Mother's Day eve

Last night, and because I had just bought shrimp anyway, I made ricotta and then used the whey to make a batch of my Springtime Shrimp and Grits. It really is so bright, satisfying and good, and we really enjoyed it. I also shook a vodka gimlet -hard! because then you get delightful, paper thin shards of ice floating around on top- because really, why not. It paired winningly with the shrimp.

We were up and at 'em early this morning and after a close, competitive game of Clue in which Ol and T just beat me, we took advantage of the early time by driving out to Poolesville, MD, for an open house at one of the summer camps the boys are attending. I am more excited for them than ever now, and frankly, very jealous too. While there today, we held a chicken (the nicest chicken ever!), petted baby goats, canoed, watched the launch of the just-built and very large war canoe, ate fresh carrots and sugar snap peas from the camp's farm, and watched other kids ride ponies and climb the rock wall. It's going to be such a great, old-fashioned sort of experience for the kids, and I suspect they'll be brown as beans and completely tuckered out, in the best way, by the end.

I want a goat soooo badly. But it'd eat me out of yard and garden so for now, I'll just have to make do with visiting farms and such on occasion. Just two days ago I had to seal off the one hole under a fence in our yard because I saw a very cute bunny but immediately knew he was the culprit behind all my snipped-at-the-ground tulips. Grr, bunny, grr.

Tonight, a friend and I are going to Politics & Prose to hear Molly Wizenberg (Orangette blogger, author, fab cook) present her new book, Delancey. I'm so excited!

"Is it Monday?" he asks, aghast

No, it's not, but tofu with peanut sauce is YUM, no matter the day. Ultimately, T agreed, as he always does because he likes tofu. Really likes it. Me too when it's prepared well. You've got to drain it in a serious fashion and then I prefer it cooked over a high heat so you get the tofu equivalent of grill char on a chicken breast. I happened to have both tofu and bok choy in the fridge so it just seemed like a natural direction to take dinner in a slightly Asian direction. I say slightly because I know next to nothing about Asian cooking techniques and dishes other than that I enjoy eating them.

In any case, seared and then oven-roasted tofu + sauteed/steamed bok choy. I also made some mirin-lime rice, and T made me a deLIGHTful vodka gimlet to go alongside. Amen. I like this recipe.