08/09 tonight's meal was an eastern twist on an american classic. a curried chicken burger. ground chicken tossed with curry powder, coriander and a smattering of fresh veggies. cooked on a griddle until crisp and brown. served bunless, topped with a spicy mango chutney and a side of curried chickpeas salad.
08/10 this is one of the meal's i had marked for this year that i was SUPER excited about making. MUSSELS!!!!!!! i'll be honest, mussels themselves aren't really my thing. i mean, they're ok. but...kinda weird. but the ritual of eating mussels, is such a beautiful and wonderful thing, i knew i wanted to try it at home as part of my goal this year! a pot of savory broth serving as a bath for those shy mollusks. the surgical precision of removing that small bit of meat from the dark and unyielding shell. the thick and crusty bread served to soak up all the wonderful flavorful broth. a meal of mussels can't be rushed. the very nature of it forces you to sit, savor, enjoy!
i've had many wonderful styles of mussels over the years, but tonight i wanted to try a spanish take on the meal. a broth of red wine, purple onions and chorizo. it was a hearty broth, almost a stew, that made for such an amazing base to this meal! i served this with a light salad of endive and green apple. and of course the requisite crusty french bread. it definitely pleased my palette!!!
08/11 tonight i went north to the family homestead to begin what will be a weekend long of festivities. it is my parent's 50th wedding anniversary!! so immediate and extended families have all gathered to share stories, pictures, love and FOOD! my parent's kicked off things tonight with a classic maryland feast. steamed crabs, fried chicken, watermelon, corn on the cob, berger cookies and one of my most beloved treats from my home town. turnovers from goll's bakery in havre de grace!!! i may have had a bite or two of chicken, but my meal definitely focused on those amazing mini cherry turnovers!!
08/12 after a day of pictures (reviewing pictures from the past and taking pictures of the present) the family met today at "the bayou". that would be pronounced "BAY-YOU" not "bahy-oo". a local seafood restaurant that provides a relaxed but upscale atmosphere perfect for large parties and special occasions! they have amazing scallops here that are topped with lump crabmeat and imperial sauce. so decadent, so good!!! the meal was only topped by the wonderful atmosphere of chatting with family. and it is such a treat to have my aunties here from out west! i see them all-too-rarely. and my nieces and nephew that have begun to grow up and scatter. i love seeing how they have grown into adults that i can laugh with!
08/13 we had a wonderful evening tonight at the local minor league ball park, watching the aberdeen iron birds play (and win). my parents had managed to get tickets for the entire family to come and enjoy the game. as an added luxury, we had club level access....which was a godsend as it had air conditioning!!!! tony and i spent the night strolling from section to section, sitting with the different family members, enjoying the game, laughing at the sights. it was "star wars night", which made for some great people watching.
one of the best parts of ripken stadium is the food. they have an amazing selection of eats for a ball park!! my personal favorite is the local delicacy "crab pretzel". a soft pretzel topped with cheesy crab dip. when i found out that tony had never had one? i bee-lined for the seafood shop they have and ordered one straight away. it was a perfect snack on a perfect night! made even better by the most brilliant of fireworks at the end. what a great way to say "happy anniversary" to my lovely parents!!
08/14 my gift to my parents for their anniversary was to host a brunch for the family before everyone started to part ways on sunday. i took over their kitchen early and cranked out a feast for the entire family (which i will post about separately.....with my scones recipe as promised to my aunt jackie). my only regret is that my dear niece emma and her husband had to leave before the food was ready!!! but emma, this is why you will come visit. and i will make you a brunch of your own!!!
We were so sad too! But it was great to see you even for a little bit :)
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