Little Blue Dots
What a fast week this was. Work deliverables kept me hopping, and I must admit that a portion of me is starting to plan out the logistics of the holidays. The grass is still largely green. I wore shorts on Thursday while walking the dog. Between now and Christmas, our high temps will be well above freezing. Should I make a tee time on the 25th?
It looks like our boys will both return home some time next Tuesday. So I better get our bathroom put back together, having had the shower re-grouted and sliding glass doors installed. If we get through the holidays with all four of us showering regularly and no leaks, I will feel confident in repairing the first floor ceiling that has long been suffering from whatever the source of this leak has been. Fingers crossed.
Littleton's Market in Upper Arlington opened its doors a week ago Saturday. Lori and I snuck over for a quick visit on Tuesday, trying to avoid a crowded bunch of looky-loos (we succeeded, there were plenty of customers there, but we were able to comfortably explore everything). Littleton's is a relaunch of sorts - it is in the Tremont Center where the former Huffman’s Market was located, but they expanded the footprint by about 50%. It is very, very nice. They have leaned into preparing lots of ready-to-eat foods for it clientele, but they still have wonderful produce, meat, poultry and fish for those who choose to cook for themselves. We found a new brand of peanuts from Centerville, Ohio that may become a regular in our pantry. If you are looking for a unique protein for the holidays, you should definitely visit the Littleton's meat or fish counters.
One item that I was looking for while at Littleton's Market was any sort of unique dried bean. I was recently inspired by this episode of The Splendid Table, a long-time NPR radio program and podcast about food and cooking. The episode focuses on the French baked bean dish, cassoulet. It was a great reminder to me. I hadn’t thought of cassoulet in quite some time, but it makes for a wonderful cold weather dish. Lori and I took the boys to Paris in 2012. The cafe next to our hotel knocked our socks off with their cassoulet - so much so that I abandoned my efforts to cook it upon returning home. I couldn’t come anywhere close to replicating the dish. I’m a more experienced cook now, plus the family has had plenty of time to forget just how good it was in gay Puh-ree. The podcast inspired me to take another run at it, and the holidays will be a perfect time to do so. Oh, and I found some good beans - Rancho Gordo seems to be one of the most legit online providers of legumes that I have come across (I always welcome referrals, though - let me know if you’ve got a source that you like).
So, the hustle and the bustle is starting to ramp up. Cleaning, organizing, cooking, socializing. I’m looking forward to it, and also wary of it. It’s easy to overdo things, but this isn’t my first rodeo. Come Tuesday, Lori and I will be looking at the little blue dots in the “Find My” app on our phones - each dot representing one of our children, making their way home. Checking back in to Hotel Bell. I just hope we can retain our 4-star rating. Fingers crossed…
Sunday Supper
I’ve already tipped my hand, haven’t I? This cassoulet recipe would make for a wonderful Sunday Supper - give it a go. Here’s a nice Fall Salad to complement things. No dessert recommendation this week. I’m sure the cookies and candies are starting to pile up.
Sunday Music
This Sunday I am pleased to share this NPR Tiny Desk featuring the artist called Laufey (pronounced Lay-vay). Her full name is Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir, she is from Iceland, born of the union of her Icelandic father and Chinese mother. She is just 24 years old, but amazingly poised and richly talented. See for yourself!
Have a great week ahead! Offer support to others. Make good use of this day. And let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,
Neal