit these roles. As much as we loved the movie, the musical was even better--the movie having ended tragically and the musical having left us with smiles on our faces. I can only hope we can find time to go see it again. Word is going to get out how marvelous this production is and the little theater only seats 45 people. Should we be selfish and see it again or let someone else have the experience???

September Reads

I had a good reading month -- most of it spent with Ruth Reichl and her foodie memoirs that I read one right after another and enjoyed immensely. If anyone hasn't read these, I would say although it isn't absolutely necessary to have read the first two before enjoying the third, it would really enhance your reading experience if you have a bit more background of Ruth's life. I followed these up with I Feel Back About My Neck by Nora Ephron and despite our vastly different backgrounds I found myself nodding in agreement throughout the book. I ended up with the first fiction in a couple of months, one of Meg Cabot's books for adults, Queen of Babble. I enjoyed the French setting and the fairy-tale feel to this book. It was a fun read.

Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl - 4.5/5
Comfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl 4.5/5
Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl 5/5
I Feel Bad About by Neck by Nora Ephron 4.5/5
Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot 4/5

A Date with My Son

It is a rare occurrence when you get to share with one’s offspring something you experienced at almost that exact same age. Last night I was able to relive a concert seen over 30 years ago, at age 27, with my son who will be 27 in April when we went to see the band Jethro Tull at the Paramount Theater in Seattle. This is a band I have loved for years – and hadn’t seen since August 15, 1976 at the L. A. Memorial Coliseum. I bought these tickets in May so have been looking forward to seeing the genius that is Ian Anderson and his band for a long time.

Our evening started out early when I picked Jake up at his home and we took the ferry over to Seattle. Since he’s the chef, he picked out the restaurant, I asked for one that uses local foods. He chose Restaurant Zoe, one the owners of the restaurant where he works as sous chef has been recommending. In fact, the chef-owner of Restaurant Zoe lives on Bainbridge Island and has dined at Jake’s restaurant, The Four Swallows, many times.

We arrived right on time for our 5:30 reservations. I let Jake pick out most of the appetizer and despite the fact I really wanted the foie gras, we had ricotta gnudi which was divine. Jake also chose the wine – and let me see if I can get this right, I did write it down: Podere Ruggeri Corsini 2004 Barbera d’Alba Armujan. One of the perks dining with my son came to light when, on overhearing a conversation our server discovered Jake was “in the industry” and asked him about it. Another appetizer arrived at our table compliment of the kitchen. We did each choose our own entrée: He had a braised short rib dish (it looked yummy) and as per my usual I had scallops. They weren’t as good as Jake does at the Four Swallows but they were unique and delicious. We ended our meal with desert and coffee, having had a wonderful meal with impeccable service.

It was then off to the beautiful Paramount Theater, one of my favorite venues in Seattle. I think the first concert I ever attended there was in late 1972 or early 1973 (Kris Kristofferson). It is a magnificent old structure and the architecture alone is worth a visit. Because I didn’t find out about this concert until tickets had been on sale for a week, our seats were in the third mezzanine, but the hike up three flights of stairs was worth it. Every seat in this venue of around 3000 is a good one and our seats in the first row of the third mezzanine were no exception.

I tried to prepare Jake a bit for the music. I explained to him that while Jethro Tull was a loud band and what we’d call hard rock back in the day, they were quite unique, taking their inspiration from more classical music. And indeed throughout the evening this proved to be the case as they played everything from Bach, to Henry VIII to a song inspired by Shakespeare. Of course they did many of the more well known Jethro Tull hits, Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Living in the Past. etc. Ian Anderson, is a delightful stage presence, his foot work (prancing on stage like an elf) and this virtuoso flute playing (does anyone do this better?) has not suffered in the 40 years he has been performing. His voice still has the same quality we all remember and is instantly recognizable, albeit perhaps a bit weaker and in a different key, but it is that wonderful, delightful, sexy Ian Anderson all the same.

Unfortunately we had to cut our evening short as I was getting a migraine and Jake was feeling a bit sick to his stomach and we had a ferry to catch – not willing to wait until a much later ferry that would get me home after 2:00 AM.

Dinner at trendy restaurant - $150.

Ferry fare - $35.00

Concert Tickets - $115.00

Spending time with my son - Priceless

Fall Bounty & A Recipe

We feel our first attempt at growing vegetables has been a success! We've eaten over a dozen ears of corn, each one better than the one before. I told John that of all the fresh vegetables from the garden, the corn is what I will miss the most once it's gone. We have more tomatoes than we can possibly eat and I have been taking them to work to share with my coworkers. The cucumbers have been the best I have ever eaten. Next to the corn, the nicest surprise has been the brussel sprouts. Neither of us had even seen brussel sprouts growing before, never knew what they looked like in the garden. I really, really love brussel sprouts and eating them fresh are so delicious. Their test is less cabbage-y -- they seem to have a flavor all their own. I found this simple recipe a few years ago and it has been our favorite method of fixing them ever since:

2 slices bacon

1 clove garlic

1-2 cups brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut in half

Cut up bacon in inch long pieces and place in small frying pan, Add cut up garlic, once you have a bit of bacon grease, add your brussel sprouts and cook until heated through. Enjoy.

