Whole lotta cookin' goin' on

Exploring new recipes and trying to get better at making ones I've tried before has been my 'thing' lately.

Been taking photos of dishes in progress but haven't gotten around to posting them until now.

Because I have some time.

Because I'm making risotto.

Barefoot Contessa's Wild Mushroom Risotto, to be specific.  

dried morels (recons) & porcinis

pancetta & scallions in butter

all of it simmering in the dutch oven

I attempted it for Greg in NY but think it was a middling effort.  Didn't really add the liquids as slowly - let them get absorbed before adding the next ladle full.  But I am now.  I'm in between ladle fulls now.  [stop to go stir]

It smells really good.... morels, porcinis, pancetta and scallions in a bunch of butter, wine and broth.  I optimistically told Greg we'd be eating around 8:30p.  It's 8:35 now and I think it's going to be another :45 at minimum.   He keeps coming in the kitchen trying to 'backseat chef'.  Hopefully his episodes of Mad Men will keep him occupied now. [stop for a stir]

Will update later with the end result and some of the other things I've tried (soup, soup & SOUP!).

xoxo

The weather

Here's a couple of videos I shot out our kitchen window; January Snow and February Wind/Rain:

Don't know how I'll be able to depict March weather .... maybe one of Greg scraping the frost off his windshield!  It's been CHILLY.

I had some fears of what the winter would be like here - imagined so much snow and ice that we'd lose power, be stranded, uncomfortable, etc.
Well, this winter here was much easier to deal with than last year in NYC.  There was much more snow than we've had here (so far....watch me jinx us).

The Real Housewives of St. John's

This is a hoot.   Town, as in town versus outport.
The Real Housewives of Town

Weekend Exploring

Last weekend (Feb. 11), we had a wonderful sunny day and drove around the north/west side of the Avalon; up to Torbay and Pouch Cove and then over to Portugal Cove and St. Thomas.  

Portugal Cove

Bell Island is off Portugal Cove (Greg's paternal grandfather worked in the Bell Island coal mines one summer) and ferries run regularly for residents' travel into St. John's.

two ferries on the Tickle

During the radio news each morning, as part of the weather and road report, they usually mention that "two ferries are running on the Tickle".

That's what they call the stretch of water in Conception Bay between the island and the cove, the "Tickle".

It's my favorite part of the news; I listen for it.  Sometimes there's only one ferry on the Tickle...we've heard that once or twice.. in stormy weather. And I think one day, no ferries were running.
Roger, Bell Island...that's a snow day; over and out.

Snow is the word

Snowed a bit overnight - mostly turned to rain at some point early in the morning.  So, after the plow came through in the wee hours, the bottom of our drive looked like the bottom of a malfunctioning SnoCone machine.   An oyster-flavored SnoCone.  Yuck.

Have also noticed that around here, they say the roads are 'greasy', not slippery.   And kids don't go sledding, they go 'sliding'.  I asked Greg if that was a Canadian thing, and he didn't think so.  Guess it's specific to NL.

Date night

That's what last night felt like. I got to put on make-up, and earrings, and everything.  First time for dress up since New Year's Eve.
Greg took me to a Tweet-up sponsored by local tech organization for St. John's Twitter-ers.   Got to chat with  Candice Walsh for a bit, co-star of one of my favorite Newfoundland accent videos.

She's got a pretty sweet travel blog, Candice Does The World...adding it to my regular reading.

Tweet up was at Bridie Molloy's on George Street.  We then went for dinner at Oliver's - love their Balsamic Chicken dish.

I see you, Newfoundland

Four storms in eight days.  Yes, you got my attention.  You can stop now.