A moment's reprieve

We got out of the car just in time. I swear to you that if I have to tell the boys one more time that I cannot look at or watch them (in the backseat) while I'm driving (clearly, in the front), my head will spontaneously combust. Is this a difficult concept? Do my reminders come out sounding like parseltongue? Mother of god, boys. Listen! Ingest! I've just planted them in front of the TV for a brief viewing of Busytown Mysteries, and I'm going to sit a spell in a big way.

It's gray and busy today; early pick-ups, an orthodontist appointment, dress rehearsal tonight, errands and so forth. The arrival of my annual hamantashen haul from Ol's school fundraiser did bring a huge light to the drear; 17 boxes worth! They are not all for me. No, I have turned a dear friend onto these insanely good treasures, and she ordered even more than did I this year. But 20 chocolate, four cherry and four apricot are mine. Some will head immediately into the chest freezer because they save beautifully there, and I can mete them out judiciously over the next eight months or so. Some remain on my counter, but my family now knows not to eat imprudently or else.

Do you know about hamantashen? I'd never enjoyed this treat until Jack started nursery school at a temple near our home. During his first year, I bought a few during the annual fundraiser which always falls just before Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates the Jews' deliverance from the evil Haman. As you can see, these cookies are triangle-shaped, a reference to Haman (some say that was the shape of his hat; others suggest it has something to do with his ears), and come with a variety of fillings. Poppy, prune, apple, apricot...though probably not as traditional, my favorite are these stuffed with chocolate, and the amount I purchase has increased each year since that initial romance. These are definitely the best I've ever tried!

Bread pudding and Real Time

Did y'all watch Real Time with Bill Maher this past Friday? The primary panel guests were Lawrence Krauss, Martin Bashir and Josh Barro and others featured were Julian Assange and Tina Brown. Great group, lively discussion, funny as balls. If you have time to watch Bill's closing monologue about the ridiculous lawsuit Donald Trump has filed against him re: "my father was Fred Trump, not an orangutan," please do yourself this favor as it is priceless. Meanwhile, can I just tell you how flipping wonderful the bread pudding I made Friday is? We ate most of it last night with pals, but it is absolutely sublime, and my will-power goes to the dogs whenever I pass the fridge. It's there, beckoning me like the most alluring of sirens despite its gloopy visage.

My baby has moved into a big boy bed. Yes, he is almost four and it does, for some arbitrary reason, seem time, but this was a boy who looooved his crib. Loved his bumpers, loved the ties that held them to the railings. He told me, quite recently, that when he was a grown-up and was a builder, he would build a crib big enough for an adult, and he would sleep in it, and he would be so happy. It was so darling I almost cried. It was, thus, whiplash-inducing when he declared about five minutes later that he was ready, and could I order the bed and would it arrive the next day.

As you can see, he's thrilled.

Lovely morning for the market

It is such a pretty day here. We DC-area folks needed it, so thanks to the weather gods for a lovely atmosphere outside. I had no takers for my invite to join me at the farmers market earlier so enjoyed a quiet hour there by my lonesome. Bliss. It's smaller this time of year, both in purveyors and patrons, but I like it. You can take it all in in a slightly more relaxed way, you've got a bit more space in which to move and observe. I headed first to Eco Friendly Foods for some chicken breasts, but found that the stores are empty, not to be replenished until the spring chickens are ready in March. I love these reminders of the natural order of things, adherence to organic cycles of life rather than ones we impose for our convenience. I'm happy to wait another month really and was happy my lack of luck in things chicken forced my eyes to take in and consider the other offerings.

Smoked turkey breast? Love it and will take two packs. Real tasso ham??? Do mine eyes deceive me? What a find; it's not easy to procure tasso outside of Louisiana so my jambalayas are always slightly less than authentic. I make do with smoked andouille but tasso, a spicy smoked pork made from the shoulder butt of a hog, is the real deal and I snatched up a fat chunk. The woman helping me, who had lived in Louisiana for a number of years, said it was super authentic, and I'm really looking forward to trying it. I also picked up some smoked ham hocks -red beans and rice, peeps!- and this gorgeous cured pork belly and some bacon. I must have looked like Mrs. Pig, but it's exciting to find a spread of best-quality, specific products like this. Once again, a big thanks to Eco Friendly!

Next to Bonaparte for some beautiful bread, then to the kinda scary apple lady for a big haul of her pommes. She's strict but does have a great variety, and the pink ladies today were absolutely delish.

Some golden beets here, a watermelon radish there, a head of radicchio...all the while a lovely composed salad was taking shape in my mind. So, we'll see where all this leads tonight, but for now, off to class.