Springtime Celebrations & Conundrums

Ahhh, the holiday rush is over once again. I can’t decide if I should be thrilled or miserable. This is the only part of the year when there is a long break between celebrations, and I tend to be the hostess or the hostess’ assistant. It’s nice to relax, and I’m sure I’ll concoct a get-together or two, but there is just something about real holidays and birthdays that is extra-special.

In fact, no one I know actually celebrated Easter for years before I moved into a place with an actual kitchen, but I resuscitated it from my Catholic upbringing, and everyone who comes just loves it. This year I made a lamb noisette roast and GIANT roast chicken (best I’ve ever had) with haricots verts, baby carrots, and new red potatoes as the main course. It was unbelievably delicious, and so easy! No one (except my boyfriend who witnessed and assisted it all) believed how little time and effort was required, but I was trying to celebrate the ingredients themselves without too much fussing. Fussing I save for Christmas, when it’s cold and you want complexity to the flavors. Not that any of this was simple tasting, by far. We had a lovely California Pinot Noir that went perfectly with everything, but I accidentally threw out the bottle before recording it in my wine journal. Oh, well – I certainly didn’t get a chance to taste it before eating, since I was munching all day.

My boyfriend also gave me an Easter basket for the very first time, hid it while I was sleeping, just like when I was a kid (although without the jelly bean trail my parents left for me). So much chocolate!!! Mmmmm… I know any woman reading this probably thinks I’m pretty lucky already, but chocolate isn’t even the best part – he hid clothes under all the filling!! A beautiful shirt and the perfect little dress to wear for our casual Easter. Okay, okay – that has nothing to do with food, but who could help showing off the best boyfriend in the world just a little?

Also makes a great tip for anyone out there who wants to really and truly surprise someone with a non-candy gift in spring!

Okay, back to the original topic. See, this is my problem – when I don’t have an official holiday coming up, I start planning my birthday. It’s in late July, all by it’s lonesome. Most of my friends have fall and winter birthdays, so there is just this big blur through those seasons and right into Easter. I’m afraid I am the lucky one in all this, since I’m not part of the blur, and I love to plan celebrations where everyone gets stuffed and drunk (but not too drunk) and just basically talks about it ‘til Christmas. On the other hand, this year is no milestone (31), I took my thirtieth WAY too far, and I’m trying to put every spare cent into a business I’m creating. Creating a business itself does take up most of my time and mind, but there is this little party-planning sector in my brain that needs a project at all times.

Does anyone else feel like this? Have you found ways to combat these feelings? I would seriously love to know.

Happy belated Easter!!

Thursday's Graces

Most people spend the whole week looking forward to Friday, some to a scary degree. I hate Fridays, ‘cause that’s the day in between the two days Fiore’s in Hoboken makes their very own roast beef, which, when combined with their famous mozzarella on fresh bread and dunked in gravy, make living for Thursday a much better option.

I love cooking, make a great roast beef and gravy myself, but I swear they must put something in the stuff. It makes me so happy that, even on the worst Thursdays, I can’t stop smiling once I know I’ll have a chance to run out and get one. Thankfully, they’re practically around the corner!

Great food is like that, and I finally decided that I spend so much of my time obsessing on food, I might as well combine my two loves (writing being the other), and give a blog a go. My friends think I should be writing cookbooks and auditioning for Top Chef, but my passion is truly cooking for me and the people I love, serving the perfect drinks for the meal/season/occasion/whatever, or just eating the bounty that living in one of the great culinary areas of the world affords me.

I hope you enjoy this, since you stumbled across it, and pledge to further my food explorations if it entertains you. Quite a sacrifice, huh?