San Juan Sojourn Day 3

The Ferry on a "Soft" Day

Pelindaba Lavender Farm

Sunday morning we awoke to rain. Disappointing, but not surprising. We just counted ourselves fortunate to have had two warm, sunny days - two out of three, in mid September, we figured wasn’t bad. Again we had breakfast at the B&B including the wonderful granola. Our hostess, discovering John wasn’t fond of granola, had substituted a fruit plate for him – very thoughtful. Our tablemates were a younger couple from Malibu, California. Both composers, the woman is a native of County Galway, Ireland. We had a nice conversation about Ireland with them, and it brought back found memories of my trip there several years ago. I loved her description of the light drizzle we were having. She said it was a “soft day”. Charming.

During breakfast I asked our hostess about the lovely birdbaths in her front yard. We had admired them when we had arrived and on closer inspection saw they were made of old plates, platters, vases, glasses, and candy dishes. The next day we saw some in town at an artists’ cooperative. Discovering Debbie had made some of those in her yard, I asked if she ever sold any. She then said she hadn’t but she would. I am thrilled to be the owner of the lovely pink and crystal birdbath we had admired on our arrival. I may even try to make some of these myself.

So what to do on a drizzly day? We decided to abandon plans to go to Lopez Island due to both the weather and ferry schedule not allowing us as much time as we knew we’d need to get back to Anacortes by 6:30 to catch the last ferry off Whidbey Island and get home without driving around (ah the trials of being at the mercy of the ferry schedules). We hadn’t been to little Mitchell Bay so decided to drive back to the West side of the island and explore that area further. It was charming and the cabins were right on the beach. We decided to put this area on our list for a future visit. Then it was on to Pelindaba Lavender Farm as it was still raining lightly the majority of our time was spent in the gift shop where we bought a few items before heading back to Friday Harbor to get into the ferry line as it was recommended that we get there by 1:30 for the 5:00 ferry. One can then walk around town, have lunch and shop, just be back by 4:30 or so.

I had one more bookstore to hit, Boardwalk Bookstore. It’s a sweet little store and had changed location since the last time I had visited. I ended up with two books The Place You Love Is Gone: Progress Hits Home by Melissa Holbrook Pierson and in my quest to get off my non-fiction and memoir kick,The Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot. John, who although is a big reader, isn't as big a book buyer as I am actually found two books at this store as well, Dungeness Crabbing by Scott Haugen a book all about how to catch and cook crab including some great recipes and a lovely book called Diving the World, a Guide to the World's Coral Seas by Beth and Shaun Tierney (perhaps ideas for future vacations?). I also ended up buying a nice canvas bookbag to carry my purchases in.

If there is anything good about getting into the ferry line so early, it means we have a decent parking place for downtown Friday Harbor (which otherwise suffers from a lack of parking). By this time it was time for lunch and both John and I were anxious to go to an old favorite, The Front Street Ale House. Perhaps we were spoiled by the truly wonderful meals we’d had the last few days, because it couldn’t be because they were too busy. They were out of the lager I had ordered, the fish and chips were absolutely abysmally horrible including the worst tartar sauce I had in a long time, and John’s burger was horrible was well. Neither of us were able to finish our meal. Everything was so greasy and tasteless. The service was terrible. There was absolutely no excuse for this. We won’t be returning.

This experience and the weather both served to dampen our spirits, so we spent the rest of the time reading in the car. I ended up sleeping from San Juan Island to Lopez Island and was barely awake when we got to Anacortes. We were hungry again by this time, pulled into the Taco Bell drive thru and their computer broke down so we sat in line (again!). When we got to the ferry dock in Keystone, we found that the 7:30 ferry hadn’t arrived yet, so it would be a two-hour wait until our ferry arrived! Not only that, but they added an extra ferry due to the fact that they are on a one-ferry schedule between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend (one of the 1930s era ferries is broken down) so we could have, after all, spent more time in the San Juans. Oh well. We ended up spending over five hours in ferry lines. Next time we may fly up and rent a car.

All in all though, it was a nice little trip, although a bit disappointing to see how the millionaires and billionaires have taken over the island – the shoreline dotted with dozens – no probably hundreds of multi-million dollar mansions. The islands I have dreamed of living in since I first stayed there when I was 15 years old (first visited when I was seven) are now out of reach. And it makes me sad.

San Juan Sojourn - Day 2

The next morning came early and breakfast was served at 9 AM. The Kirk House is famous for its award-winning granola. This was served in a parfait glass topped with vanilla yogurt and strawberries – quite yummy. We were also served coffee, orange juice, apple strudel French toast, and a sausage patty. Our tablemates were a nice couple from Portland, both professors at Portland State University. John isn’t as familiar with the B&B experience as I am (I having stayed at many B&Bs in the UK and Ireland and the last time being in Savannah) and have always enjoyed it. He's preferred boutique hotels and renting cabins but now I think he's coming around to B&Bs with this experience and all the amenities.

After breakfast we were off to some sight-seeing toward the southern end of the island. Our first stop was a very lovely little flower farm called New Day Flower Farm where we found some very sweet little gift items. Then we traveled on to American Camp, a place I remembered from my Washington State History classes over 40 years ago and the famous “Pig War”. We stopped several places along the way to take pictures. At one pull out I saw what appeared to be several whale watching boats, having been a passenger several time I know that when you see the boats in a group, you are likely to see whales. I got out the binoculars. Sure enough, there they were, the magnificent animals – the Orcas. There weren’t a large number of them in this pod, not like two years ago when Quinn and I took PS Express out of Port Townsend and were fortunate to run into a “Superpod” of 3-4 pods and over 30 whales. We found out later that we were very lucky to see whales this day as most of them were out to sea, very few people on land having spotted them.

