sushi and ginger

Rose Hoffer Gittell's 15th Birthday, which I was fortunate enough to be in New England to share in.  We had a lovely dinner in Downtown Portsmouth of sushi with Ross, Jody, Rose, Grace and I.  The miso soup was particularly delicious, and the sushi offerings equisite.  I had forgotten how much I love sushi and fresh ginger.  Gracie and I decided to walk back to the house afterward, but coming across the pond with icy winds didn't turn down a ride when the rest of them pulled up offering a lift!

dinner in portsmouth

I arrived in Portsmouth, NH to stay with my cousin Jody for a few days while I attend the Greenbuild Conference in Boston.  She and the girls had grilled chicken ceasar salad waiting - Rose, 15, had made the dressing from scratch and Gracie, 9, prepared dessert of bananas topped with dark chocolate pudding.  It brought back favorite childhood memories - I can't tell you the last time a fixed pudding!

As usual in their busy (Jody is a Doctoral Professor at Brandeis University and a published writer and her husband Ross is a Doctoral Professor at MIT), but eloquently organized household, a glass of wine, yummy cheese and conversation proceed dinner, and candles are lit around the living and dining room.  Cozy and welcoming, with Bella the dog resting in my lap with her enormous loving eyes.  The table was set with handmade pottery, candles and linen napkins in shades of ocean blue.  We spent some time playing Apples to Apples afterward, Rose and Grace lobbying in lawyer fashion for their pics.   

stella's chocolate wackie cake

Dinner is cooking on the stove - it's Lorelei's birthday, and we're having boneless porkchops from the local butcher, rubbed with dill and garlic salt, mashed potatoes - at her request, fresh steamed green beans, and chocolate cake (my grandmother's wackie cake recipe) with peanut butter icing for dessert.

WACKIE CAKE

This recipe is Grandma Stella's - no changes, just pure, unadulterated, fattening, delicious, yummy chocolate!  Delicious with peanutbutter icing.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 9" cake pan with butter, and dust with flour.

In a large mixing bowl, add:

3 cups flour

2 cups white sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbs. cocoa powder

 

Mix with a fork or hand beater.  In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the following, then whip into the dry ingredients by hand:

1 cup salad oil

3 tbs. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups cold water

Fold gently into cake pan and bakd 30-35 minutes, or until the smell of chocolate overcomes you!

wine, cheese and jazz

Beautiful fall day Sunday at the river.  David and I went to church at St. Stephens, then walked to Passage of India for lunch - our favorite place.  The soup, in particular is delectable, and I can't figure out what all is in it, to try to recreate it at home.  Ginger and currie for sure, with a creamy tomatoe base.  Maybe coconut milk?

After spending the afternoon in the lab - we both worked - CAD drawings for class for me, we quit and went to the Hilton for Central PA Friends of Jazz.  They did a 30 year tribute to Steve Rudolph, whose work is truly amazing.  For the first time, I had my act together enough to pack a picnic dinner for us - the food available there is expensive, and not that good.  With Greek humus and fresh cheddar, kalamata olives, dried apricots, a baguette, and a bottle each of Pellegrino and Gnarly Head Pinot Noir, it was perfect!

John McCain called to concede the race for president.  We have a new president!

And change is coming our way!

Off to Philadelphia three days a week for grad school doesn't leave much time for blogging - or cooking - my teenaged children are none to pleased with that fact.  With all the grazing on granola bars, ramen noodles and cheeze-its, I can't imagine they are hungry.  And it seems when I do think ahead and take the time to prepare a meal, no one is around, or they don't feel like eating whatever it is I've prepared.  

I think the hunger is more for care and nuture from mom - which I fully understand.  Pizza and peanut butter only go so far.  So here's to family favorites, like bean tortillas, chicken noodle soup, tacos, sausage goulash, chicken stir-fry, and curried rice and black beans.  (when I find the time, I'll post the recipes)  Meanwhile, we'll take each day as it comes, in hopes of connecting where we can, and if it's over a meal, all the better!

A delightfully, unexpected lunch invitation to the Bowery Hotel in Soho with Sophie Theallet and Steven Francoeur.  Christine Clemer and I took a chance to meet her, as she is the focus of our retail project this semester - we must research her line of exquisite fashions and design an appropriate boutique and atelier.  Lunch of paninis and pizza, white wine and aragula salad was delicious, and the bohemian flair of the hotel a perfect setting.