Howdy folks. Just checking in from Babyland, where the name of the game is waiting. I know I said I would be taking a break from Mary Makes Dinner, but today the mood to blog is slapping me silly, so here I am. Food-wise, we’ve been keeping busy in Babyland. Just last week Scott Bobleo and I whipped up our first test batch of ice cream for a future project that we were way too excited to begin. I won’t go into a whole lot of detail just yet. Let’s just say that we took our first step in a long journey to fulfilling a dream, and that the first step was banana flavored.
We made (and shared) thirty one pints of Banana Pudding Ice Cream. It’s one of my favorite recipes, so we thought it would be the perfect way to kick things off. Over the next year or so, our goal is to make, test, and share a new ice cream recipe every month. Our local friends and family are playing taste-testers and providing feedback that will help us fine tune the formulas into something that will hopefully (one day) grow into our own itty bitty business. We’re taking things slow. With a kiddo on the way, a book in the works, and two full-time jobs, this isn’t something that will happen overnight, but in good time, we are hoping to make it happen, which is pretty thrilling. By the way, we’ll be blogging and sharing the recipes as they come out, so get ready for a whole lot of sweetness in the coming year.
David Leite of Leite’s Culinaria stopped by to visit the current students at my former cooking school recently. I have a serious soft spot for this guy. His latest blog post strikes some very tender chords with me. It’s all about his personal battle with Bipolar Disorder and how the world of food, cooking, and Julia Child helped him cope. As a person who has dealt with some dark times herself, and has also found peace and focus in the comfort of the kitchen, it’s wonderful to hear his story. Seeing him support the Community Cooking School endears me all the more. Now I will have to get my hands on a copy of his book, The New Portuguese Table.
Thank you @davidleite for gifting copies of your new cookbook to our students. Your generous gift has inspired them! pic.twitter.com/uUpb6s6vsV
— CulinarySchool_NWCT (@CulSchoolNWCT) May 22, 2014
Babywatch 2014 continues, with no imminent signs of Babeleo’s arrival. We are hoping that the little one decides to get a move on soon, as I’m battling a bit of hypertension right now. The midwives put me on bed rest, which is kind of tricky for an activity-addicted individual such as myself. I spent a week or so following their orders to remain immobile, but after the pressure went down a bit I began sneaking back into the kitchen, cooking a quick meal here and there. Being eternally hungry enables me to justify these forbidden jaunts pretty well. Tonight I devoured an entire pan of zuchinni before the rest of the meal was even finished. I couldn’t help myself. It was covered in salt, pepper, lemon, and parmesan.
Scott Bobleo may not be suffering from hypertension, but he is surely suffering. The poor guy is so wound up over Babeleo’s impending arrival that he can hardly sit still. I felt bad for him yesterday, so I made him a chocolate cream pie. I’d like to tout this act as proof of my superior spousing skills, but the truth is that I may have at least partially been motivated by getting to eat some of that pie myself… just maybe.
The kindly folks at R.W. Garcia hooked me up with some free samples of their tortilla chips this week. Their Veggie Dippers were promptly devoured with a tub full of hummus. I’m definitely adding them to my snack wish list. They were pretty addictive, with just enough added flavor to make them a little more interesting than plain chips, but not so much as to make them unsuited for dipping. Thanks for hooking a preggo lady up, chip people!
On Sunday we went out for what might just be (hopefully) our last pre-baby breakfast date. Inspired by Ryan and Julie’s Austin chilaquiles investigation on Foie Gras Hot Dog, we decided to check out Senor Buddy’s. This place is owned by the same family as Curra’s, and offers up a smaller, but similarly stocked menu of Mexican breakfast options. I don’t know if I’d rate their chilaquiles plate better or worse than Curra’s, but it was sure nice to avoid the crowd that usually mobs Curra’s on Sunday mornings. We sat outside in the shade, enjoying our breakfast in the company of just a handful of other diners and a few wandering chickens.
By the way, if you’ve ever found yourself wondering what the difference is between Mexican food and Tex-Mex, check out this article from my friend, Meredith Bethune. She and Rick Bayless get to the bottom of this age-old culinary question in her latest contribution to Serious Eats.