We traveled on down to Cattle Point, enjoying the lovely day, drove around the island a bit enjoying the luxury of having our car on the island and plenty of time to drive at our leisure without a ferry to catch today. We then drove back into town for a light lunch before embarking on our real adventure, a hike to the McMillin Mausoleum. Yes, the very one that Les had photographed in her blog a few months ago. After seeing her pictures I knew this once a place we just had to see. Despite having visiting the San Juans for over 40 years, I was unaware of this amazing piece of architecture hidden in the woods. No one I have talked to since has ever heard about it either. I was very excited to see it. and it was more amazing than I had ever imagined. The mile round trip hike took us past an century-old cemetery then through the woods on a narrow trail that dropped down to a service road leading to the mausoleum called Afterglow Vista. I wasn’t prepared for the magnificent structure in the middle of nowhere. It was sad to see that it has never been kept up, but that just added to the mystique. John and I had the place all to ourselves for the half an hour or so we spent taking pictures from all sorts of angles. It was unbelievable to me that there weren’t scores of people visiting this structure! In fact, our car was the only one in the parking lot. We only met one man as we were walking to the mausoleum and a couple as we were walking back – and this in the middle of the afternoon on a lovely Saturday summer day.

After our adventure it was time to go back to the B&B to prepare for our dinner. This time we had made reservations at arguably the best restaurant on San Juan Island, Duck Soup Inn. We had heard so much about this restaurant out in the woods, about its chef who uses local food and food from her own garden, sort of the Chez Panisse of the Pacific Northwest, that we made reservations several weeks before our arrival. The rustic décor belied the magnificent gourmet meal we were about to experience. We knew we had chosen the right place when they had free “Peace” bumperstickers to give out to their customers. Again, John had the lamb (he says to compare to the night before) and he said it was even better than the previous night. In fact, the best lamb he has ever had. This is really something coming from him as lamb is his favorite food. It was a difficult decision for me, I almost ordered the scallops again, but decided to have the prawns. I am still in heaven over their wonderful flavor, sautéed as they were in wild blackberries! We had wine, an appetizer (twice baked corn soufflé with goat cheese), soup, salad, and desert. It was a true epicurean experience that took two hours to slowly appreciate. It was almost an orgasmic experience. It is worth a special trip to the San Juans just to go to this restaurant. Be warned though, they are closed for most of the winter, and one needs to make reservations. We saw one couple turned away as we waited for our table. The service was as good as the meal. This was indeed a very special dining experience and we almost hated to leave.

We're All Here Because We're Not All There

Port Townsend residents, like those in many small, liberal towns, like to advertise their feelings on their bumpers, fenders, trunks, and elsewhere on the vehicles they drive. John and I are no exception. The mainstay of the Port Townsend local is the popular, "We're All Here Because We're Not All There" bumpersticker. It's the first bumpersticker I bought when I got my new car. I was able to move my "You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one" bumpersticker from my other car because I had it taped in the back window. My other stickers include "Obama 2008", "Another Mother for Peace", "PT" (signifying a Port Townsend resident, I noted in Friday Harbor they have SJI), and the simple "Peace" sticker I picked up at Duck Soup Inn on our trip to the San Juans earlier his month. On my old car I had a sticker that said, "He's not MY president" I got a lot of comments on that one (all positive) ranging from simple thumbs up, to several people saying, "He's not my president either." It's all a way of expressing my freedom of speech -- on the highway, in a parking lot, or in my driveway.

San Juan Sojourn - Day 1

Kirk House, the 100 year-old home, now a B&B we stayed at while on San Juan Island















The Madrona Grill at Roche Harbor where we ate Friday for Lunch















A sailboat passing by the ferry (where we wished we were)


A birdbath crafted by our hostess, Debbie -- this is now in our front yard :-)

The Hotel deHaro in Roche Harbor at the NW corner of San Juan Island

We like to get up to the San Juan Islands at least once a year. We can see them in the distance from North Beach, which is less than a mile from our home. Every time I look out to the distance I yearn to be there instead of here. Last year we visited Orcas Island with a brief stopover at Lopez Island. This year we decided to go to the more populated San Juan Island.

Getting there was fairly easy. We took the 8:00 AM ferry - we left the house at 7:20 to be there by 7:30. The ferry took us over to Whidbey Island and we drove up the island and across the Deception Pass Bridge to Anacortes to the ferry dock there in record time, arriving there by 9:30 for our 11:00 ferry which got us in Friday Harbor by noon. The sun was shining and we were so glad to have a nice weekend. Since there were a lot of walk-on passengers we knew the restaurants in town were going to busy and since we couldn’t check into our B&B until 3PM, we decided to drive up to Roche Harbor to have lunch.

We enjoyed a fine lunch overlooking the marina, then walked around the beautiful Roche Harbor resort. Soon it was just about time for us to return to Friday Harbor to check in to our B&B, the lovely Kirk House , a 1907 Craftsman home. Our room was the “Trellis Room” and we couldn’t have been more pleased with our accommodations. Our gracious hostess, Debbie showed us around the lovely home and grounds and even provided us with an afternoon snack. The big king-sized bed was just too inviting and we decided to take a bit of a nap before embarking on a bit of a shopping trip in town.

