It's almost Christmas and I'm not panicking.I'm having the best time ever.
My packages were mailed a long time ago, and the rest of my local gift shopping is finished.
But I'm like a bride on her honeymoon. Everything is suddenly tinged with sex. I mean Christmas. I can't stop thinking about it. "Doing" it.
Which means I can't stop shopping.
Today we bought Bean Sprout a new sweater and booties. (Hey, it froze overnight here last night. He hated walking out in the frosty grass this morning, poor kid. Not sure if he'll like it much better with these ridiculous red footsies, but... Aw... He only weighs five pounds; I win.) I won't even talk about the Santa hat, small doggie size, on sale for one dollar.
Foodwise, we've been filling the Christmas larder with a riot of seasonal fun, easy-peasy style. And it suits my style to have nibblies on hand, rather than roasting and braising and baking and stewing.
No stewing. Yet. We're happy and taking it easy.
This here is a deliberately (!) abstract photo of the raclette we ate for supper the other day. Nothing more complicated than some thinly sliced (raclette) cheese melted on plates in the oven, served with boiled potatoes and pickled vegetables. So simple as long as you have the simple ingredients.
We also have in the refrigerator some duck rillettes (somebody else made 'em), and a huge hunk of white truffle butter (which solves the truffle problem). A bit of leftover baguette. Mm. All set.
Until we go pick up the rib roast Saturday (and something green to have with it).
But we'll need something to eat before we roast the roast on Christmas Day, so there will also be rice skillet bread (hey, wait, I am baking; I baked it last night), leftover stewed greens (okay, I lied about not stewing; we did that yesterday), pickled eggs (in the fridge), Dungeness crab and chanterelle soup (we're shopping for that Thursday), crab tacos with escabeche, panettone from Emporio Rulli, cheeses, persimmons, tangerines, latkes... and macaroni and cheese!
Really good macaroni and cheese.
With pepperoni.
(Start your engines, Kevin.)
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11 comments:
So. When's dinner?
what a food snob! ;D! That post had so many foods ending in "ette" in it, I think I lost count!! But the mystery of the pepperoni is solved, and it sounds yummy!!
I so need to move to Marin County. Because I'll be dropping by for dinner like Moonbear.
I so need to move to Marin County. Because I'll be dropping by for dinner like Moonbear.
Gosh, I'd just love to see a pic of Bean Sprout in his new gear (hint, hint).
CC,
I didn't see any black pepper on that raclette. Pepper is an essential ingredient. Hmmph!
And as for the mac-n-cheese, let's set a date here and now, you Merrily Mad Minx. I've got to prepare Christmas dinner (standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, that kind of stuff) for Christmas Eve and then do Christmas Brunch (chevre & prosciutto souffle, some sort of sweet yeast bread, that kind of stuff) the next morning.
I also have to make a tourtierre for an article (and write the article) and deliver a chef service for my favorite, but most demanding, client. And all before next Friday.
And I'm manning the ChefsLine helpline through Christmas as well. Sigh, me and the Morton Salt girl.
Let's go for the mac-n-cheese-off the first week of the new year and we'll post our recipes on Friday, the 5th. That gives us both a short period in detox before kicking the colesterol/carb levels over the moon again. Hell, hang on a moment... Hokay, I've got your address. Bribe on the way tomorrow or the next day.
And while we're at it, does anyone else want to get in on this maccaroni and cheese action? Might be fun.
CC,
Fair warning, I'm planning a really cheesy photo: http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/2005/08/does-my-blog-look-tacky-in-this.html
Moonbear: I know. What a glut of treats. It's been a much happier December than last year, and I'm milking every joy out of it.
Stacie: Hah! I hadn't noticed. How Etsy. Pepperoni-etsy.
Dagny: Well, just come and visit!!
Catherine: Working on it!! He seems to *love* his new clothes, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Kevin: Ooh. I didn't know about the pepper! (Hmmph to me!)
I'm totally cool with the date (Jan. 5). If I jump the gun, I'll just save the pix to post later. You are busy. And cheesy. :D
CC,
"Ooh. I didn't know about the pepper! (Hmmph to me!)"
It really makes the dish. I mean really.
> You are busy. And cheesy.
I love it when you call me cheesy.
Sure, you made it deliberately abstract... Did you have the raclette grill in front of you, or was it still done in the kitchen?
Senta: We don't use a raclette grill. I am a sucker for many food gadgets, but that one's a bit unnecessary, in my estimation. We just put the sliced cheese on plates, and melted it in the oven.
Yeah -- abstract on purpose! ;-)
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