Tall Tales from Kansas

with no signs of the passion cooling off

If you are looking for an action packed way to spend your Friday or Saturday night, might I suggest flipping through the latest edition of Cook's Illustrated?

I realize this isn't for everyone.  Only those of us who are curious about the best way to get the stickers off fresh produce, want to read about peeling and deveining shrimp, and have decided to try and make a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread.  

I do enjoy propping up my feet to read about how those chefs have de-constructed, re-vamped, and generally fiddled around with recipes to figure out what works (and what doesn't).   They also introduced me to the coffee maker that has been living with me for the last four years.  My Technivorm Moccamaster and I are still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship, with no sign of the passion cooling off.   For that alone I am forever in their debt. 

the pre-trip modus operendi

The only thing better than going on a vacation is thinking about going on a vacation. 

My pre-trip modus operendi involves getting a couple of travel books with decent pictures and maps.   I like to be able to close my eyes and think about where I am going to be in a country and what I will be surrounded by.   I want to think about what I am going to see when I get there.  

Vikings.   Fjords.   Fata Morganas.   Trolls.   Stave Churches.  Gravat laks.   Aquavit.  

I have some reading to do. 

you find a way to work around minor annoyances

One of the best things about knitting with a group of people is you get ideas for techniques you may want to try.  This is an example of one.  I made it a few years ago.   It's called shadow knitting and it's made with very small needles (size 2 US).

 
While it was a long process I like this sweater because it holds it's shape well and it's warm but not too hot to wear inside all day.    I made the sleeves too long and it's a little bit too short,  but when you spend almost a year making something you find a way to work around minor annoyances. 

There are a number of interesting patterns with great color combinations in this book.    I am going to try one of the vests as soon as I forget how long it takes to complete one row on those little needles. 

Carol's Cherry Amaretto Bread Pudding

I've got a good idea.    It involves these.

And maybe some Amaretto.   Cherry and almond flavors were made for each other. 

Ever since I saw this I have been wanting cherries.    And you may have noticed I have also been on a bread pudding kick.    Cherries + Bread Pudding = Carol's good idea.   

Don't take my word for it though.  Rustle up a batch for yourself.   Then tell me I am not a genius.  

Carol's Cherry Amaretto Bread Pudding 
1 cup dried tart cherries
3 Tbsp Amaretto
Mix cherries with Amaretto, microwave for a minute and let sit to soften.

6 cups cubed challah bread - spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in a buttered 2 quart baking dish.
Layer the cherry/amaretto mixture over the bread cubes.  Then put the other half of the bread cubes on top of that.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar .

2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup Amaretto
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together and pour over the bread and cherry mixture.  
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 60-70 minutes. 

A word about the challah bread.  This is the first time I have made bread pudding using it.  I will NEVER make bread pudding without it again.  It's truly beyond compare.  Oh, by the way.  The left over challah bread makes perfect toast.  Perfect.  Really. 

Do inanimate objects have a collective consciousness?

Do you believe that inanimate objects (like watches) have a collective consciousness when they reside within close proximity of each other?  

If  you don't, can you please explain how it is possible that not one of these watches is operational today.  Each and every battery dead.   I left them out by the bathroom sink this morning in the hope that someone see's them and takes a hint. 

Aaron Sanchez we knew you wouldn't let us down

Dear Aaron:

When we heard you opened a restaurant in KC we couldn't wait to try it out.  Then we read the reviews.   Uh oh.   Let's just say they weren't very positive.   We kept an open mind, determined to give you a chance. 

From the moment we walked in the wrong door and were ushered up front to be seated, we found your staff to be friendly and attentive.   Chris is really not praying the food will be ok.    He's just waiting politely for me to make my selection.  

My Mestizo margarita was appropriately tart without making me squint, the guacamole had a very pleasing earthy quality to it.  Chunky but smooth and perfectly seasoned with cilantro.  Some of the very best I have had anywhere. 

Our dinner selections were very good.    You don't find platanos on many menu's in KC.  Their slight sweetness combined with the black beans and the very thin crisp outer layer melted in my mouth.  The char on the skirt steak combined with the tomatillo sauce and sliced radish - authentic and delicous.  The tamale del dia was a black bean with very thin salty plantain chips on top with a touch of queso fresco.  Nice combination of textures and flavors. 

We'll be back to Mestizo for sure.   Aaron Sanchez we knew you wouldn't let us down.

a field trip

Today Chris and I decided to take a field trip. 

We hit the road and headed for the big city

and ended up at Liberty Memorial.    We went into the National WWI Museum.

There is a lot to see there.  It's well laid out and the displays are easy to walk through.   Chris and I are compatible (and very sensible) museum goers.   Spend only as much time as you want, go out to lunch, talk about what you saw, reinforce your learning.  Plan to go back. 

 
One of my favorite parts is just looking out over Union Station and downtown Kansas City.   I love that old Western Auto sign.  

The next time we are going to go up in the tower.  Today we were too hungry.  One of us thought our blood sugar might get low 1/2 way up the stairs and didn't want to have some kind of medical emergency that would cause a traffic jam. 

there will be a quiz tomorrow

Has this ever happened to you?    You get in your car after a long day of work.  You fire up the engine, put it in drive and notice a warning light on.  Looks like this.

You don't know what that light means.   You have never seen it before.   You are tired.    You tell yourself   "these idiot lights come on all the time for no reason".    You drive home.   When you get out of your car at home you notice this.

You tell Chris, "hey my tire is low... should you go and get some air in it so it won't be flat in the morning?"  He says "did you drive home like that"?    You want to lie.  You really do.  But you instead respond "yes".    He tells you that really it's already flat and likely the rim or something like that is messed up and I will need a new tire.   Which led to this.

And then finally to this.

I am diligently studying all the warning lights in the owners manual.  Chris says there will be a quiz tomorrow.  In addition to knowing what they all mean I have to know what to do when they come on.  He says my favorite answer - "come home and let you take care of it because that 's what husbands are for" is NEVER the right answer. 

things like this don't happen everyday in Kansas

This is NOT a tall tale.

At 5:13pm on a gray overcast day on my way home from work I passed exit #212 for Tonganoxie/Eudora and looked up from the steady traffic to see a cowboy riding a horse across the bridge over the Kansas Turnpike. 

Some of you might think things like this happen in Kansas everyday.   They don't.   No way I could get a photo of it, but the image is imprinted firmly in my mind.  I have placed it in the "moments that make life worth living" file.  

Harebrained Scheme #437

Several years ago I saw this book at a local coffee shop. 

At the time I was trying to think of something to get a friend for Christmas.  Thus was born Harebrained Scheme #437.  Buy book.  Give to friend.  Include note that you will take her to each of these places and buy her a coffee.  Book will be used to record experiences.  It will be fun. 

There are 17 places in the book.  We have been to 9.  Two of them are closed.  We have 6 left to go. 

The project was supposed to take a year.  It has been 3 years since we started.  The problem is once you find a few great places you want to go back again and again and you don't try hard enough to get to those out of the way places.  But we are NOT giving up.

We are committed to completing this coffee journey. 

One table and one cup at a time.