One of my goals for this trip was to visit all four bookstores in the little town of Friday Harbor. I am proud to say I met my goal. I bought books in three of the stores. My favorite of the three was Griffin Bay Bookstore , a wonderful little store that has all the bestsellers and is a member of Booksense. This store also has a little coffee shop. It also has the good sense to be open until 9PM Friday and Saturday evenings! Here I purchased two books: On Rue Tatin by Susan Herrmann Loomis and The United States of Arugula by David Kamp. Then it was over to The Serendipity Bookstore, the used bookstore in town and what a charming store it is. Housed in a Victorian home it could almost be missed if one wasn’t looking for it. I was specifically looking for a nonfiction book by Laurie Colwin. The proprietor was familiar with the book, checked the inventory and didn’t have a copy, but she showed me where other similar books were and, of course I bought two, MFK Fisher’s The Art of Eating and Let Us Eat Cake by Sharon Boorstin.

Now it was getting on toward dinner time, but as we were looking for somewhere to eat, I saw that there was still an “Open” sign on the wine shop and they were advertising wine tasting. Well, it didn’t take me long to decide where we were going next. The fact that the third bookstore was in close proximity didn’t hurt either. After a bit of wine tasting (and some purchasing) we took the stairs to the third bookstore, The Harbor Bookstore. Now while this is a lovely little bookstore that I have visited several times before, most recently two years ago with my grandson, I couldn’t find anything I wanted this visit. It could be that I had more things on my mind, like dinner. We did get what turned out to be a fabulous recommendation for a restaurant from the clerk at this bookstore when she told us about The Backdoor Kitchen One would never accidentally happen on this gem of a place. Even when we were looking for it, we couldn’t believe there was a restaurant in the back of this warehouse. We were glad we persevered because in spite of the cool weather (without reservations, we had to sit outside on the patio) we had one of the most delicious meals we’d eaten in a long time (John had the lamb, I had the scallops). We returned to our B&B with smiles on our faces knowing we’d found someplace very special that we’d be able to return to often.

THE ONE YOU FEED

Native Wisdom
A Grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson.
"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves."
"One wolf is evil and ugly: He is anger, envy, war, greed, self-pity, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, selfishness and arrogance."
"The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, joyful, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, justice, fairness, empathy, generosity, true, compassion, gratitude, and deep vision."
"This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other human as well."
The grandson paused in deep reflection because of what his grandfather had just said. Then he finally cried out; "Oyee! Grandfather, which wolf will win?"
The elder Cherokee replied, "The one you feed."

Review: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

The title of Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl’s third food memoir comes from TS Eliot’s Four Quartets and is courtesy Ruth’s husband, Michael but the reader doesn’t understand his reasoning for the quote until near the end of this delightful collection of tales of Reichl’s time as food editor of the New York Times.

Filled with stories of her life as a critic, reviews of New York restaurants—well known and some not as well known, as well as recipes, this book is absolutely unputdownable. Imagine, if you will, how Ruth discovers, on a trip to NYC that her photo is plastered on bulletin boards in restaurants all over the city and decides that that she’s not going to be able to go to restaurants as herself and fairly do a critique. Instead she devises a plan. She will go incognito. Ruth enlists an old friend of her mother’s who was an acting coach and with her help she becomes Molly, a middle aged woman from the Midwest; Brenda a vivacious and friendly woman; the sexy Chloe; Betty a plain elderly woman, and even Miriam her own cantankerous mother. As one can well imagine, these women get very different treatment from one another and VERY different treatment from Ruth Reichl, the food critic.

My mouth was watering as I read of Ruth’s experiences in restaurants that I can only dream of eating at in NYC (although I do admit that I will attempt some good sushi again after reading how it is properly eaten) and I know that many a fine eating experience will be enhanced.

I borrowed the three Ruth Reichl books from the library, but will be buying copies of my own for my keeper shelf. I am not sure if I will eventually try any of the recipes, but I sure want to. The only thing that disappointed me was that after reading these three books, one right after another, that there are no more Ruth Reichl books to read. I guess I am going to have to satisfy myself with a subscription to Gourmet magazine and hope she has another book in her future with which to entertain her legions of fans.

We're Eating Them Now

Our Tomatoes are Ready!!!! Not many of them make it to the table though -- many of the cherry tomatoes get eaten directly off the vine. Such sweetness I've rarely tasted. The "Early Girls" are tasty as well. My favorite way to eat them is to toast a piece of bread, butter it lightly, cut it into quarters, then top it with a slice of mozzarella, a slice of tomato, and a basil leaf. Mmmmmmmm.

One of my favorite Artists - Susan Rios

Susan Rios is one of my favorite artists. I have long admired her work and have a print of her "After Breakfast" hanging, appropriately, in my dining area (hopefully it will someday be in a breakfast nook). Check out her work here: http://www.susanriosinc.com/

Book Review: Comfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl has done it again -- completely mesmerized me with a book I found hard to put down.

The current editor of Gourmet magazine goes from food critic a New West Magazine to the LA Times in this, the sequel to her first memoir, Tender at the Bone. How she reinvents herself from a hippie living in a commune in Berkeley cooking for her housemates to being one of the most respected food critics in the country is told with her usual candor, intelligence, humor, and poignancy. Her essay toward the end about her struggle with infertility left me weeping. An unbearable heartbreak for Ruth and Michael had me so emotional I had to put the book down at one point. But then an act of extraordinary kindness on the part of some of her dear friends several pages later made me sigh.

Thank goodness I had already read her bio and knew that in the end things turn out well for her, but I was struck by how hard it must have been for her to write about some of these episodes and she addresses this in her acknowledgements at the end of the book.

I enjoyed the stories she shares of how difficult it is for one to open a new restaurant and was particularly interested in the story of Wolfgang Puck's wife Barbara (who we met briefly at her now-defunct Seattle restaurant several years ago).

Another excellent read from Ruth Reichl. Her third book, Garlic and Sapphires is next. I can hardly wait!

Trip to the Book Store

We went to the bookstore yesterday and true to my current memoir kick, checked out the biography/memoir aisles. I had even more books in my hands but sat in the cafe and went over them, deciding what books I just had to have now and what could wait, writing down the titles for later - purchase, library reserve, or paperpback swap request (although one I did check out and then bought from Amazon when I got home). I think we spent at least two hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the bookstore. It was uncrowded though and usually one has to fight for a table.

What I bought:

A STRONG WEST WIND by Gail Caldwell
Caldwell is the chief book critic for the Boston Clobe and she won the Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Criticism in 2001. This book is about growing up in the Texas Panhandle during the 50s and 60s as the liberal daughter of conservative parents (hmm, I wonder why this appealed to me :-))

THE HORIZONTAL WORLD: GROWING UP WILD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE by Debra Marquart
Marquart grew up in North Dakota in the 60s in a small farming community where her family is descendants of Germans from Russia immigrants who settled there in the late 19th century. As my parents grew up in North Dakota and my father's parents were both first-generation Americans of Germans from Russian heritage this really sounded interesting. I've read a couple of essays already and am anxious to read more.

JAYWALKING WITH THE IRISH by David Monagan
About a man who relocated his family from the US to Cork,Ireland in 2004.

SHE GOT UP OFF THE COUCH by Haven Kimmel
Sequel to a Girl Named Zippy, on my TBR pile for several years and highly recommended.

Guidebooks to The San Juan Islands and Portland, Oregon for upcoming trips

The book I ordered from Amazon is THE GOOD PIG by Sy Montgomery - we nurtured a little piglet runt a couple of years ago and thought this sounded interesting, read some reviews and decided I wanted to read it sooner than later.

Others that look good and titles I made note of for later:

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS by Laura Shaine Cunningham
THE SOUL OF A CHEF by Michale Ruhlman
FEEDING A YEN by Calvin Trillin
TURNING THE TABLES by Steven Shaw

Ah, so many books, so little time. . .

A Painting that Tells a Story

Meeting on the Turret Stairs by Frederick William Burton was painted in 1864 but one would think upon first glance that it was done several centuries earlier. I loved it from the first time I saw it and have a large print hanging in my hallway (the original is in the National Gallery of Ireland). One of my favorite places in the world is County Clare Ireland and I just this evening discovered the artist was born there in 1816.

I have often wondered about the story. It wasn't until tonight that I came across this:


‘The Meeting on the Turret Stairs’
Watercolour, 95.5 x 60.8 cm. (1864)

‘The Meeting on the Turret Stairs’ is one of the better-known works of Frederic William Burton. The theme comes from a medieval Danish ballad which describes how Hellelil fell in love with Hildebrand, Prince of Engelland, one of her twelve personal guards. Her father orders his seven sons to kill him.

They stood at the door with spear and shield:
‘Up Lord Hildebrand! out and yield!’
He kissed me then mine eyes above:-
‘Say never my name, thou darling love’
Out of the door Lord Hildebrand sprang;
Around his head the sword he swang.

Hildebrand kills her father and six brothers before Hellelil intercedes to save the youngest. Hildebrand dies of his wounds and Hellelil herself dies shortly afterwards.

Burton did not choose a violent episode and instead freely interpreted the story, placing their farewell on the turret stairs and leaving the reason for it to the imagination. His invention of the kiss on the woman's outstretched arm and the lack of eye contact adds to the poignancy of the painting.

Where I've Been - Look Carefully for Fiji :-)

Labor Day

It was wonderful to spend the day with my son at his waterfront home. Despite the weather he barbequed -- hand-ground sirloin - and these were gourmet burgers like no other. He had leftovers from the restaurant (he is sous chef at The Four Swallows on Bainbridge Island) consisting of chanterelle mushrooms. I am in LOVE!!! Such gastronomical ecstasy! It was almost a shame to put it on top of a beef and between a bun. Eating them a lone as sauteed to enjoy their full flavor was just a delight. Even more of a delight this day was spending time with my most favorite person in the world, my four-year-old granddaughter Kyra. She is truly grandma's girl and we had such a wonderful time together. I got to bring some of the extra chanterelles home for later; I wish I could have packaged little Kyra and brought her home for a few days as well, we just don't see her enough. But where we are now, seeing her every 4-6 weeks is so much better than it was two years ago when we couldn't see her at all, that I am, if not completely satisfied, grateful.

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

Book Review: Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at The Table by Ruth Reichl

Why have I been reading so long without knowing there was a subgenre of books called “cooking memoirs”??? Perhaps it was because I didn’t care all that much until my son became a sous chef and then his friend and former coworker became a contestant on the current season of the Emmy-nominated reality TV program, Top Chef, so we began watching it. And, of course, rooting for Brian. I grew up in a small town of parents from the Midwest. Meat and potatoes were their game and meat and potatoes were what sustained our family and my family when I was a young wife and mother. It wasn’t until I acquired the cookbooks of Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (The Silver Palate and The New Basics) That I began to eat a little differently.

It wasn’t until I met John that I was introduced to more nouveau cuisine in restaurants; I had never been able to afford food like this before. We went to all the nice restaurants in the Seattle area, Portland, and many in Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Southern California, Scottsdale, Arizona and even Hawaii on our trips. But still a lot of the terminology and recipes remained unfamiliar to me.

But I digress. Back to Reichl’s memoir. I hard heard about his genre first when it was mentioned in one of my online book groups. Then I happened to download a wonderful interview with the author done by the CBC onto my iPod. I couldn’t wait to read more of her work. I immediately ordered Tender at the Bone from Paperback Swap but while waiting for it to arrive (and it still hasn’t) ordered it from my local library. I was immediately taken in by the story of this woman who rose to fame by being a restaurant critic for the New York Times and then editor of Gourmet magazine whose mother cooked such horrible meals that she once poisoned the entire guest list of an engagement party. This woman who while a young dissident in Berkeley in the early 70s made meals made primarily of ingredients garnered from Dumpster diving. How in the world did she get to where she is now? I had to know more.

How could one woman have so many colorful characters come into her life? How could she have so many food adventures? An amazing book. I absolutely couldn’t put it down.
Reichl’s candor makes the reader feel like they are almost a voyeur in her life. I love this woman’s writing!!! Where has she been all my life???? I want to know what in the world happens between her and Doug and did she ever remain friends with Serafina? Will we ever find out what happened to Mrs. Peavey? Inquiring minds want to know!!!! I was lucky to have her second memoir, Comfort Me With Apples, Growing Up at the Table here from the library as well and immediately picked it up. Hopefully I will get some of the answers in this second book. Her third, Garlic and Sapphires, is on order.

August Reads

My August reads consisted of one fiction and four memoirs. Through my reading I spent time with Bec in Madison Wisconsin who while caretaking a young woman with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) learned not only how to make scrumptious new dishes but something about herself along the way; I spent time accustoming myself to the countryside with Jeanne and Alex in rural Pennsylvania; Carolyn Jourdan took me on a journey back to her home and her father's rural medical practice in the hills of east Tennessee. Then I went back in time to the Great Depression wtih Mildred Kalish to her farm outside of Garrison, Iowa and to her grandparents' home in Garrison) as I learned how to do everything from making sweetbreads to gathering honey to butchering chickens and making pillows (adding to the enjoyment of this book was the discovery, after I finished, that one of my coworkers is from Garrison, and that her family goes back several generations in this little town) And finally, I spent time with Kate Braestrup in Maine as she ministered to the families of those lost in the wilderness. I saved the best for last as this was by clear favorite read of the month. Complete reviews of all books can be found below and in the August archives. I have also posted reviews at www. amazon.com and urge you to take a look there and if the review is helpful to please say so.

I thought I might get a few more books read this month as I was off for four extra days, but it wasn't to be. It is clear I continue to be on a memoir kick as after Here if You Need Me I have tried to get into fiction but have found myself drawn to yet another memoir to begin September.

You're Not You - Michelle Wildgen - B

Fifty Acres and a Poodle- Jeanne Marie Laskas - B+

Heart in the Right Place - Carolyn Jourdan - A

Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish - B-

Here if You Need Me - Kate Braestrup - A

In the end I don't think you can go wrong with any of these books. But if I were to recommend any one book to own, to mark up, to highlight, to refer to for inspiration, to keep on my nightstand for re-reading, it would be Here if You Need Me. I really hope we hear more from this author and her enlightening essays soon.

Happy 62nd Birthday Van!!!

Today I have spent the day listening to one of my favorite singers on the occasion of his 62nd birthday. The CD I chose to listen to was one I downloaded to my iPod last night and is a recording of a recent live show, one I would have given my eye teeth to have gone to, the performance as The Abbey in Glastonbury, England, that mystical place that was has been an inspiration to many of his songs as on his CDs Avalon, Enlightenment, and Common One (songs Haunts of Ancient Peace and Summertime in England being two of my favorite songs from the latter album). A Van Morrison concert is like a grab bag. You never know for sure what songs you're going to get. whether he'll say a few words to the audience or maybe nothing at all. It's pretty certain the evening will end with Brown-Eyed Girl and Gloria (and that the concert will last precisely 90 minutes) but no two concerts are the same. As so wanted to hear him sing Into the Mystic when I saw him in Seattle in October of 2006 and then again in Vancouver, BC in February of 2007 but it wasn't to be. And checking the set lists for ths shows since then, I can't recall that he has had this song in his repertoire. So it was with a sigh that via my friend Pat's review http://patrickmaginty.blogspot.com/2007/08/sun-was-setting-over-avalon.html I found out that he had sung it at Glastonbury August 11th. I was thrilled to get a copy of this show and doubly thrilled that it was of such good quality. One of the best I have heard in a long time. (BTW, check out Patrick's archives for his reviews of his favorite Van Morrison albums - they are wise and intelligent, the best I have ever read).

I own all of Van's commerically-released CDs and dozens of live shows and bootleg CDs and DVDs. I just can't get enough of this voice, the genius of his words that touch me to the very depths of my soul. It matters not to me that he is tempermental or grumpy (to put it mildly) what matters to me is that his words reach me.

Book Review: Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup

As a mother of four and wife to Maine State trooper Drew Griffith, Kate Braestrup thought her life was in order as a wife, mother, and writer. Drew’s plans though were to go to school to become a Unitarian minister. Suddenly though, Kate becomes a widow and then decides to pursue Drew’s dream. She becomes a Unitarian minister and begins working with the Maine Game Warden department, mainly ministering to the families of those involved in search and rescue attempts – the hikers, the lost snowmobilers, the swimmers falling over a waterfall, the despondent young women, the lost children.

However this book isn’t, as I had first thought, simply full of anecdotes of Kate’s involvement with search and rescue attempts. Oh no, it is much, much more than that. There, are plenty of interesting anecdotes that’s for sure but it is a story of Kate’s life as a single mother, as a spiritual woman, as a spiritual leader, and as a caring human being. It is a book full of the essays of a talented writer giving her take on life, death, and heaven, all in a gentle way where it is easy to imagine the skill in which she is able to minister to those in need. She does so without judging anyone be they a fundamentalist, atheist, agnostic, or of any other belief.

There is the story of a young suicide victim whose brother she counsels and consoles as he is worried she will be unable to have a Christian burial because of the way she died, there is the story of the parents Kate spends the night consoling with after their daughter goes missing, answering the atheist mother who says, “It’s so cool that the warden service has a chaplain to keep us from freaking out,” by responding,”I’m not really here to keep you from freaking out. I’m here to be with you while you freak out.”

And here is the story of Kate, the mother, helping her four children get over the death of their beloved father, all the while in deep mourning herself. Kate who loved her husband so deeply. So very deeply that she does for her husband what few new widows will ever do in this modern age.

All I can say is WOW. I don’t know when I have been so moved by a book.

The reader will be moved to tears, laugh out loud, begin a spiritual awakening – and keep the book nearby for re-reading of Kate’s essays again and again. You will wish she was your friend, your pastor. You will wish you had the honor of having her wisdom nearby on a daily basis. But since you don’t reading this book will have to suffice. The world would be a better place if there were more Kate Braestrups in it. God bless you Kate and thank you for sharing a part of your world and your wisdom in this magnificent read.

Book Review: Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Kalish

I delved into this book with great anticipation. The author is only a few years younger than my mother and the area she writes about in rural Iowa is just 50 miles east of where my grandfather was born.

There were many things to like in this book that combines anecdotes from the 1930s with recipes and how to do things the old way. I enjoyed the anecdotes and would have enjoyed the book if it had been sprinkled with less of the recipes and more of the stories from the 1930s--stories which ranged from poignant to laugh-out-loud funny. Her stories range from such events as box socials (and giving a complete explanation of what one is for those who may not know) to how to gather honey from bees (and what happens if you do it the wrong way). She tells of how hard work it was it was back in the day, but does recall there was time for a bit of leisure as well.

At once a memoir, a how-to book, and a cookbook, Kalish tells her story with enthusiasm but with a bit of pompousness that was a bit unnecessary. She acts as if she was the only person ever to know how to do some of these things described and that her way was the only way. Heck, I am 25 years younger than she is and I can remember doing many of the same things at my grandparents' farm in North Dakota two decades later, and even do some of these same things today. Although the subtitle mentions "hard times" it is clear that due to help from her grandparents and a self-sufficient farm, Kalish and her siblings never really went without anything on her farm during the depression so anyone who is reading this book and expects it to be a true hardship tale best look elsewhere. It is a great look down memory lane for those from Kalish's generation who I am sure will enjoy reading and reminiscing about another time and place. It seems though that most of the time the author is writing for an audience who hasn't lived through any of these events, remembers none of these times (stoking an old wood fire, splitting wood,making head cheese, butchering a chicken, making May Day baskets). That said, it is quick interesting read but recommended with reservations as although a memoir, how-to book and cookbook, it doesn't completely succeed at any of these.

Click here to listen to: Linda Thompson

: "1. Day After Tomorrow - Linda Thompson "

This is a great anti-war song written by Tom Waits (and his wife, Kathleen Brennan) interpreted beautifully by the amazing Linda Thompson. Here are the lyrics:

I got your letter
Today
An' I miss you oh so much here
I can't wait
To see you all
And I'm counting the days dear
I still believe that there's gold
At the end of the World
An' I'll come home
To Illinois
On the day after tomorrow

It is so hard
And it's cold here
And I'm tired of taking orders
And I miss old Rockford town
Up by the Wisconsin border

What I miss you won't believe
Shovellin' snow,and rakin' leaves

And my plane will touch down
On the day after tomorrow

I close my eyes
Every night
And I dream
That I can hold you

They fill us full of lies
Everyone buys'
Bout what it means
To be a soldier
I still don't know how I'm s'posed to feel'
Bout all the blood that's been spilled

Will God on his throne
Get me back home
On the day after tomorrow?

You can't deny
The other side
Don't wanna die
Any more than we do

What I'm tryin' to say
Is, don't they pray
To the same God
That we do?

Tell me
How does God choose?
Whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel
Who throws the dice
On the day after tomorrow?

I am not fighting
For justice
I am not fighting
For freedom
I am fighting
For my life

And another day in the World here
I just do what I've been told
We're just the gravel on the road
And only the lucky
Ones come home
On the day after tomorrow

And the summer
It too will fade
And with it brings
The winter's frost dear

And I know
We too are made
Of all the things
That we have lost here

I'll be twenty - one today
I been savin' all my pay

And my plane
Will touch down
On the day after tomorrow

And my plane
It will touch down
On the day after tomorrow

Click here to listen to: Teddy Thompson

: "1. My Heart Echoes - Teddy Thompson "
This is the song with Iris Dement I like so much -- Simply click on the heading above to be taken to the Rhapsody website and you can hear for yourself this sparse, lovely song.

A CD I'm Loving: Teddy Thompson

I love Linda Thompson, Teddy's mother and I love Teddy's parents Richard and Linda Thompson together (sadly, they're divorced and no longer perform together). After hearing Teddy on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, I fell in love with his voice as well. In his new CD, a collection mostly of cover songs by such Nashville (and Bakersfield) legends as George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard Teddy Thompson excels. He has the perfect voice for these country classics. Who knew something like this would come from a singer from the UK? Last year another favorite of mine, the great Van Morrison did a CD of country classics and although very good, I think Teddy has eclipsed him. Of course it doesn't hurt that he employs the fabulous Iris Dement on one cut. Here's the blurb from Teddy's web site http://www.teddythompson.com/

Teddy Thompson's self-produced Up Front & Down Low offers distinctive readings of beloved country classics: George Jones' "She Thinks I Still Care," Ernest Tubb's "Walking the Floor Over You" and Merle Haggard's "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers." Equally impressive, however, are such lesser-known songs such as Boudleaux Bryant's regretful "Change of Heart," the yearning "Touching Home," Dolly Parton's bittersweet "My Blue Tears," the tongue-in-cheek Bob Luman hit "Let's Think About Living" and the Elvis Presley chestnut "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone." The album also features a lone Thompson original, "Down Low," whose heart-on-sleeve lyrics take on added resonance in this context.

"As strange as it may seem, country music was the music I was brought up on," says Teddy, whose parents are British folk-rock legends Richard and Linda Thompson. "It's the music that's closest to my heart and the music that speaks to me the most, and it's always been a big influence on my own songwriting. I was obsessed with country music when I was a kid, and it's definitely had a huge influence on the way I write songs. I was always attracted to songs that had a brilliant pun or a clever turn of phrase, but came from a dark, bitter place. As a writer, I've always gravitated towards that feeling." Throughout Up Front & Down Low, the songs are supported by artful, evocative arrangements that often diverge from the material's original country milieu. Six tracks feature distinctive string arrangements by legendary English arranger Robert Kirby, renowned for his groundbreaking work with Nick Drake, while "My Blue Tears" features strings arranged by frequent Thompson cohort Rufus Wainwright.

Up Front & Down Low's compelling blend of melancholy and uplift is consistent with Thompson's prior work. "It was liberating," he adds, "to be making a record of songs I didn't write. I was able to be a bit more detached, and I didn't stress over every little detail as much as I do with my own material. It was easier to concentrate on whether it was a good performance, and not worry so much about whether the snare sound was perfect.Indeed, Up Front & Down Low marks a temporary departure from the London-born, New York-based singer/guitarist's prior recorded work.

Whereas his first two albums Teddy Thompson and Separate Ways showcased his formidable songwriting skills, Up Front & Down Low focuses on Thompson's abilities as an interpreter of outside material. The collection finds him delivering personalized reworkings of a memorable assortment of songs drawn from America's rich country music tradition, all delivered with a level of commitment and musical imagination that consistently cuts to the emotional heart of the material.

Book Review: Heart in the Right Place by Carolyn Jourdan

When Senate Counsel Carolyn Jourdan returns to the mountains of eastern Tennessee from Washington, DC after the sudden illness of her mother, she has no idea how long she’ll be needed to fill in her role as receptionist for her father, the kindly country doctor. She figures at first it will just be two days. But readers can be glad that it wasn’t as in Heart in the Right Place, Jourdan takes the reader on a true journey of the heart to the people of eastern Tennessee and through all the trials and tribulations of a small country one-doctor medical practice. One where he might be paid in even a fox carcass if he charged his patients anything at all.

We meet and learn to love the patients in the practice such as the eccentric Miss Hiawatha and the kindly Mike who doesn’t hardly know he is handicapped. And then there are the two friends Obie and Kermit. You never know what kind of predicament they are going to get themselves into next and what kind of injuries it’s going to cause. Each time they come through the clinic door it’s going to be something totally different. The big question on everyone’s mind is, will Carolyn stay in eastern Tennessee where she earned $0 in one year or return to her high-power, six-figure job in Washington, DC?

It was recommended I get this book via Amazon’s Customers Also Bought feature after I had purchased another book. I clicked on it and read the description. As a long-time medical office employee it sounded right up my alley. But it would appeal to anyone who enjoys sweet stories with quirky characters such as the Mitford series by Jan Karon or anyone who loves the TV series Northern Exposure or Ballykissangel. But these are very real people here, not those from fiction. I laughed and I cried, I read passages out loud to my husband, and I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning two nights in a row to finish it. I can’t recommend this book enough. You will want to buy one for yourself and another as a gift for someone you care about.